Dinos Are Forever

Adventures of Jo Schmo #1

by Greg Trine, Frank W. Dormer (Illustrator)

Jo Schmo comes from a long line of crime fighters, but she's just a normal fourth grade girl into boys and skateboards—until her retired superhero uncle's cape arrives on her San Francisco doorstep. Time to join the family business! Gramps shows Jo the tricks of the trade, and her dog, Raymond, becomes her slobbery sidekick. Just in time, too. Can Jo stop Dr. Dastardly and his deadly gang of dead dinos?




Reluctant One minute Jo is crushing on boys and riding her skateboard, the next she's got a cape and a mission. Can a normal fourth-grader really save San Francisco?Hilarious Dog Every hero needs a partner, and Jo's is Raymond—a loyal dog who weaponizes his drool and drills Jacuzzi-sized holes in the backyard with his tail.Action and Adventure for Get ready for super-powered skateboards, dastardly villains, and an army of re-animated dinosaur skeletons attacking the city!Funny Chapter An early chapter book series perfect for young readers who love laugh-out-loud stories and discovering that the secret to flying might just be thinking about sponge cake.

Genres: Chapter Books, Humor, Adventure, Childrens, Fantasy, 2nd Grade

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Greg Trine is the author of the Melvin Beederman, Superhero books for children, which he creates with his illustrator sidekick, Rhode Montijo. He is also the author of the young adult book, The Second Base Club. He lives with his family in his Southern California hideout.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/gregtrine

Reviews

[Bookandahug]

Hooray hooray! Girls who have been waiting for a laugh-out-loud, non-stop action girl superhero book are in luck. Fourth-grader Jo Schmo comes from a long line of crime fighters so when a mysterious package arrives with a superhero cape and a note, she has someone to turn to: Grandpa Joe who had 35 years as a sheriff fighting crime.

Turns out the cape is from her stinky Uncle George (she has an Uncle George?) and the note inside reads "I am retiring from my life as s superhero and have enclosed my cape. Use it well." Hmmm... what use could a 4th grader have for a superhero cape?

The answer comes from deep in the lab of Dr. Dastardly, mad scientist. "Why are scientists always mad? Why aren't they happy or at least mildly amused?" Perhaps the sniffing of the chemicals in the test tubes over the years has something to do with it but for Dr. Dastardly it was the day he stubbed his toe on a table leg that made him mad and that plus the test tube sniffing.. well, the toe plus the brain equals mad.

Now, Dr. Dastardly has been busy in the lab inventing a Reanimator Laminator. His plan... to take over the world beginning with the city of San Francisco.


The chapters alternate between Jo growing in superhero knowledge and taking bathroom breaks from school to fight local criminals and Dr. Dastardly with his able assistant, Pete, who responds like Pavlov's dog to the sound of Mwah-ha-ha-ha. Armed with the Reanimator Laminator this evil duo heads to the Museum of Natural History to animate a dino or two. Their plan is to harness the dino power to overcome the citizens of San Fran.

The comedic timing in this book is just spot on. Jo searches for some lofty thoughts to be able to fly and fails. The criminals head to the abandoned business warehouse area where all evil criminals go to hide out after their dastardly deeds.

Non-stop action, twists and turns, a crush on Tom, Dick and Harry, a Dr. who laughs his evil laugh to get a cup of tea with lemon, shaken not stirred, and a pair of bank robbers who disguise themselves as each other keep the adventure mounting and the fun and silliness winding higher and higher.

I laughed my head off and kept waiting to see what this stand up comedian had up his sleeve in the next chapter. Another fun feature is you flip the book over to read book two in the series, Wyatt Burp Rides Again. Four page chapters keep those pages turning. Perfect for WildThing/Mirette/AnnieOakley and Jokester/Thrillseeking/Party Animal. See ABookandaHug for more info.

[Mary T]

I didn't care for this one too much. There were different confusing elements (how sometimes "Mwah-hah-hah" is an evil laugh and sometimes it means "Come here"), and I didn't care for the parts mentioning how boy-crazy she is. As someone else mentioned, she's in fourth grade, but the reading level/interest is for younger. I read this to my 8yo son, and he liked it okay, but we prefer the Melvin Beederman series (I think by the same author?) and definitely Ninja Kid! I probably won't pick up any more from this series.

[Dawn]

3.5 stars
Jo Schmo is your average 4th grade girl, but then she gets a car in the mail from her uncle, and learns that she has to take over the “family business” which is being a superhero.

Along with her trusty sidekick, she works on her superhero abilities and fights crime in her neighborhood.

I found this book hilarious! Lots of word play and wacky hijinks. Super fun and definitely recommend. The drawings are kinda crappy, but that’s the style. Like stick people come to life.

[Kemi]

My 1st-grader LOVED this book as a read-aloud. A lot of the jokes went over his head, but my 6th-grader caught them and appreciated the silliness. It was a cute story, but it did get a little repetitive. (I would have given it 3 or 3.5 stars. Sam said 5. We compromised on the rating.)

I will fondly remember this series as the one that got us through Sam's concussion and face-break. :)

[Gozde Erdemir]

This was the first chapter book we read together with my 6 and 4 year olds. It took us three-four days to finish. There are some unnecessary details, like Jo’s interest in boys, and I wasn’t that thrilled to read it, but the kids loved it, and we’re now reading the second book. It’s worth checking out the other books by this author.

[The Book Girl]

pretty good.

[Teegan]

Fun adventures with the right amount of silliness. And didn’t dumb down the language. My only complaint is that the author made Jo boy-crazy. Really quite unnecessary.

[Anna Richland]

Odd that the later books in the series are on goodreads, but not this one.

My daughter and I did not get far in this book. The premise - superhero girl with cape and skateboard - attracted my 2d grade soccer loving girl. The reading level was appropriate, and I thought it would be a good change from Rainbow Fairies. Books like the Moongobble and Me series have boy protagonists, so I thought this would be a great change.

After a promising first paragraph about superhero cape, the "normal fourth grade girl" who wants to do "normal fourth grade things" says this is the second full paragraph:

"And trying to figure out which boys she had crushes on. It wasn't easy. There were so many to choose from. It was only the first week of school, and already she'd made some pretty important decisions: Kevin had the best hair. Mitch looked spectacular in green. David had exactly seventeen freckles, which she absolutely adored... " It goes on.

I get the point - she's obsessed with boys, and then she gets the superhero cape and Everything Changes. So yes, we should continue reading past page 3, to get to "everything changes" and she gets another purpose. But we didn't. That's the problem with a children's book that tries to pull that trick - my daughter didn't want to continue so we picked up a nonfiction book about horses instead.

Why is the "boy crazy" trope even used at this reading level? The protagonist is a 4th grader, but the level skews maybe grade 2-3 (kids like to read about kids a year or two older). Why couldn't Jo just have been fancy-crazy or tinsel-crazy or fingernail paint crazy, if it had to be a girlish cliché? Or something completely non-clichéd - maybe she could be so bug crazy she doesn't pay attention to the world around her, and the cape brings her out? Why did it have to be boy-crazy? It does make me suspicious of what tropes are used in the rest of the book. So we may keep it out of the library a little longer and try one more time, b/c I do like the illustrations and I suspect the story becomes cuter after page 5. But the beginning was annoying and we'd have to get past that hump.

[Rachel]

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

If you could pick a superhero sidekick, who (or what?) would you choose?

And what about a “super” mode of transportation? A souped-up scooter? A gagdet-y go-cart?

Or would you rather rely on your body to soar through the air like a bird, like a plane, like...someone else we might know? Jo Schmo, the next in a long line of crime fighters, has to tackle all of these questions when her Uncle George sends her a package containing a bright red cape and note that simply says “use it well.” With her drool-tastic sidekick Raymond, Jo can foil just about any villain’s dastardly plans. But will a well-placed Knuckle Sandwich be enough to save the city from some of scariest creatures of all?

[Cathe Fein Olson]

Greg Trine's new chapter book series about superhero Jo Schmo and her dog Raymond as the drooling sidekick is absolutely hilarious. Almost every line is just so funny and the characters and word play are great as are the illustrations. The book is actually two short books in one--each with its own zany villain and crime wave (or crime ripple) for Jo to battle--is perfect for reluctant readers. I can't wait to share this book with my 2nd - 4th-grade students who love Trine's Melvin Beederman series.

[Jesse]

What fun! Jo Schmo is anything but a regular Joe. When she joins the family business of crime fighting she has no idea she'll have to battle Dr. Dastardly and his reanimated dinosaurs! Luckily, with the help of her Grandpa Joe, sidekick Raymond (the drooling dog), and a hand-me-down superhero cape, she's up for the challenge! Cute, and with plenty if humor, the adventures of Jo Schmo will be fun to follow!

[Jessica Levitt]

I think this will prove popular with Gr 2+, boys and girls. Plenty of lines to make the adult reader giggle. (My personal fave: He glanced over his shoulder at a T. rex and said, "Sic her, boy. And her little dog, too.") The intended audience will also enjoy super-hero, cape-wearing Jo's desperate attempts to discover the lofty thought that will allow her to fly. Short chapters and a nice balance between text and fun illustrations will keep even the reluctant readers engaged.

[Karen Arendt]

Jo Schmo is the new superhero on the block. She is a fourth grader who receives her grandpa's superhero cape after he retires as Sheriff. Jo practices being a superhero until Dr. Dastardly and his evil plan come long. With plenty of humor and outlandish action this story will appeal to girls and boys sho love superheros and humor.

[Ingrid]

I would really give this book 2.5 starts. This is a fun story about a girl who becomes a superhero after getting a mystery package in the mail. The thing that I found odd about the book is that it is about a 4th grade girl who before she becomes a superhero is boy crazy, but the book is written at about a 2nd grade level. I can't imagine any 4th grader being interested in this story.

[Anastasia Tuckness]

Super fun book about a third grade girl who inherits a cape from her uncle. With some advice from her grandfather, a supercharged skateboard, and a sidekick dog, she fights crime all over the city.

Sure to be enjoyed by beginning chapter book readers who want more adventure and whimsy in their books!

[Erin]

I LOVED this! Girl protagonist who is as into boys as she is her skateboard and dog. A product of third wave feminism, but written by a dude! Properly funny and action-packed, and the illustrations are simple, goofy, and great.

[Heather]

Read aloud with my kids. They loved it and can't wait to read further adventures of Jo. Quick read. I personally give it 3 stars, but we got the book so the kids would want to read; it worked, they want more - so, success!

[Brittany Thurman]

Great for second grade and up. This seems like something I would have loved as a kid! Even though the protagonist is a girl, I feel boys will get a kick out of this story as well! Looking forward to reading more!

[Deanna]

What could be more fun than a 4th grade girl who realizes, after receiving a mysterious package, that she is destined to become a super hero? Zany and fun!

[Lorraine Der]

Library Catalog

[Alice]

Cute for lower elementary students...

[Tamarah]

JF Tri
- female Melvin Beederman, fighting crime in San Fransisco vs Los Angeles
- same red cape, same silly humor
- 3rd grade humor :)

[L]

My boys and I are fans of the Melvin Beederman series and so I was exited to see something new from the author. My 9 year old son loves these books just as much.

[Mary Ann]

I liked this premise, but the perspective jumped around too much for the intended audience for this chapter book.

[Amy]

Filled with wacky humor and superhero antics, this was a fun and quick read. Would likely appeal to readers of My Weird School series and would be a good choice for those just starting chapter books.

[Kristen Gwen]

Very cute, fun characters, very creative. A fun read!!

[River]

I think this could have been a little bit longer.

[Tara]

Cute, easy read to my 2 yo who is into dinosaurs lately. I don't plan on reading anymore in the series but he seemed to enjoy this one