Mamasaurus

March 14, 2016
Lomp (A Crash of Rhinos) presents a kind of prehistoric homage to P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? A yellow sauropod, Babysaurus, tries to find his mother after he zips down her tail like a slide and soars into the underbrush. Black backdrops and olive foliage create a hint of menace, but Babysaurus remains cool and confident as he asks vibrantly colored young dinosaurs if they have seen his mother. A closing encounter with Rexy, a bright green tyrannosaurus, doesn’t quite hit its mark: while the text suggests that Rexy is considering eating Babysaurus, the artwork doesn’t bear out the potential danger. Regardless, Mamasaurus’s timely appearance saves the day and delivers a happy reunion. Ages 3–5. Agency: Bright Agency.

April 1, 2016
A small dinosaur needs help from other dino babies when he slides off his mother's back and can't find her again. Babysaurus likes to stand on his mother's back so he can reach the tender leaves, but Mamasaurus' curving back and tail make the perfect accidental slide. "Wheeeeeee!" As Babysaurus wanders the jungle searching for his mama, he meets other dinos. "Have you seen my mama?" Each new acquaintance asks if Babysaurus' mama does something like his or her own: does she run as fast as Ornito's mama? Have a horn like Tritopa's mom? Fly like Ptero's mom? Is she small like Hespero's or toothy like Rexy's? Babysaurus answers each of these questions in the negative, but he does provide some details about his mama: she takes big steps, has a long neck, and is taller than the trees. Just when things look bleak for Babysaurus against Rexy's toothy mom, Mamasaurus finds her little one, who proclaims, "You are the best Mamasaurus in the whole jungle!" Lomp's brush pen and Photoshop illustrations show rather static faces on the dinos, though their brilliant colors stand out against the black pages and greenish-gray foliage, drawing readers' eyes. Like P.D. Eastman's 1960 classic Are You My Mother? for the dino set, though it lacks the facts (and even the dinosaur names!) presented elsewhere, as in Shari Halpern's Dinosaur Parade (2014). (Picture book. 3-5)

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April 1, 2016

PopPreS-Gr 1-In this sweet story, Babysaurus slides down his mother's back and falls into a bush. Once he is able to find his way out, he realizes that Mamasaurus has disappeared. As he roams through the jungle, he meets dinosaurs of various colors and sizes, such as Triopa, Ptero, Hespero, and scary Rexy. Finally, baby is reunited with his mama. Children will delight in meeting the various dinosaurs, some of which they may not be familiar with. Illustrations are executed in brushed pan and Photoshop. Dinosaurs are engaging and drawn in vibrant colors shaded with a darker color and outlined in black. This makes them visually appealing and allows them to pop on the page. VERDICT Dinosaur fans will roar over this one.-Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

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