Monster of Lost Valley: Jim Razzi

The initial two-thirds of this first book in the Double Dinomite series relates the hot weather adventures of twin dinosaurs Danny and Donna: they fly to a glacier on the back of their pet pterodactyl Doxie; they wing across town with a banner advertisement for lemonade waving behind Doxie. The monster of the titleTyrannosaurus Rexmakes a frightening appearance in the last third of the book, but he's allowed barely 15 pages before the twins do him in, thereby saving Dinoville. Razzi seems to be saving the real plots for future books in the series, because very little happens here. Enik's twins uncannily resemble Fred Flintstone's pet dinosaur, Dino. But for excitement, the zany illustrations easily outdo the wooden text, which relies on the use of exclamation points to move the story along. (6-8)