"They say that when a baby hatches . . . she comes out exactly the way she'll be her whole life. Samanthasaurus Rex was no exception." Yet Samanthasaurus likes to do things a little differently than the rest of her T. rex family. Instead of chasing animals, she likes to paint them, and instead of gnawing bones, Samanthasaurus likes to sort them. She even chooses to "use her words" instead of biting and fighting. Samanthasaurus' parents and brother remind her that she needs to be strong, a leader, and make lots of noise. Separated from her parents and brother, Samanthasaurus uses her nonconformist ideas to save her family from an active volcano. Modeling a curious tyrannosaurus with creative ideas, Mandell's cute and clever main character and narrative exudes strong individualism and high self-esteem. Short sentences combined with parallel dialogue reflect Samanthasaurus' determined spirit and courteous comebacks to whatever her family proposes. Kaufman's soft-toned, playful prehistoric scenes bring Mandell's narrative to life in this fun and gently educational read.

A plucky dinosaur uses her brains and creativity to save her family from a fiery volcano. Samanthasaurus Rex is on the quirky side, for a dinosaur. Her family members want her to be strong, to lead, and to make lots of noise, but she prefers painting animals over chasing them, sorting bones over gnawing on them, and using her words over biting and fighting. When the family goes for a hike, instead of whacking branches, scouting trails, and stomping out geysers, Samanthasaurus weaves ferns to make a rope, collects rocks, and uses a diamond to harness energy. The little dinosaur soon discovers that the mountain they are climbing is actually a volcano, and, predictably, she uses her rope, her diamond, and her loudest roar to save her oblivious family and get them back to safety. The detailed illustrations flesh out the otherwise sparse and stilted narrative, depicting Samanthasaurus (pink, natch) carrying a stack of books and teaching a class, for example. All told, the message here is a positive one about valuing all types of interests and leadership styles. Unfortunately, though, it suffocates this effort, leaving the characters and plot with no spark of life or sense of authenticity. Skip this one, and choose instead something featuring both a strong, resourceful girl and a story worthy of her. (Picture book. 3-7)

PreS-Gr 2 Meet contrarian renegade Samanthasaurus Rex! While the other dinosaurs bite and fight, Samanthasaurus is busy being herself. "Clearly, you need to evolve!" she tells the other dinosaurs. She'd much rather be organizing bones or painting on cave walls. Her family knows how special she is, so they encourage her to be strong, smart, and LOUD like a true T. Rex! When the family encounter a volcano while whacking branches on Mount Crushmore, she's given the ultimate challenge: Can she save her family from disaster? With a loud roaaaar, Samanthasaurus saves the day! Where does she get her special gifts? She's strong, just like her mom; she's a leader, just like her dad; and she's loud, just like a real dinosaur. By staying true to herself and marching to the beat of her own drum, Samanthasaurus finds out what she's really capable of. Not only is this a coming-of-age girl-power adventure, the story is peppered with puns and scientific tidbits that will spark early conversations about science. Bright, captivating illustrations are reminiscent of retro cartoons, adding to the delight of this clever tale. VERDICT This is a fun selection that best suits independent readers who are nearly ready to graduate to longer picture books or short chapter books, and their caregivers, yet it would also make an exciting read-aloud for young school-age readers. Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library