Dinorella: A Prehistoric Fairytale - Hardcover

Grade 1-3?If a dour weimaraner can portray Cinderella in William Wegman's book (Hyperion, 1993), why not a fuchsia dinosaur? Following the silly sibilants in Some Smug Slug (HarperCollins, 1996), Edwards takes her readers way back?it looks like the '50s?for a daffy "d" diversion where Dinorella, an apatosaurus, waits hand and foot (so to speak) on her two indolent, hadrosaur sisters. Fairydactyl saves the day and Dinorella heads off to Duke Dudley's Den. Once again, Cole's acrylics nearly guarantee that this picture book will be whisked off the shelves. The cartoon dinosaurs with human expressions are hilarious and the throwaways?one of the big-finned cars sports "X-TNKT/Pangea" vanity plates?will keep even adults on their toes. Edwards's dialogue is a bit trying, but she rewrites the Grimms' tale just enough to make it clever. Dinorella is a fun way to learn a little about fairy tales (with a delightful twist) and alliterative language.?John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A one-note Cinderella--composed in the key of D--from Edwards, a devotee of alliteration (Some Smug Slug, also illustrated by Cole, 1996, etc.) who spins a dervish of D-words featuring dinosaurs in this fractured fairy tale and starring Dinorella and her stepsisters, Doris and Dora. Dinorella attends the Dinosaur Dance at Duke Dudley's Den, compliments of a Fairydactyl, and comes upon the endangered Duke, about to be devoured by a dastardly deinonychus. Dinorella to the rescue--she hurls a dirtball, then a diamond, at the desperado. The alliteration begins to get away from Edwards, dictating the storyline and resulting in dialogue and descriptions that prove distracting after the first few pages. The story deteriorates further with name-calling: ``dopey domestic,'' ``disgusting dummy,'' ``dimwit,'' ``dingbat,'' and ``dumbhead.'' Cole dazzles in this dumbed-down classic, which goes from hilarious to tedious in very short order. (Picture book. 4-7) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.