ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Class 4X's motto might as well be "everyone gives up on us eventually," as they can't seem to keep a teacher for long. Things start to look up, though, when Mrs. Ogg arrives. She might dress in fur and communicate through grunts, but she seems to believe in the children. When Mrs. Ogg braves a field trip to the local zoo, Arlo decides to act as her backup to ensure nothing jeopardizes the class' chance at an end-of-the-year party. However, when their school bus pulls a Platform 9¾ right through a large rock, Arlo realizes they've somehow found a prehistoric zoo, where the class encounters an apatosaurus, an ichthyosaur, and more. Upon returning, mean Principal Weebly demands they show they have learned something in order to have their party, and the class comes through with an array of dinosaur facts. Full of cute illustrations, Hemming's book is a less-information-oriented Magic School Bus tale rooted in the strong message that every child has their own hidden talents.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The students of class 4X have a reputation for being rowdy and unteachable—hence their nickname, class X—but maybe their newest sub has just the grit they need.When 4X drives yet another teacher away with their antics, Mrs. Ogg is sent in to teach this difficult class. Mrs. Ogg isn't like other teachers 4X has met—her guttural, monosyllabic way of communicating and her fur and bone outfits make the parents and students wonder where she came from. With the end-of-the-year party on the line, the 4X crew have just one more chance to prove that they can stay out of trouble, during a field trip to the zoo. It's quickly revealed that this is not a typical zoo visit, however, when the class encounters prehistoric creatures! Class statistics, dinosaur facts, and cute illustrations are sprinkled into the text in the form of excerpts from Arlo's meticulously kept notebook. There are no sources cited for the dinosaur trivia in the book, which may leave readers wondering about the information and where they can learn more. The students and other characters are described and drawn with a wide range of skin tones, from light pink to dark brown, and they also include a student who is learning English and a student who is largely nonverbal. Protagonist Arlo is white and has a stutter. Troublingly, the two black students in the book are described in stereotypical ways.A typical tough-class story is enlivened with dinosaurs but marred by stereotypes and missing information. (author interview) (Fantasy. 7-10)

School Library Journal (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 2-4 Teachers don't stay long with the "unruly, disobedient, and unteachable" students in class 4X. Fortunately, Arlo diligently takes notes in his notebook in order to tell the class's tale. One day, substitute teacher Ms. Ogg arrives wearing a dress made from fur patches with bones as earrings, carrying a large stick. She is a woman of few words (mostly grunts) but manages to maintain control over the class with the beat of her stick on the ground. Ms. Ogg dares to do what other substitutes wouldn'tshe takes class 4X on a field trip. When they arrive at the "Zoo," students notice it is no ordinary place; this zoo is filled with prehistoric and other extinct animals. Students have fun, learn about dinosaurs through an up close and personal experience, and mostly manage to stay out of trouble. Time spent with Ms. Ogg helps Arlo see everyone has hidden talents. The conclusion of this story leaves space for the class to have a learning adventure with the appropriately named Miss Pythia, dressed as a Greek goddess with an eye tattooed on the back of her neck. Appealing grayscale illustrations enhance the prehistoric field trip experience. VERDICT The worlds of the "Magic School Bus," Mary Poppins, and Jurassic Park collide in this middle grade novel for readers fond of upbeat fantastic school adventures and dinosaurs. Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa