Ice Cream & Dinosaurs (Groovy Joe #1)

First-time collaborators Litwin (Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes) and Lichtenheld (Friendshape) inject raucous rhymes and humor into their lesson about sharing: it's the sugar that helps the medicine go down. Groovy Joe is a laid-back dog with golden fur. When readers first see him, he's strumming his guitar, serenading a bird. A delicious treat arrives ("Groovy Joe was living the dream/ He had a spoon and a tub of doggy ice cream"), but before he can dig in, a little dinosaur stomps in: "He put on a bib! He pulled up a chair. What did Joe say? 'It's awesome to share!' " Two larger dinosaurs appear in succession, but Joe's ready to share with them all. Not even the end of the ice cream stops the fun. This celebration of sharing has everything: an ice cream-themed refrain for kids to shout out, big stomping dinosaurs who can also cut a rug, and a lovable furry dog. A free reading/singing of the story is available online, offering fodder for boisterous readalouds at libraries, daycare, or school. Ages 3-5. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 2—This title has all the elements of a classic Litwin story: fun characters, a heartwarming message, and a catchy song. It also has things that kids love: dogs, dinosaurs, and ice cream. "Groovy Joe saw something yummy. Groovy Joe started rubbing his tummy." So begins the story of Groovy Joe, a guitar-strumming dog who has found himself with some delicious ice cream. So delicious that he has to sing, "Love my doggy ice cream! Love my doggy ice cream!" But his crooning draws the attention of a little dinosaur, a big dinosaur, and a huge dinosaur. They all take out spoons, put on bibs, and pull up chairs. And of course Groovy Joe exclaims, "It's awesome to share!" But what happens when the ice cream runs out and all the dinosaurs are glaring at Joe? Lichtenheld's illustrations are adorable and give all the characters personalities. VERDICT The story is fun and repetitive without being annoying, which makes it a good choice for storytimes, and there's a great message about sharing. A welcome purchase.—Paige Garrison, Augusta Richmond County Library System, GA