SANTA CLAWS
by Bridget Heos ; illustrated by Galia Bernstein
Dinosaurs frolic through the holiday season.
As the book opens, a T. rex known as Santa Claws—the Saint Nicholas of the dinosaur world—dandles a bug-eyed baby Pterosaur while the youngster’s caregiver looks on. The same scene is played out at shopping malls every December, now given a prehistoric twist. Brisk rhyming text riffs on holiday motifs as everyone plays their part. Pachycephalosauruses are the elves, while Pterosaurs pull the sleigh. Snoring Mosasaurs waiting for Santa will induce giggles, while the Gallimimuses trimming the trees are especially endearing. A couple of hiccups in the rhyming text make for awkward moments in a read-aloud (quarrel rhymed with girls, dens paired with begins), but they’re easily overlooked, and the creatures’ exuberance is infectious. The anthropomorphized animals are generally illustrated in gentle browns and greens, except for the Pterosaurs, with their bright orange wings. Pops of red and white in the Santa hats, stockings, and tree decorations create a nice balance between a spotlight on the holiday season and the dinosaurs themselves. Complex dino vocabulary is well integrated into the bouncy verse. Younger kids will enjoy the ride; older children can explore the backmatter, which offers more information on the creatures referenced.
A jolly time for Cretaceous and Christmas lovers alike.
(Picture book. 3-6)