Tom is an adventurous dinosaur who one day finds himself paddling into New York Harbor. The Big Apple is big, but Tom is bigger--and in ways large and small (but mostly large), Tom makes his indelible mark on New York. With its oversize format, sweet and funny story, and brilliantly vivid, detailed artwork, Tom is an exciting and exuberant debut.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Torres, a commercial illustrator working in Spain, evokes the sights and sounds of New York City as well as any native artist might, while courting fans of Istvan Banyai (Zoom), David Macaulay and even King Kong in this spectacularly drawn debut. His graphic-novel sensibilities are evident in fine-line architectural renderings and streamlined caricatures-of humans and of one out-of-place dinosaur. Title character Tom, a nomadic brontosaurus, navigates a free-floating green "island" to present-day Manhattan. After startling tourists at the Statue of Liberty (which is about his size), Tom heads for Midtown. There, he's pointedly ignored by New Yorkers, although he aggravates a traffic jam, climbs a skyscraper at lunch hour and sneezes leaves from the trees in Central Park. Wildly colorful and detailed paintings showcase Torres's technical proficiency. In one marvelous spread, Tom gets a southwestern view of the Hudson River from atop the Empire State Building; amid the city vistas, the artist's tiny, energetic cabbies, delivery boys and pedestrians suggest Where's Waldo?-meets-Tintin. Without the visual flights of fancy, Tom's story would be sorely lacking-the dino's job search, friendship with a boy named Billy and "Prehistoric Pop"-art career seem excuses to match text with imaginative illustrations. Luckily, the pictures offset the fairly uninspired plot to a large degree. The endpapers-in which Tom checks his watch by Big Ben, relaxes in a Japanese garden and invades the Roman Coliseum-portend some international adventures. Stay tuned. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3? This slight story, set against an appealing canvas of familiar Manhattan landmarks, takes a satirical look at the whims of the art world. When Tom, a modern-day travel-loving dinosaur, floats into New York harbor, he is tempted to stay in the exciting city. However, the hurrying crowds ignore him and every kind of work he takes up turns to disaster. A young boy tracks the paint spills from Tom's last job, and the two become fast friends. Billy's father, an art critic, declares the dinosaur's drips and smears "great art" and a media blitz ensues. Now Tom must continue to paint the sides of buildings and put up with adoring autograph seekers, glamorous parties, and everything else that goes along with instant-celebrity status. It is all too much for him, and he regretfully bids Billy good-bye and sails off for another adventure. As cool and faceless as a city crowd, the pen and vivid watercolor illustrations are fun to peruse. However, the tiny details are too small to share with story hour audiences.?Meg Stackpole, Rye Free Reading Room, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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