Dynomike: Back to School by Frankie B. Rabbit and Don Suratos
Published: Dynomike Books, 2018
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Dynomike is worried about his first day of school and how difficult it is to express himself. With kindness and a commitment to being himself, he’ll make some quirky new friends.
The illustrations in this book really pop. The hot trend in picture books right now is all about chalk and painterly brush strokes, and I appreciate styles that go against the grain. Don Suratos‘ character designs are reminiscent of late 1990s Nickelodeon, with thick, black outlines and neon colors.
Suratos and Rabbit play with comic book fonts and layouts on some pages and it’s a welcome experimentation. These are the strongest pages in the book. Less successful are pages that separate text from art with semi-opaque blocks. The rhymes are a bit basic and the story might have worked as well or better without being restricted by them.
Kids who have social anxiety will appreciate this positive book about adjusting to new situations and the pictures are wildly entertaining. Recommended as a read-aloud book for new preschoolers and Kindergarteners.