From Publishers Weekly
Everybody's heard about the surfer bird, but rhinos ride the waves too, according to Mammano's exuberant debut. In this account of an ideal surfing day, three amiable rhinos in patterned Bermuda shorts wake up, stampede to their yellow VW Bug and zoom to the beach, where they hungrily eye the whitecaps. Wasting no time, they jump on their boards: "Rhinos who surf have no fear of MONDO waves.... they SHOOT THE TUBE and are WAY COOL in the GREEN ROOM." The illustrations are as contemporary as the slang. Mammano fills each full-bleed page with zigzags, concentric circles and seaweedy squiggles; the backgrounds resemble an intricate batik or a Hawaiian shirt, in watery blue-green and sunset orange hues, while the smiling rhinos might be tiki-style statues carved from gray lava rock. The chunky, curving lines of text complement the imagery, following the characters as they perform "killer aerials," "go vertical" or fall into the underwater "rinse cycle." In the glossary at the end of the book, Mammano provides no fewer than five synonyms for "very" ("full-on," "fully," "major," "totally" and "way"). Radabonzical! Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?Mammano's delightful offering will have readers smiling from cover to cover as rhinos ride the waves. Their day is related in surfing jargon as they "jam" to the beach, spend time on their boards, and contentedly return home. Some the book's appeal is due to the surprising incongruency of rhinos gracefully surfing. These animals have a rollicking good time as they assume correct positions and moves that the text explains in brief sentences that rise and fall upon the waves in large graphic lettering. Bright colors with abstract designs in dominant blues and greens skillfully woven into the background define the setting but never detract from the realistic look of ocean waves. Children who have watched surfers from the shore will be pleased to find a book about the subject, while those inland will appreciate its sheer fun and buoyant exuberance. A section titled "Surf Lingo" rounds out the presentation. A refreshing addition.?Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary School, Glen Rock, NJ
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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