Santasaurus (review)
2005; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 59; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2005.0379
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Publishing and Scholarly Communication
ResumoReviewed by: Santasaurus Deborah Stevenson Sharkey, Niamh Santasaurus. Candlewick, 2005 [32p] ISBN 0-7636-2671-6$15.99 Reviewed from galleys R 3-5 yrs Three little dinosaurs, Ollie, Molly, and Milo, know exactly what they want for Christmas: Ollie wants a dinobot, Molly hopes for a dinocycle, but "all Milo wanted was to meet Santasaurus and fly in his sleigh." The Saurus family happily engages in Christmas preparations, from the stringing of popcorn to the hanging of stockings, and then the three little kiddiesaurs are tucked up in bed, sound asleep except for Milo. He creeps downstairs to find Santasaurus waiting for him, and the right jolly old reptile escorts Milo off on a sleigh ride to deliver presents "to dinosaur children all over Dinosaur World" before returning him safely to his bed; the next morning, when presents are opened, Milo receives a miniature sleigh avec reindeer and a Santa hat as a memento of his evening. There's a homely lyricism and playful rhythm ("What hustle and bustle and squoosh!" says Mamasaurus about the downtown Christmas frenzy) to the compact, gentle prose that makes it easy listening, especially as a bedtime treat. The illustrative palette expands from the expected green and red into rich jewel tones, with a particular fondness of lush purple, for both the dinosaurs and their surroundings; employing a delicate touch, [End Page 201] Sharkey retains color intensity while brightening scenes up by leaving pigments dark around figures' edges but lightening the hues in planes of interior color, which gives the dinosaurs a shimmery allure. Draftsmanship ensures that the figures stay kid-appealing as well as elegantly colored, with big, blunt-nosed heads and perpetual smiles giving the dinosaurs a toylike look of amiable goofiness. General audiences will adore the cozy Christmas story, and this will especially thrill those youngsters who feel the only thing that could make Christmas better is the addition of dinosaurs. Copyright © 2005 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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