lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Historical fiction with dinosaurs? The combination just barely works (IMVHO) - the history occasionally got short-shrifted because the dinosaur part needed to be worked in. Luckily there are author's notes about the Draft Riots, the Colored Orphan Asylum, the period slang and dinorsaurs to help fill in blanks and point readers to additional information.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
isweedan's review against another edition
2.0
This was not my jam even though the elevator pitch for this book sounds amazing.
I don't think Daniel José Older works for me as an author. I find his protags impossible to become emotionally invested in.
I don't think Daniel José Older works for me as an author. I find his protags impossible to become emotionally invested in.
bookly_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like an old man shouting grumpily from my lawn but so many of my more negative reviews recently have mentioned how incredibly fast-paced and action-packed some of the newest YA and children's books are. They're like movies squirming within the confines of the written page, and it's uncomfortable and stressful, like authors think our brains have been hijacked by social media and now we're not content to read stories unless the feel like Twitter feeds or something. Older's prose was so lush and rich in some places, and I adored his varied and whimsical vocabulary, but there was very little room for character development as everyone dashed to and fro. Another reviewer mentioned the violence in the book, and I do worry that the book is so fast-paced that not enough attention or emotional realness is given to the little girl who is witnessing the violence in the book.
I really wanted to love this book and give it to all the children in my life, but I just can't.
I really wanted to love this book and give it to all the children in my life, but I just can't.
greenlivingaudioworm's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Trafficking, Gun violence, Police brutality, Abandonment, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Animal death, and Confinement
renatasnacks's review against another edition
5.0
oh another one I forgot to review earlier! First of all, when I booktalked this in schools kids lost their MINDS about it. It's SUCH a good premise. Civil War + dinosaurs?? Hell yeah hell yeah
PLUS ALSO it does such a smart great job of integrating some pieces of Civil War history that aren't as widely taught, plus also a rad trans character! But also just a lot of fun!
PLUS ALSO it does such a smart great job of integrating some pieces of Civil War history that aren't as widely taught, plus also a rad trans character! But also just a lot of fun!
rjsthumbelina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
racheldthurlow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A book about a group of coloured orphans in the civil war era trying to rescue their friends from being sold into slavery.
This book moves fast enough to keep young readers’ attention! It has a lot of action in it that and not a lot of drama or downtime.
The dinosaurs are a clever way to get more kids interested in historical fiction but they sometimes overshadowed the actual history of the book.
This book moves fast enough to keep young readers’ attention! It has a lot of action in it that and not a lot of drama or downtime.
The dinosaurs are a clever way to get more kids interested in historical fiction but they sometimes overshadowed the actual history of the book.
emdoux's review against another edition
3.0
5 stars for it's intended audience.
3 stars for me, an adult reader.
3 stars for me, an adult reader.