Dinosaurs in Disguise

September 19, 2016
“Most people believe that dinosaurs are long gone,” begins the young narrator of this wouldn’t-it-be-cool-if story from Krensky (We Just Had a Baby) and Munsinger (the Tacky the Penguin series). “But not me.” Instead, the boy reasons that dinosaurs simply went into hiding. Munsinger’s watercolors are the star of the show, comically picturing dinosaurs camouflaged as cave man, a sphinx and pyramid in ancient Egypt, and a medieval knight’s mount, providing some entertaining seek-and-find moments. Back in the present, the child spots one dinosaur masquerading as Santa and another as the Statue of Liberty. The boy’s musings start to become repetitive, but the story shifts gears after he persuades the dinosaurs to come out of hiding; Munsinger shows them letting loose in the grocery store, tearing through town in vehicles, and relaxing on the sofa. A tacked-on environmental message lands with a thud (“Maybe we have some work to do” before dinosaurs will reappear, the boy concludes, as a stegosaurus holds a sign that reads, “Clean Our Planet”). It’s a fine idea that doesn’t quite hit its mark. Ages 4–7.

A small, light-skinned blond boy has a theory that the dinosaurs are just in hiding until the moment is right for a reappearance."Dinosaurs ruled the earth for millions and millions of years. // If they could do that, they could survive one fiery blast." The boy also has no trouble guessing why they went on the down low--at first, they were scared of all the changes. And when people showed up, well, hiding seemed like a good idea. And then it just got to be natural. Throughout, Munsinger's watercolors "hide" the dinos in plain sight, and the youngest readers will be yelling out their locations enthusiastically. That caveman with the tiny arms and green tail? A dinosaur. And that third camel from the left? That gray pyramid? The knight's steed? The Statue of Liberty? Yep, all dinos. But while many things about today's world would suit the beasts (fast-food drive-thrus and supermarkets), these are outweighed by some serious cons: office stress, pollution, traffic congestion, the fast food itself. The planet may need some serious work before the dinos come out of hiding, and in the meantime, the boy will keep their secret. Munsinger gives the dinos personalities without feeling the need to dress and accessorize them like people (unless that's their disguise). And the subtle environmental message goes down easily. An If the Dinosaurs Came Back for modern times. (Picture book. 3-7) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-In Krensky's latest picture book, a boy posits the idea that dinosaurs are still alive but in hiding. The child narrator, carrying a stuffed dinosaur, states that he believes dinosaurs were strong enough to survive an asteroid collision but they are too scared of humans to show themselves. People are polluters, and until they stop littering and contaminating the air and water with poisons, the giant reptiles will remain concealed. The watercolor illustrations show how dinosaurs have disguised themselves over the years to blend in with their environment. People from around the world don't see them, because the dinosaurs are disguised as cave dwellers, the Sphinx, a mountain under a castle, a Pilgrim, and even Santa Claus. Some, like the dinosaur traffic light, are harder to spot than others. VERDICT This boy's theory is far-fetched but fun to imagine. Children will giggle at this supremely silly read aloud.-TanyaBoudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, Alta.

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