________________ CM . . . . Volume XX Number 30. . . .April 4, 2014

cover

Here Comes Destructosaurus!

Aaron Reynolds. Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard.
San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books (Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books), 2014.
26 pp., hardcover, $19.99.
ISBN 978-1-4521-2454-4.

Kindergarten-grade 1 / Ages 5-6.

Review by Kaitlyn Vardy.

**** /4

   

excerpt:

Don’t take that tone with me, Destructosaurus! Whatever you’re saying must seem awfully important to you, but I could do without the attitude.

 

As Descructosaurus, a Godzilla-like monster, tears through the city, making a mess and showing nothing but rage, parents and caregivers will be able to recognize that this is a full on temper tantrum that Destructosaurus is throwing:

What do you think you are doing Destructosaurus? Stop throwing around buildings that don’t belong to you. You’ve been brought up better than that, you naughty monster! Look with your eyes, not your claws.

internal art     The tantrum continues with poor manners, destruction, and a nasty attitude. Finally, having endured enough, the narrator states, “I’ve had it. Such terrible behaviour! You put that train station down, Destructosaurus. Right this very second!” Within a spilt second, rage turns to compassion when the narrator realizes there was a mix-up in communication as the tantrum seemed to have stemmed from a lost, but luckily found, teddy bear. Happy the tantrum has come to a halt, a hug and an apology are in order to make a mends.

     Tankard’s illustrations throughout the book have a bold colour cartoon flare to them. Tankard is also an author, and he is well-known for his silly books for children: Grumpy Bird, Me Hungry, Boo Hoo Bird, and he recently illustrated Piggy Bunny and It’s a Tiger! His illustrations are always brilliantly bright and engaging.

     Author Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times bestseller and a Caldecott Honor-Winner. His other children’s books include: Creepy Carrots!, Chicks and Salsa, Back of the Bus, Carnivors, Pirates vs. Cowboys, Buffalo Wings, Superhero School, Metal Man, Snowbots, and the Joey Fly Private Eye graphic novel series.

Highly Recommended.

Kaitlyn Vardy is a Children’s Librarian at the Prince George Public Library in Prince George, BC.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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