ALA Booklist (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

This follow-up to You Look Yummy! (2015), part of Japanese artist Miyanishi's wildly popular Tyrannosaurus series, sees the book's star undergo a change of heart. Described at the outset of this book as "mean and fierce, nasty and selfish," Tyrannosaurus has a bit of Godzilla in him, with his elongated arms, straight legs, and menacingly hunched-over posture. And he acts like Godzilla, too. Readers first see him on a rampage, tearing up a tree with one arm, while tossing a tiny dinosaur into the air with the other, and kicking another for good measure. A herd of little Styracosauruses flee before him to the edge of a crumbling cliff. The herd manages to leap to safety, but Tyrannosaurus is not so lucky. He falls over the edge and sinks to the bottom of the ocean, where he is saved by an Elasmosaurus. Thus begins an unlikely friendship which transforms Tyrannosaurus into a kinder, gentler carnivore. The lurid colors and volcanic landscape perfectly convey a shifting, prehistoric world. Entertaining, with evocative emphasis on kindness and friendship.

Kirkus Reviews

Kind treatment reforms a prehistoric bully in this dino bromance from Japan.Still looking a lot like a saw-backed Godzilla in Miyanishi's high-contrast orange-and-blue illustrations, the T. Rex first met (on this side of the Pacific) in You Look Yummy! (2015) falls off a cliff into the ocean while meanly chasing a herd of little styracosauruses. Just as he's about to drown, along comes flippered, long-necked Elasmosaurus to boost him out of the water and, like a nurturing mammal, tenderly lick his injuries clean. As the two become fast friends, not only does T. Rex guiltily deny to Elasmosaurus that he's a bully, he actually changes his behavior toward former victims too. When Elasmosaurus is beaten up (a "nasty dinosaur in the ocean" bites him all over), Tyrannosaurus ultimately effects a rescue in return. Confessing his true nature, he then makes a promise: "I will take care of you and help you get better. And we will be together forever and ever." "Forever and ever," Elasmosaurus affirms, as the two embrace tightly in the closing scene. Such demonstrativeness in male-male friendships is decidedly uncommon in American literature; to see the sentiment in a book with such muscular illustrations (and protagonists) is something of a cognitive disconnect that may cause more than one reader to reconsider assumptions.Dinosaurs have feelings too. (Picture book. 6-8)

School Library Journal (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

K-Gr 2 In a prehistoric world, there is a "mean and fierce, nasty and selfish" Tyrannosaurus. While terrorizing a herd of small Styracosauruses, the Tyrannosaurus falls off a cliff into the ocean. Saved from drowning by a gentle and gigantic Elasmosaurus, the Tyrannosaurus lies about his true identity to his new friend. From that time on the two dinosaurs do everything together. The story reaches a climax when the Elasmosaurus is wounded by an ocean bully. The devastated Tyrannosaurus pours his heart out to his unconscious friend. Happily, the Elasmosaurus recovers and the two vow to be together "forever and ever." Originally published in Japan in 2004, this friendship story has a strong antibullying message tempered by bold illustrations and a fablelike narrative. The flat illustrations use thick black lines and an unusually saturated yet captivating palette. Overall, the illustrations are humorous and dynamic, although occasionally the darker backgrounds make it difficult to read the black text. The narrative, which begins on the title page, has moments of wry humor, as well as touching scenes of friendship. The flow among dialogue, thoughts, and narrative is easy and natural. Owing to the lengthier text, this title is a great choice for a lower elementary read-aloud. VERDICT This unusual selection is a general purchase that will find an audience among young dinosaur lovers. Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library