Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The highs of unruly behavior meet the lows of air travel in this tale starring a rambunctious but undeniably adorable blue rhino and a harried kid, portrayed with brown skin, who ignores the book's titular admonition. Working in cut paper colored with oil pastels and acrylics, Roxas (the Adventures of Team Pom series) creates zippy dimensional images that show how the rhino, depicted with a toothy smile and unstoppable energy, transforms each step of the journey into a misadventure. In crisply scanning rhymes that distinguish this authorial children's book debut, Lewis cites the rhino's overpacking ("anthills, horn grease, a trapeze"), grooming his toes at an airport restaurant, and treating airplane seats like playground equipment. And yet, once the duo arrives at their destination, the friendship suggests its worth: the rhino proves the perfect companion during a particularly nerve-wracking roller-coaster ride and while sharing an ice cream treat. It's a new perspective on travel mishaps for readers of any age: rhino-level chaos or no, sweet moments can make for a memorable time. Background characters are represented with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Lori Steel, Raven Quill Literary. Illustrator's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--In this playful rhyming book, a young girl discovers just how difficult airplane travel can be when she ignores her own advice and brings along her jumbo, blue rhino. Like a toddler with few manners who thinks only of fun and food, the blue rhino causes chaos in the airplane and in the airport. The stanchions, luggage carousel, and airplane seats will never be the same. Luckily, the girl and her rhino finally arrive at their destination, quickly squeezing in time to enjoy a play, a scuba diving class, a roller-coaster ride, and a sundae. Unfortunately, on the return trip, they have to parachute from the plane--and only the rhino looks like he is having fun. Cut paper illustrations perfectly capture the hilarious high jinks, and the expressions on the young girl's face as well as on the rhino's face are ever changing and expressively zany. Detracting from all this is that the rhymes do not always flow smoothly. VERDICT Children will love the antics of the rhino and parents will recognize and relate to the perils and pitfalls of travel; this makes for a serviceable cautionary lesson on travel.--Sally James
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Consider yourselves duly warned: Planes and rhinos are a poor fit--sometimes literally. Not many folks have a pet rhino, but if you do, the young, brown-skinned narrator strongly cautions against flying with it. The child has a point, of course, and enumerates several reasons. Rhinos pack way too many belongings, dawdle on their way to the airport, and blithely ignore security lines. That'spre-flight. Once in the air, matters don't improve. The pachyderms wreak havoc by kicking the seat in front of them, pranking their neighbors, and sloppily eating their in-flight snacks. You'd think your problems might be solved after landing. You'd be wrong. (Don't even ask about the chaos rhinos cause at the luggage carousel.) The rhino's guardian concedes that the two of them have some fun once they arrive at their destination, but when it's time to return home, the pair are turned away from the plane; looks like they'll have to make their way back a different way. The rhymes are occasionally clunky, but children won't mind; those with flight experience of their own will find the outlandish premise particularly amusing. The comically over-the-top illustrations, created with cut paper, oil pastels, and acrylic, will arouse guffaws; the bright blue rhino is quite endearing, and readers will easily forgive him for his naughty behavior. A hilarious flight of fancy.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
