Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this story in verse, two dinosaurs, Rex and Stego, go for a drive through the city. Rex is behind the wheel and really wants to use the car horn to express himself. He could honk to greet a friend, delight some children, scold a litterer, or even to tell another driver to slow down-but Stego keeps pointing out the signs that say "No honking, except for safety." When a fire truck needs to get through traffic, Rex finally gets to honk so that the other drivers will make room. After, he asks Stego if he can "honk for happy?" She replies, "Honking's for safety. That is the rule. For anything else, it just isn't cool." The narrative then breaks the fourth wall when Rex points out they are "make-believe dinos" and in a book, so Rex gets to honk until he is ticketed by a dino cop. Ferrari's exuberant illustrations of watercolor, acrylic, and ink fill the pages, capturing the energy and bustle of busy city streets crammed with cars. There is plenty of white space, and the text, with its controlled vocabulary, is ideal for emergent readers. Though adults might feel this tale is heavy-handed with its message about honking etiquette, children who don't usually have access to car horns may appreciate the silly humor. VERDICT A great, funny read-aloud and suggested purchase for libraries where goofy dinosaur stories are in demand.-Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR © Copyright 2017. 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 Horn Book Review
In this rambunctious and cheerful if rather pointless story, dino Rex takes his friend Stego for a spin through the city in his new sports car and can't resist honking his horn (repeatedly and illegally). After causing much havoc but also helping clear the way for a firetruck, he eventually gets a ticket. A rhyming text and chaotic mixed-media illustrations capture all the action. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
At last, an answer to that long-standing question: would you trust a T. rex in the driver's seat? Bespectacled, bescarved Rex is all too happy to show his staid and steady pal Stego all the noises his sporty roadster makes. His favorite? The honk. Alas, honking is explicitly forbidden according to copious signage and Stego's unwavering commitment to the rules. Yet when a fire truck must make way, Rex at last lets loose with a torrent of emergency-excused honks. Lesson learned? Not even slightly. It's fabulous to see a character with glasses depicted as the one with the impulse-control issues in a book. Rex's charm and Stego's worrywart concerns battle it out for dominion in the hearts of child readers. The aptly named Ferrari's watercolors neatly capture both Rex's joie de vivre and the madcap energy of the city. (Readers may wonder at the ease with which Stego's plates are accommodated when he sits down, however.) The rhyming text's scansion also works consistently, and the simple wordplay allows this to double as both a read-aloud and a text for emerging readers. A sudden right-hand turn into metafictive territory prevents the book from nailing the landing, but it's hard to resist the sheer exuberant id of the hero and his superego stand-in best friend. Put pedal to the metal and read this as fast as wheels will allow. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
