Review by Booklist Review
Once upon a time, 150 million years ago, in the misty swamps of Camelot . . . The creators of Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex (2018) rework The Sword in the Stone with a similarly prehistoric cast. It seems that whoever can remove the golden-ringed dino horn Rex-calibur from the magical stone will be crowned king (or queen). Following the failure of several knight-o-saurs, bumbling squire Arthur-a-tops accomplishes the task but then manages to get his own horn stuck in the hole. Once various allies, including Merlin-a-dactyl and Guinevere-raptor, explain that his kind heart and concern for others make him the true king, if only he would believe in himself, he triumphantly extricates his horn, now gilded in golden rings! Aaaand it's party time in Camelot at least until the flaming meteor visible in the final scene lands. A breezy spin on the classic tale, not at all weighed down by either its broad message or the generally anthropomorphic dinosaurs in medieval dress and armor capering across Joyner's misty cartoon landscapes.--John Peters Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--In typical fairytale tradition, this story begins "Once Upon a Time" in Camelot; the only difference is a hundred million years or so. It features softly colored cartooned dinosaurs dressed in the garb of the Middle Ages. As knight-o-saurs attempt to pull the dinosaur horn from a magical stone in order to receive the kingdom's crown, a cast of anthropomorphic creatures with names ending in --dactyl, -saur, -atops, or --raptor fill the cast of a tale that follows the growth of a leader and the development of his self-image. His successful show of strength prompts an outdoor feast as "Merlin-a-dactyl crowned Arthur-a-tops…the one true king." Lest the reader forget what precipitated the historical end of the dinosaurs, there's a final opportunity to predict an ending as a meteor breaks through hazy skies during a celebratory picnic. VERDICT With a rowdy cast of characters, this offering offers light humor and encouragement for those who feel imperfect or insecure. A suggested additional or supplemental purchase for younger readers.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Arthurian legend takes a trip to the Cretaceous in this rollicking reptilian reinterpretation. O'Hara and Joyner follow up their Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex (2018) by going farther back in time to the dino days of yore. Three dinosaur squires in training for knighthood attend the Festival of the Stone. There, knights from far and wide attempt to pull a horn from a stone in the hopes of being crowned king or queen if they succeed. All fail until the clumsy-but-plucky triceratops, Arthur-a-tops, manages the deed. Befuddled by the crowd's jeering response, Arthur then accidentally lodges his own front horn into the stone. Fortunately, a little help from his friends helps him become the king everyone deserves. O'Hara peppers the old tale with some nice updates, making Guinevere a "fast and fearless" raptor and squire. And transforming Camelot's cast to dino equivalents is a snap, since all it takes is to add an "o-saur" here or an "a-tops" there. Joyner's art gives the enterprise the jollity a tale chock-full of knights and terrible lizards deservesuntil a flaming asteroid appears in the very last scene.Truly this contains some knights to remember. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
