Rappy the Raptor

February 1, 2015
A newborn dino falls from a tree and wakes up a rapping machine.This light tale largely follows his trip to the hospital and the many tests he must endure while his sobbing, distressed parents look on. One look at the title and cover, which features a backward-hat-wearing dino kid, and potential readers will understand that there will be no way to read this, whether aloud or to oneself, without rapping. Some verses work better than others, however, with regard to rhythm, rhyme and sensibility (mind, the trip to the hospital is not due to the fall but because he can't stop rapping afterward). "My parents freaked out; / they didn't know what to do. / Should they take me to the doctor? / Or take me to the zoo? // They rushed me to the hospital; / the ambulance was screaming. / The nurse gave me a Popsicle; / I thought that I was dreaming!" Even through all the diagnostic testing, Rappy is enthusiastic about his rapping ability, celebrating what makes him different. Bowers' brightly colored acrylic illustrations focus on the anthropomorphized dinos with their expressive faces and exuberant clothing. Many dino species are featured as medical staff, none of them scary, so those looking for a distraction for children anxious about upcoming medical tests will find it here. Upbeat, rhyming, rhythmic but ultimately slight entertainment. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Everything about Rappy, who speaks only in rhyme, suggests that he is cool-from his baseball cap turned sideways to his skateboard-cool clothes to his contemporary slang ("I'm rappin' with my peeps"). He believes that he started talking in rhyme after plummeting out of his tree house and hitting his head following a foolish attempt to fly as a baby dinosaur. His upbeat and silly rhymes showcase Gutman's zany humor while advancing the story: "My parents freaked out;/they didn't know what to do./Should they take me to the doctor?/Or take me to the zoo?" After a longer-than-anticipated stay at the hospital along with numerous indignities ("The doctors looked me in the eye/and looked me in the ear./ And I'm not ashamed to say/they even looked me in the rear"), Rappy finds out that he was born speaking this way. In this straightforward way, Gutman celebrates the importance of individual differences and self-acceptance. Bowers's bright illustrations, featuring dinosaurs with oversize heads and wearing human clothing, perfectly complement the tone of the story. VERDICT A cool addition to most collections.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.