School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Ben visits the pound with his mother to adopt a puppy and ends up leaving with a dinosaur. Hilarity ensues as he tries to treat his new pet, Sadie, like a dog. Poor Sadie cannot perform anything she is asked to do. She obliterates cars, destroys fruit stands, and won't even fit into her own house. Soon, the townsfolk turn on her and encourage Ben to take her back to the pound. One day, Sadie has the opportunity to prove her worth and chases a thief through the town and into the fields. Her dinosaur strength and speed render her more useful than any police officer. Could Sadie be helpful after all? Before long, Sadie charms her neighbors and is appreciated for the sweet pet she is. This upbeat and original story stresses the importance of compassion and giving everyone a second chance. Readers will learn how to look beyond appearances. Fans of Bob Shea's "Dinosaur Versus" series will notice similarities, particularly the outrageous scenarios and witty dialogue. The narrative is perfectly complemented by Hawkes's whimsical and colorful illustrations. VERDICT This is a delightful and funny read-aloud that will entice children of all ages.-Katherine Hickey, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The smartest person in this delightfully mischievous story is the reader: he or she will instantly know that Sadie, Ben's new shelter pet, isn't a dog but an enormous green Tyrannosaurus rex. To all of the characters, however, Sadie is just a very big pooch, albeit one who is "kind of funny looking" (according to neighborhood kids), smashes cars and fruit stands when obeying Ben's commands, and leaves a pile as big as Ben himself when she goes outside to "do her business." "This dog sure is a lot of trouble," says Ben's mother. "We might have to bring her back to the shelter." But Ben is determined to make his "dog" indispensable, and within a few pages, he inadvertently finds a way. Staniszewski (Power Down, Little Robot) keeps her ace poker face intact until the very end, and Hawkes's (Have a Look, Says Book) watercolors play right along, evoking the earnest innocence of a small-town setting in a way that brings to mind vintage children's books. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
