We Will Rock Our Classmates (A Penelope Rex Book #2)

PreS-Gr 2--Penelope is back from We Don't Eat Our Classmates. Penelope is the only T. rex in her school, where she loves to play, read, draw, and sing with her guitar. However, everyone tends to remember her first unfortunate days of gulping down her classmates and see her only in the role of dinosaur in their games. Signing up for the school talent show is difficult and scary. Her thoughts keep returning to words she heard as she first took the school stage--"Can dinosaurs even play a guitar?" After days of agonizing, and a memorable talk with her dad, Penelope realizes that being a T. rex is only part of who she is. With surprise, she discovers that her classmates actually want to be part of her band. Colorful digital illustrations with ink and graphite feature speech bubbles that enhance the dialogue, while full-page scenes detail Penelope's world at school and home, e.g., a moment of low self-esteem shrinks her to a small circle of light within a double-page spread of darkness. Penelope's feelings are easily identifiable in images of eyes bright with tears from sadness and insecurity or shy smiles of pride. VERDICT A thoughtful and humorous story. Penelope's latest adventure is a welcome addition for young readers and a suggested first purchase for all libraries.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

In this companion to We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Penelope the T. rex takes on the schoolwide talent show. As the only dinosaur among her human peers, Penelope is sometimes seen as more behemoth reptile than individual, something that doesn't keep her from her love of music until, at the talent show rehearsal, someone calls out, "Can dinosaurs even play guitar?" Feeling doubt, Penelope must decide whether her identity is more multifaceted than just "dinosaur." Higgins's mixed-media illustrations reflect a world populated by children diverse in skin tone, ethnicity, religion, and ability, supplemented by the colorful pop of fantasy that goldenrod-hued Penelope and her magenta overalls provide. The animal-human dynamics can feel hazy (Penelope's classmate has a nonanthropomorphic pet pony that Penelope wants to eat), but the message--the importance of pursuing passions despite limiting societal expectations--is encouraging. Ages 3-5. (July)