TORREY, Richard. Ally-saurus & the Very Bossy Monster. illus. by Richard Torrey. 40p. Sterling. Aug. 2017. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781454921233.
PreS-Gr 1 –Ally-saurus is back—“ROAR!” Ally, Kai, and his little brother Petey love playing together. Ally stomps and roars like a dinosaur. Kai dances across the porch stage, and Petey says “Bear!” while holding his teddy bear. Much fun and laughter is had until new neighbor Maddie intercedes.
Maddie is full of rules, all of which benefit her, and this day is no different. She insists that they play monsters, and the rules are very strict—no dinosaurs or dancing or saying Ta-Da! and no bears! When bossy Maddie takes Petey’s bear, she’s gone too far. Ally-saurus tells Maddie their rules for playing, which include all of those things and “nobody takes Petey’s teddy bear. That’s the rule!”
When Maddie comes back during their “super, amazing monster dance,” she takes one look at the fun and decides to join without a word about her rules. Later at the bus stop when Maddie start ruling, one “Roar!” from Ally-saurus reminds her that fun can be had without being bossy.
Torrey matches his spot-on text with even better illustrations. Using the same technique he employed in Ally-saurus & the First Day of School, Torrey uses pencil drawings with colorful crayon-like additions (dinosaur spikes and tail, tux and top hat for dancing, etc.) to deftly make the alter egos visible to readers.
This is whimsical and clever and effective in enhancing the story. VERDICT Torrey perfectly captures the words, feelings, and images of childhood imagination and friendships. Great for one-on-one and small group sharing, especially ones where the previous title was popular.–Catherine Callegari, Reston Regional Library, VA
See the review at School Library Journal by clicking here.
