Review by Booklist Review
Picture-book veteran Waddell (Farmer Duck, 1992) pairs with newcomer Lord in this creatively designed, energetic tale of a boy and the beast intent on eating him and his family. When a Super Hungry Dinosaur charges into Hal's backyard, it's up to Hal to teach it some manners and keep himself, his parents, and even his dog from becoming lunch. The charming, naive illustrations look as though they are done in pencil and crayon, almost as if a child created them, and the dino, although large and bursting into the yard with a fearsome Grrrrrrr!, with his goofy grin and eager eyes is too silly looking to be very scary. It turns out the creature will be just as satisfied with a meal of spaghetti and meatballs and a giant Burp! after which it earns a new name: The Super Full Dinosaur. Great fun, especially if those reading aloud can do justice to the Super Dinosaur sound effects.--Foote, Diane Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The crayoned illustrations of debuting talent Lord are a terrific match for Waddell's (Bee Frog) effortless channeling of a very young storyteller. A boy named Hal and his dog, Billy, are playing in the backyard when a huge T-Rex crashes through the fence (" 'I'm hungry and I've come to eat you!' roared the Super Hungry Dinosaur"). How Hal brings the Super Hungry Dinosaur to heel-and teaches him that Mom's spaghetti and meatballs are far more satisfying than eating humans or pets-is told, as a child would, through the simple accumulation of over-the-top events, brisk dialogue and lots of evocative sound effects ("Grrrrrrr!" "Slurp!" "Burp!"). Taking her cue from children's drawings, Lord maintains a single, stage-like perspective, frequently breaking up the action into sequential strips (a chase scene involving a clothesline, trampoline and garden hose takes up several pages). She also pares down details, giving the pictures a distilled comic urgency. Her obvious glee at drawing the green, ravenous dinosaur is infectious and should inspire readers to grab their own box of crayons. Ages 3-5. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-When a ravenous T. rex shows up in Hal's backyard and threatens to eat him, the boy stands up to the beast. He not only refuses to be the dinosaur's snack but also denies the roaring beast's demands to devour his family and dog. The enraged dinosaur gives chase but the preternaturally cool boy eludes and then captures his pursuer. Forced to give in, the dinosaur tearfully promises to repair the damage he has caused and enjoys a spaghetti dinner to satisfy his hunger. Using multiple perspectives and cartoon panels on some pages, the sketchy, childlike illustrations in greens and browns perfectly match the text and make the theme of a brave child overcoming a giant obstacle resonate even more strongly. The text is perfect for reading to a group, one-on-one sharing, or storytelling. Kids who are hungry for dinosaur books will get a super treat with this title.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this sure candidate for many, many repeat read-alouds, young Hal puts up a stout defense when a Super Hungry Dinosaur crashes into his backyard and bellows that he's going to eat him, his father, his mother and his dog Billy. The ensuing wild rumpus ends with the Super Hungry Dinosaur tied down with a garden hose and promising to set the yard back in orderwhereupon Hal's mom dishes up a humongous bowl of pasta that converts the Super Hungry Dinosaur into a Super Full Dinosaur. One gargantuan, spread-sized belch later, the Super Full Dinosaur thunders away happily. Broadly drawn with crayon on rough paper, Lord's illustrations of a very small but intrepid lad facing down a huge and toothy T. Rex perfectly capture this roaring crowd-pleaser's elemental vigor and simplicity. Horizontal panels that stretch the width of the spread compress the action, allowing for the maximum repetition of both event and participation-inviting GRRRRRRRRs per page. Super good. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
