Shea (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">New Socks) makes a hilarious commentator as his hero, a small red dinosaur, elevates everyday encounters into a series of matches worthy of the WWF. “Dinosaur versus... <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">a bowl of spaghetti!” announces Shea and, with a trio of bold typographic roars (and two chomps), the bowl is vanquished. “<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Dinosaur wins again!” declares Shea, as Dinosaur coolly acknowledges his triumph. Again and again, Dinosaur proves unbeatable—the foes he defeats include a pile of leaves, a big slide and “talking grown-ups”—but the title hints at his Achilles heel. Dinosaur may not resemble anything found in a paleontology textbook, but he's a terrific surrogate. Incorporating paper, paint, photo collage and quick strokes of crayon, Shea's freewheeling compositions convey both a beguiling spontaneity and a preschooler's sense of invincibility. Kids will be only too happy to capitulate to this irresistible package. Ages 2–6. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

A little red dinosaur takes on the world, from a pile of leaves ("ROAR!") to a plate of spaghetti ("ROAR! CHOMP! CHOMP! ROAR! ROAR!"). The aftermath of each pitched battle is a satisfying "Dinosaur wins!"--until bedtime. Minimal text and backgrounds keep the focus squarely on the familiar events of a preschooler's day and make the book ideal for active readers.

With huge exclamations, broad, black crayon lines and vivid splashes of red, Shea portrays a roaring "dinosaur" savagely attacking a pile of leaves, a big slide, a bowl of spaghetti, talking grown-ups (seen only from knees down) and other unsuspecting targets, then swaggering away from each, crowing "DINOSAUR WINS AGAIN!" Bedtime, though, offers a far tougher challenge to the young wild thing—in no time the mighty roars have dialed down to a murmur (rendered typographically in smaller and smaller fonts) and a final "Bedtime wins. Good night, dinosaur." The toothy red dino bounces his way through mixed-media illustrations that combine photocollage (Dinosaur's mouth full of photographic spaghetti is a particular highlight) with a minimalist retro sensibility that puts Dinosaur where he belongs, always at the center of attention. As in his Big Plans! (2008), illustrated by Lane Smith, the author crafts a high-volume attention-grabber that will have audiences roaring along enthusiastically. Fine fare for No, David! fans. (Picture book. 3-5)

PreS-K No wonder the small but feisty red dinosaur depicted here faces his biggest challenge at bedtime. A supersize text of bold black letters announces: "ROAR! NOTHING CAN STOP ME!" as the youngster takes on everyday things in his world and wins, time and time again. "Dinosaur versusa BIG SLIDE! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! DINOSAUR WINS!" Dinosaur leaps and runs off the simple but vivid backgrounds to face his next opponents"a bowl of spaghetti," "talking grown-ups," and a bath before succumbing to sleep. Illustrations with strong lines and bright colors keep the energy high without being cluttered. The predictable text and lively expressions of this cartoonlike character will appeal to kids who are on the go all day. Just don't expect them to go down quietly as they will be roaring right along with this little hero. Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY