Samanthasaurus Rex is a funny and empowering picture book featuring a fresh new character: a girl dinosaur who marches to the beat of her own drum. Samanthasaurus Rex is not your typical T. rex. She’d rather paint animals than chase them. She prefers sorting bones to gnawing on them. Bite and fight? Nope. Sam uses her words. Naturally, her parents and brother worry—will she ever be a strong, fearsome leader like a true T. rex? But when disaster strikes, it is Samanthasaurus Rex who saves the day—in her own unique way. PreS-Gr 2—Meet contrarian renegade Samanthasaurus Rex! While the other dinosaurs bite and fight, Samanthasaurus is busy being herself. "Clearly, you need to evolve!" she tells the other dinosaurs. She'd much rather be organizing bones or painting on cave walls. Her family knows how special she is, so they encourage her to be strong, smart, and LOUD like a true T. Rex! When the family encounter a volcano while whacking branches on Mount Crushmore, she's given the ultimate challenge: Can she save her family from disaster? With a loud roaaaar, Samanthasaurus saves the day! Where does she get her special gifts? She's strong, just like her mom; she's a leader, just like her dad; and she's loud, just like a real dinosaur. By staying true to herself and marching to the beat of her own drum, Samanthasaurus finds out what she's really capable of. Not only is this a coming-of-age girl-power adventure, the story is peppered with puns and scientific tidbits that will spark early conversations about science. Bright, captivating illustrations are reminiscent of retro cartoons, adding to the delight of this clever tale. VERDICT This is a fun selection that best suits independent readers who are nearly ready to graduate to longer picture books or short chapter books, and their caregivers, yet it would also make an exciting read-aloud for young school-age readers.—Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library “Modeling a curious tyrannosaurus with creative ideas, Mandell’s cute and clever main character and narrative exudes strong individualism and high self-esteem. Kaufman’s soft-toned, playful prehistoric scenes bring Mandell’s narrative to life in this fun and gently educational read.” - Booklist “Not only is this a coming-of-age girl-power adventure, the story is peppered with puns and scientific tidbits that will spark early conversations about science. Bright, captivating illustrations are reminiscent of retro cartoons, adding to the delight of this clever tale.” - School Library Journal Samanthasaurus Rex is not your typical T. rex. She’d rather paint animals than chase them. She prefers sorting bones to gnawing on them. Bite and fight? Nope. Sam uses her words. Naturally, her parents and brother worry—will she ever be a strong, fearsome leader like a true T. rex? But when disaster strikes, it is Samanthasaurus Rex who saves the day—in her own unique way. This funny, reassuring story is perfect for any child ( every child) who marches to the beat of a different drummer. B. B. Mandell is a pseudonym for two publishing professionals who love dinosaurs and live and work in New York City. This is B.B.’s first book. Suzanne Kaufman is an author, illustrator, animator, and lover of all things that giggle, roar, bark, or meow. Over the years she’s done everything from animating special effects for Universal Television and the Discovery Channel to animating award-winning video games for children. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two daughters, a sausage-chasing dog, and a real closet full of confiscated toys. When not playing with those toys, she can be found teaching animation or working in her studio. Visit her at www.suzannekaufman.com.