Tuesday, January 6, 2009

DINOTHESAURUS-First Review

Illustration Copyright 2009 by Douglas Florian

The first review of DINOTHESAURUS (March 2009 Simon & Schuster) has come in.
From Kirkus Reviews, here it is:

Florian, Douglas
DINOTHESAURUS: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings
Illus. by the author

In the fine tradition of Jack Prelutsky’s Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, illustrated by Arnold Lobel (1988), a set of dinophile-pleasing verses penned by a poet with a rare knack for wordplay and silly rhymes finds apt visual setting fronting playful images of monsters rearing up from extinction to grin toothily at young viewers. Sandwiched between poems about the Age of Dinosaurs and its sudden end, Florian parades 18 creatures, from Pterosaurs (“They were not ptame. / They were ptenacious— / From the Ptriassic / Pto the Cretaceous.”) to T. Rex, then closes with an informative “Glossarysaurus,” plus museum and source lists. Spectacularly depicted (as is his frequent custom) on paper bags in crayon and collage, the poet’s dinos are easily recognizable despite being freely rendered and, often, semitransparent. Collage elements add to the visual excitement, often to great effect—a skeletal, iPod-sporting T. Rex prepares to chow down on a heap of cut-out dinosaur bits—and always with enormous playfulness. Children fixated on explicit gore may be left unmoved, but to everyone else this will be a dino-delight—especially when read aloud. (Picture book/poetry. 5-10)
Copyright 2009 Kirkus Reviews

19 comments:

Abby said...

Woo! What a great review! I can't wait to read it! :)

Douglas Florian said...

Thanks Abby.
I do have a gore-aphobia!

Kat Mortensen said...

Bravo! It sounds brilliant - as are you evidently. Love the "Pts". Your rhymes remind me of some of my own wackier verses.

Great stuff!

Kat

P.S. Love the brown paper bag background idea too.

Kelly Polark said...

You always show such a knack for wordplay! Love the ptame and ptenacious! Congrats on the glowing review!

Unknown said...

Oh Douglas, what a wonderful review.
Congratulations. I am going to pre-order DINOTHESAURUS from Amazon tonight.
Hugs,
Jill

Elaine Magliaro said...

Douglas,

I'll find it difficult waiting until March to get myself a copy of your new poetry book. It sounds pterrific!

Julie said...

Congraptulaptions, Douglas - a pterrific review.

laurasalas said...

Oh, what a fantastic review! Congratulations. Can't wait for the whole book. These tantalizing (see how I resisted the pt--but it was tough!) peeks at the book are great.

Douglas Florian said...

"Congraptulaptions, Douglas - a pterrific review."

Pthank you, Julie

Nanny said...

Can't wait pto see it!

Unknown said...

Congratulations! Can't wait to get the book in our libraries!

Tricia said...

March! The wait is too, too long! My dinosaur lover will love this one. (Me too!)

Kat Mortensen said...

Douglas, over at "Blasts From the Past", I've bestowed an award upon you.

Kat

melanie hope greenberg said...

Fantastic! Congratulations!

All the Best with the new book!

Melanie Hope Greenberg

Anna Alter said...

Congrats Douglas, can't wait to read it! Nothing like getting that first review!

Julie said...

Congratulations!

tess said...

Great review but you've earned it without a doubt. Congratulations! I look forward to purchasing the book for my library. Thanks.
Addendum:I really love the odd bits of research on your blog-- Addams, Paul Klee (that makes me want to paint), J. Cornell, etc. Good stuff here.

Jane Singleton Paul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jane Singleton Paul said...

Congratulations on a wonderful review. Omnibeasts has been one of my favorite books ever since it came out so I am looking forward to Dinothesaurus. Dinosaurs have been the highlight theme of the year every year since I started teaching first graders. They can't get enough of 'em. I'm amazed at how much they adore dinosaurs, how much they know about these extinct creatures, how quickly they learn more, and how effortlessly they pronounce those long and sometimes complicated names! Boy or girl - it makes no difference - the enthusiasm is the same. I can't wait to see your book, for myself first, and then, to share with my students. The previews are ptitillating!