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Bolivar #1
Bolivar
Going extinct isn't for everyone. Sybil knows that there is something off about her next door neighbor, but she can't seem to get anyone to believe her. Everyone is so busy going about their days in the busy streets of New York City that they don't notice Bolivar. They don't notice his odd height, his tiny arms, or his long tail. No one but Sybil sees that Bolivar is a dinosaur. When an unlikely parking ticket pulls Bolivar into an adventure from City Hall to New York’s Natural History Museum, he must finally make a Bolivar can continue to live unnoticed, or he can let the city see who he really is.
School Library Journal says...
"Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us. That part deep down inside that encourages us to hide away from the world, keep to ourselves, and avoid any and all connections for fear of getting hurt. Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff."
School Library Journal says...
"Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us. That part deep down inside that encourages us to hide away from the world, keep to ourselves, and avoid any and all connections for fear of getting hurt. Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff."
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2017
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September 22, 2017
It took a year and a half for me to notice, but by then it was too late.
I moved to the Chicago area from New York City in what can only be described as a fairly seamless transition. Going from one large metropolitan area to another large metropolitan area, albeit one with suburbs, didn't prove to be a huge a shock to the system. Job in place? Check. Car acquired? Check. House purchased? Check. Yup. Seemed I had everything sewed up in a neat little bow. And it wasn’t until much later that I learned a shocking fact about my new home. I was at work one day when out of the blue I asked my colleagues, all innocence, “Hey, guys? What’s the big famous children’s book character based in Chicago?” Their silence sliced through my heart. In NYC you just don’t know how lucky you are. There’s Eloise in her Plaza, Peter and Willie in Prospect Park, and any number of books being churned out every single year as little paeans to the city that never sleeps. I never thought of it as an exclusive right. I mean, Paris has Madeline, doesn’t it? But soon enough it became clear that for all its charms, most major cities in America lack that most basic and unassailable right: The right to have some famous children’s books set in your town. You might think then that when Bolivar passed under my nose I sneered at it. That I found it yet another Manhattan love letter like so many that had come before. Well, I tried, I really did, but that lasted all of two pages. Instead I was sucked into a book that loves New York City so well that it can accurately depict the view of Zabar’s from the subway. So move over, Lyle Lyle Crocodile and your East 88th Street digs. Looks like there’s a new reptile in town, and his apartment on West 78th Street may well eclipse everyone who came before. Manhattan loves a dinosaur.
If you were a dinosaur, where would you choose to live? You might think somewhere remote, far from the crush of humanity. But what if you were a big time fan of museums, bookstores, music, and The New Yorker? What if you really liked people, and didn’t want to eat them? New York City might be the right place for you. The crazy thing is that in a place like Manhattan (specifically the Upper West Side) Bolivar the dinosaur lives in complete and perfect peace. Why? Because everyone in the city is too busy to see what’s right in front of their noses. Everyone, that is, except for a kid named Sybil. Like the oracle that shares her name, no one believes Sybil when she says that a real live dinosaur lives next to her apartment. Trying to photograph him is a bust. Stalking doesn’t help. It really isn’t until there’s a mix-up in the Mayor’s office that Bolivar appears in the spotlight and finds himself relying on someone else. Someone who was right under his nose all the time. It seems that failing to notice the extraordinary is not a uniquely human trait.
Part of what makes this book so interesting is that upon picking it up you’re not exactly sure what it is. What we have here is a strange kind of graphic novel/picture book/bedtime novel hybrid. The publisher is Archaia, known for their comics, and indeed there are a enough speech balloons to indicate that’s where it should be shelved. But the size of the book, and the narrative text that appears fairly regularly, definitely makes the book feel more like a very long picture book. A 224-page picture book, to be precise. You see the problem. Even as recently as ten years ago, librarians would have been tearing their hair out, desperate to figure out where to catalog this puppy. These days it’s a post-Hugo Cabret world, baby. The blurring of the traditional lines hardly raises an eyebrow anymore. If I was a betting woman, I’d say that since the publisher is Archaia, most libraries and bookstores will shelve Bolivar in the graphic novel / comic book section. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because due to the sheer number of picture books published in a given year Bolivar would disappear in a sea of other, mediocre dinosaur tales faster than you can say ARK-EE-OP-TER-RICKS. Graphic novels, in contrast, are few and far between. In a given year, true quality middle grade graphic novels hardly ever surpass the number fifteen. That said, when parents look for bedtime fare (which this book most certainly is) they don’t often head towards the comics. Hopefully the enterprising souls that select this for their libraries and bookstores will also know how to market it properly. It deserves a bit of attention.
There’s a moment in one of the books in The Borrowers series (I think it’s The Borrowers Aloft) when Arrietty asks her father why she and her other tiny family members are able to so freely fly in a tiny hot air balloon above people’s heads and not be spotted. Her father answers that big people spend an inordinate amount of time looking down, not paying attention to anything that rests higher than their sightline. It’s funny, but that line has stayed with me for years and years. The idea that you can be so wrapped up in your own head that you miss seeing something marvelous. So no, I didn’t find the idea that Bolivar could essentially walk through the streets of Manhattan, and even go so far as to inadvertently impersonate the mayor, all that far fetched. When I lived in the city I’d plug my earbuds in and shut out a city that tried every day, as hard as it could, to grab my attention. There could easily have been dinosaurs wandering the streets, you bet. Probably more in the Village than the Upper West Side though, eh?
Sure hope you’re a fan of cross-hatching because as an art style, Rubin’s a bit fond of it. And yet, as strange as it may sound, the artist I thought of the most while reading this wasn’t Bill Watterson or Maurice Sendak (though they certainly did occur to me from time to time) but rather Mike Curato. The fine attention to detail as it pertains to the streets of New York City may be done in a different style than Curato, but that same level of detail is there. So is the love. The thing about Rubin’s book is that the artist’s sheer palpitating love for NYC virtually emanates off of the page. At any given time I could randomly flip in the book to some detail or moment that felt like the city. *flip* There’s a wisteria vine, unchecked, climbing up a brownstone. *flip* There’s a painting of Peter Stuyvesant, wooden leg and all, in the mayor’s office. *flip* There’s the orange of the 1 train’s seats (and the requisite tourist ducking their head to try and make sense of the subway map). *flip* Heck, there’s even a teeny bowl of pickles on the table in the deli where Bolivar gets his corned beef sandwiches.
On a grander scale is the setting itself: New York in the early 21st century. After a while the sheer number of locations begins to add up . . . and yet Rubin isn’t trying to earn points by cramming the best-known places into the tale. The Upper West Side is the primary location, with logical trips to places like Central Park, The Natural History Museum, the aforementioned Zabar’s, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more. I half hoped that Bolivar would hop the 2 or 3 at 72nd Street and go to the New York Public Library on 42nd and 5th, but soon I discovered another, very practical, reason for keeping the dino close to home. If Sybil is to realistically follow him around, her travels should be restricted to her immediate corner of the city. This begs the obvious question as to why the reader can swallow the fact that there’s a living breathing dinosaur tromping around Manhattan in the broad daylight while the idea of a kid walking the street alone strains credulity, but that’s a topic for another day.
Happily, Rubin does a good job of keeping his adult jokes to a minimum. When they do pop up they don’t pull a Shrek and rub the inappropriate reference in your face. It’s much subtler than that. For example I was very taken with the moment when Bolivar forgets himself momentarily and believes that a dinosaur is chasing him along with the crowd of people before him. As he tries to escape he murmurs, “Must go faster . . . must go faster . . .” Jeff Goldblum himself would be impressed. There are visual gags for New Yorkers too. “Papaya Czar” instead of “Papaya King” was one of my own pet favorites.
My sole objection to the book pertains to a nonexistent character. There are some unfortunate moments when Sybil’s mom mentions the existence of Sybil’s dad. Unfortunate, I say, because each time this happened it felt distinctly like a holdover from an earlier draft of the book when Sybil even had a father. Sybil’s mom is so clearly a single mother that these lines threw my daughter and I off a bit as we were reading the story and left us uncertain. Was there some negligent father lurking around the corners of the book somewhere? Was the mom in some advanced state of psychosis due to the stress of her job and child and making up a fake husband? Or was it just a typo? You be the judge.
If you read the little biography of Sean Rubin in the back of this book you discover that though he was born in Brooklyn and (if an oblique reference in the Acknowledgements is to be believed) lived on the Upper West Side for a time, he now resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. Which means he’s a transplant like myself. This book may have started when inspiration was no farther than just outside his front door, but in the process of its creation it has become an ode to a city long loved and left behind. The thing is, you don’t have to be a New Yorker, or even like NYC, to thoroughly enjoy this book. Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us. That part deep down inside that encourages us to hide away from the world, keep to ourselves, and avoid any and all connections for fear of getting hurt. Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff.
For ages 4 and up.
I moved to the Chicago area from New York City in what can only be described as a fairly seamless transition. Going from one large metropolitan area to another large metropolitan area, albeit one with suburbs, didn't prove to be a huge a shock to the system. Job in place? Check. Car acquired? Check. House purchased? Check. Yup. Seemed I had everything sewed up in a neat little bow. And it wasn’t until much later that I learned a shocking fact about my new home. I was at work one day when out of the blue I asked my colleagues, all innocence, “Hey, guys? What’s the big famous children’s book character based in Chicago?” Their silence sliced through my heart. In NYC you just don’t know how lucky you are. There’s Eloise in her Plaza, Peter and Willie in Prospect Park, and any number of books being churned out every single year as little paeans to the city that never sleeps. I never thought of it as an exclusive right. I mean, Paris has Madeline, doesn’t it? But soon enough it became clear that for all its charms, most major cities in America lack that most basic and unassailable right: The right to have some famous children’s books set in your town. You might think then that when Bolivar passed under my nose I sneered at it. That I found it yet another Manhattan love letter like so many that had come before. Well, I tried, I really did, but that lasted all of two pages. Instead I was sucked into a book that loves New York City so well that it can accurately depict the view of Zabar’s from the subway. So move over, Lyle Lyle Crocodile and your East 88th Street digs. Looks like there’s a new reptile in town, and his apartment on West 78th Street may well eclipse everyone who came before. Manhattan loves a dinosaur.
If you were a dinosaur, where would you choose to live? You might think somewhere remote, far from the crush of humanity. But what if you were a big time fan of museums, bookstores, music, and The New Yorker? What if you really liked people, and didn’t want to eat them? New York City might be the right place for you. The crazy thing is that in a place like Manhattan (specifically the Upper West Side) Bolivar the dinosaur lives in complete and perfect peace. Why? Because everyone in the city is too busy to see what’s right in front of their noses. Everyone, that is, except for a kid named Sybil. Like the oracle that shares her name, no one believes Sybil when she says that a real live dinosaur lives next to her apartment. Trying to photograph him is a bust. Stalking doesn’t help. It really isn’t until there’s a mix-up in the Mayor’s office that Bolivar appears in the spotlight and finds himself relying on someone else. Someone who was right under his nose all the time. It seems that failing to notice the extraordinary is not a uniquely human trait.
Part of what makes this book so interesting is that upon picking it up you’re not exactly sure what it is. What we have here is a strange kind of graphic novel/picture book/bedtime novel hybrid. The publisher is Archaia, known for their comics, and indeed there are a enough speech balloons to indicate that’s where it should be shelved. But the size of the book, and the narrative text that appears fairly regularly, definitely makes the book feel more like a very long picture book. A 224-page picture book, to be precise. You see the problem. Even as recently as ten years ago, librarians would have been tearing their hair out, desperate to figure out where to catalog this puppy. These days it’s a post-Hugo Cabret world, baby. The blurring of the traditional lines hardly raises an eyebrow anymore. If I was a betting woman, I’d say that since the publisher is Archaia, most libraries and bookstores will shelve Bolivar in the graphic novel / comic book section. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because due to the sheer number of picture books published in a given year Bolivar would disappear in a sea of other, mediocre dinosaur tales faster than you can say ARK-EE-OP-TER-RICKS. Graphic novels, in contrast, are few and far between. In a given year, true quality middle grade graphic novels hardly ever surpass the number fifteen. That said, when parents look for bedtime fare (which this book most certainly is) they don’t often head towards the comics. Hopefully the enterprising souls that select this for their libraries and bookstores will also know how to market it properly. It deserves a bit of attention.
There’s a moment in one of the books in The Borrowers series (I think it’s The Borrowers Aloft) when Arrietty asks her father why she and her other tiny family members are able to so freely fly in a tiny hot air balloon above people’s heads and not be spotted. Her father answers that big people spend an inordinate amount of time looking down, not paying attention to anything that rests higher than their sightline. It’s funny, but that line has stayed with me for years and years. The idea that you can be so wrapped up in your own head that you miss seeing something marvelous. So no, I didn’t find the idea that Bolivar could essentially walk through the streets of Manhattan, and even go so far as to inadvertently impersonate the mayor, all that far fetched. When I lived in the city I’d plug my earbuds in and shut out a city that tried every day, as hard as it could, to grab my attention. There could easily have been dinosaurs wandering the streets, you bet. Probably more in the Village than the Upper West Side though, eh?
Sure hope you’re a fan of cross-hatching because as an art style, Rubin’s a bit fond of it. And yet, as strange as it may sound, the artist I thought of the most while reading this wasn’t Bill Watterson or Maurice Sendak (though they certainly did occur to me from time to time) but rather Mike Curato. The fine attention to detail as it pertains to the streets of New York City may be done in a different style than Curato, but that same level of detail is there. So is the love. The thing about Rubin’s book is that the artist’s sheer palpitating love for NYC virtually emanates off of the page. At any given time I could randomly flip in the book to some detail or moment that felt like the city. *flip* There’s a wisteria vine, unchecked, climbing up a brownstone. *flip* There’s a painting of Peter Stuyvesant, wooden leg and all, in the mayor’s office. *flip* There’s the orange of the 1 train’s seats (and the requisite tourist ducking their head to try and make sense of the subway map). *flip* Heck, there’s even a teeny bowl of pickles on the table in the deli where Bolivar gets his corned beef sandwiches.
On a grander scale is the setting itself: New York in the early 21st century. After a while the sheer number of locations begins to add up . . . and yet Rubin isn’t trying to earn points by cramming the best-known places into the tale. The Upper West Side is the primary location, with logical trips to places like Central Park, The Natural History Museum, the aforementioned Zabar’s, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more. I half hoped that Bolivar would hop the 2 or 3 at 72nd Street and go to the New York Public Library on 42nd and 5th, but soon I discovered another, very practical, reason for keeping the dino close to home. If Sybil is to realistically follow him around, her travels should be restricted to her immediate corner of the city. This begs the obvious question as to why the reader can swallow the fact that there’s a living breathing dinosaur tromping around Manhattan in the broad daylight while the idea of a kid walking the street alone strains credulity, but that’s a topic for another day.
Happily, Rubin does a good job of keeping his adult jokes to a minimum. When they do pop up they don’t pull a Shrek and rub the inappropriate reference in your face. It’s much subtler than that. For example I was very taken with the moment when Bolivar forgets himself momentarily and believes that a dinosaur is chasing him along with the crowd of people before him. As he tries to escape he murmurs, “Must go faster . . . must go faster . . .” Jeff Goldblum himself would be impressed. There are visual gags for New Yorkers too. “Papaya Czar” instead of “Papaya King” was one of my own pet favorites.
My sole objection to the book pertains to a nonexistent character. There are some unfortunate moments when Sybil’s mom mentions the existence of Sybil’s dad. Unfortunate, I say, because each time this happened it felt distinctly like a holdover from an earlier draft of the book when Sybil even had a father. Sybil’s mom is so clearly a single mother that these lines threw my daughter and I off a bit as we were reading the story and left us uncertain. Was there some negligent father lurking around the corners of the book somewhere? Was the mom in some advanced state of psychosis due to the stress of her job and child and making up a fake husband? Or was it just a typo? You be the judge.
If you read the little biography of Sean Rubin in the back of this book you discover that though he was born in Brooklyn and (if an oblique reference in the Acknowledgements is to be believed) lived on the Upper West Side for a time, he now resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. Which means he’s a transplant like myself. This book may have started when inspiration was no farther than just outside his front door, but in the process of its creation it has become an ode to a city long loved and left behind. The thing is, you don’t have to be a New Yorker, or even like NYC, to thoroughly enjoy this book. Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us. That part deep down inside that encourages us to hide away from the world, keep to ourselves, and avoid any and all connections for fear of getting hurt. Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff.
For ages 4 and up.
July 5, 2020
A delightful story of a young girl in New York who lives next door to a dinosaur. However, everyone but her is too wrapped up in their own lives to notice Bolivar on the subway, at the bookstore, etc. No one believes her until...
Part childrens book, part graphic novel, this book is a love letter to New York. Sean Rubin grew up there and it took five years to create this book. The art is luscious and vividly detailed. Your eyes will be rewarded by taking in those not only 2 page spreads, but sometimes 4 or 6 pages. I love how scenes like the subway car go on for several pages so we can take all the riders in and finally see Bolivar hiding amongst them. This was an absolute delight.
Received a review copy from Archaia and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Part childrens book, part graphic novel, this book is a love letter to New York. Sean Rubin grew up there and it took five years to create this book. The art is luscious and vividly detailed. Your eyes will be rewarded by taking in those not only 2 page spreads, but sometimes 4 or 6 pages. I love how scenes like the subway car go on for several pages so we can take all the riders in and finally see Bolivar hiding amongst them. This was an absolute delight.
Received a review copy from Archaia and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
October 5, 2018
What a delightful book. I didn't know a thing about this and what a treat this was. A young girl lives in NYC and what's different about her is that she notices life around her whereas most other people in the city do not. She begins to suspect that her next door neighbor is a dinosaur. She goes about trying to get a picture of him because no one believes her. Everyone is so busy that they don't notice anything or anyone. The mayor's security team is so busy that they don't even notice that they think the dinosaur is the Mayor. I also love that the dinosaur hangs out at the bookstore often. People slow down in book stores so I would think he would be noticed there. I mean everyone loves a book store, am I right?
The art is wonderful. Sean said it took him 5 years to complete this project. There is a lot more that happens in this book. I think one of the overarching themes is when we notice something or pay attention to something, we change it or our relationship to it. It is a thick book that reads quickly. It's a good one to check out. I highly recommend it.
The art is wonderful. Sean said it took him 5 years to complete this project. There is a lot more that happens in this book. I think one of the overarching themes is when we notice something or pay attention to something, we change it or our relationship to it. It is a thick book that reads quickly. It's a good one to check out. I highly recommend it.
July 2, 2018
A large and ambitious combination children's graphic novel and picture book (some of it features comics panels, and some of it is illustrated picture book style) that is huge (224 pages), taking the artist FIVE years to produce. So it's to large for little kids, maybe, unless they live in Manhattan, to which the book is also a love letter, since many places in New York are depicted often in full, two-page layouts.
Sybil is amazed that no one but she knows there is a dinosaur in NYC. But this is NYC, and everyone is too busy or too preoccupied to see that there is a dinosaur in their midst, going to the Museum of Natural History, art museums. But Manhattan is a place famous for being able to hide in plain sight.
The artwork reminds me a bit of classic manga such as the work of Tezuka where we have beautifully painted realistic scenes with somewhat cartoony faces of characters, highly influenced, Rubin says, by the work of Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). Rubin studied art and architecture, and contributes to other children's graphic novel series such as Mouseguard and Redwall.
This is in part because of its size and scope and artwork one of the children's publishing events of the year, clearly, though the story or character development isn't that complex (I mean, even for kid books).
Sybil is amazed that no one but she knows there is a dinosaur in NYC. But this is NYC, and everyone is too busy or too preoccupied to see that there is a dinosaur in their midst, going to the Museum of Natural History, art museums. But Manhattan is a place famous for being able to hide in plain sight.
The artwork reminds me a bit of classic manga such as the work of Tezuka where we have beautifully painted realistic scenes with somewhat cartoony faces of characters, highly influenced, Rubin says, by the work of Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). Rubin studied art and architecture, and contributes to other children's graphic novel series such as Mouseguard and Redwall.
This is in part because of its size and scope and artwork one of the children's publishing events of the year, clearly, though the story or character development isn't that complex (I mean, even for kid books).
December 22, 2020
A fun 5 🌟 read for me!
This story is somewhat unusual and I would say it's a good depiction of the adults today not seeing things that's hovering right in front of our eyes even if we are running around every waking minute trying to do 'important' things.
The story talks about a small girl who happens to be the only one noticing the last dinosaur on Earth as her neighbour while everyone just fails to notice the obvious because of obvious reasons! Yes, no one actually cares (I guess the zombie apocalypse might not be that far because we are turning into zombies by the way!). Okay, that wasn't required at all for this review. Excuse me.
And so this young girl tries her best to show some valid proof at least to her mom that there's an actual dinosaur. And like every other adult on Earth, the mom doesn't listen to her kid.
Things happen (I don't want to spoil the ending).
And it ended fairly well.
But yes, the story seems to be a little too far fetched for me. If it was a teeny tiny animal, it would have been a much plausible one.
However, it was executed pretty well.
The illustrations did it all! Love the artstyle. It makes me nostalgic just looking at the illustrations!
A fun book to read and to be read to I say!
Pretty hilarious (and satirical for the adults reading it).
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.
This story is somewhat unusual and I would say it's a good depiction of the adults today not seeing things that's hovering right in front of our eyes even if we are running around every waking minute trying to do 'important' things.
The story talks about a small girl who happens to be the only one noticing the last dinosaur on Earth as her neighbour while everyone just fails to notice the obvious because of obvious reasons! Yes, no one actually cares (I guess the zombie apocalypse might not be that far because we are turning into zombies by the way!). Okay, that wasn't required at all for this review. Excuse me.
And so this young girl tries her best to show some valid proof at least to her mom that there's an actual dinosaur. And like every other adult on Earth, the mom doesn't listen to her kid.
Things happen (I don't want to spoil the ending).
And it ended fairly well.
But yes, the story seems to be a little too far fetched for me. If it was a teeny tiny animal, it would have been a much plausible one.
However, it was executed pretty well.
The illustrations did it all! Love the artstyle. It makes me nostalgic just looking at the illustrations!
A fun book to read and to be read to I say!
Pretty hilarious (and satirical for the adults reading it).
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.
October 5, 2018
This is an unusual format, a picture book with chapters. I liked that a lot, I think there is room for books to break out of their pigeon holes. The illustrations are good, I read they took five years, overall I liked them, the illustrator is good at scenes and buildings but I found the figures a bit cutesy and I don't like faces with hollow circles for eyes whilst the rest is fairly realistic. I felt the story was lacking, a dinosaur moves in but nobody notices apart from a child who of course is way more observant than her mother, I felt that was patronising to children and I didn't like the way the main character's mother was always cross and fed up her daughter and never listened to what she said.
January 16, 2018
The story here is just ok, it could have been cleaned up with some tweaks and tightening but that's not what we're here for.
We're here for the pictures!
I think this is what we'd get if Mercer Mayer and Bill Waterson had a storydrawing wunderkind named Sean. It's an absolute delight, visually.
Like I said before, the story isn't nearly as strong, though it is cute and appropriate for the age at which it is aimed (7-10-year-olds? Somewhere in that range)
New York City is all aglow with the successful publishing endeavor of one of its finest paleontologists. He's recently released a book about how dinosaurs are definitely extinct and is a media darling for his efforts.
However, Sybil is pretty sure there's a dinosaur, like the birdreptile, not like a super old person, living in the apartment next door.
And there is.
His name is Bolivar.
He lives in New York because everyone is far too busy to notice him there.
But their lives collide because Sybil is a snoop and Bolivar doesn't know how to conduct himself in the public eye, especially when he's mistaken for someone else.
This is also something of a love letter to NYC so people like karen should definitely pick it up to see the familiar sites.
We're here for the pictures!
I think this is what we'd get if Mercer Mayer and Bill Waterson had a storydrawing wunderkind named Sean. It's an absolute delight, visually.
Like I said before, the story isn't nearly as strong, though it is cute and appropriate for the age at which it is aimed (7-10-year-olds? Somewhere in that range)
New York City is all aglow with the successful publishing endeavor of one of its finest paleontologists. He's recently released a book about how dinosaurs are definitely extinct and is a media darling for his efforts.
However, Sybil is pretty sure there's a dinosaur, like the birdreptile, not like a super old person, living in the apartment next door.
And there is.
His name is Bolivar.
He lives in New York because everyone is far too busy to notice him there.
But their lives collide because Sybil is a snoop and Bolivar doesn't know how to conduct himself in the public eye, especially when he's mistaken for someone else.
This is also something of a love letter to NYC so people like karen should definitely pick it up to see the familiar sites.
May 14, 2020
Bolivar was a dinosaur. He was the last dinosaur....
A cute story of a dinosaur who is hiding in plain site. In the city of New York no one even notices that a dinosaur is living nextdoor, no one except for a little girl named Sybil. I guess everyone was just too busy or preoccupied with other things. But once he is finally seen everyone goes a little crazy.
People fear what they dont know or dont understand. This is a cute story of acceptance and friendship. The illustrations are also beautifully done. I also loved how this combined a childrens graphic novel with a picture book. While the story isnt complex this book is a monster in size and may not be a good pick for some young readers. Overall its a very pleasant book.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A cute story of a dinosaur who is hiding in plain site. In the city of New York no one even notices that a dinosaur is living nextdoor, no one except for a little girl named Sybil. I guess everyone was just too busy or preoccupied with other things. But once he is finally seen everyone goes a little crazy.
People fear what they dont know or dont understand. This is a cute story of acceptance and friendship. The illustrations are also beautifully done. I also loved how this combined a childrens graphic novel with a picture book. While the story isnt complex this book is a monster in size and may not be a good pick for some young readers. Overall its a very pleasant book.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2021
«Болівар» — сентиментальна, алегорична історія про те, як часто ми не помічаємо динозаврів навколо себе. Точніше, як часто ми зайняті собою, що не помічаємо динозаврів. Точніше, як багато всього у світі, чого ми не помічаємо. Зокрема динозаврів. Шон Рубін не випадково написав дитячий комікс із великими, просто неймовірними ілюстраціями (із простим або часто й зовсім відсутнім розкадруванням) та наївною і водночас глибокою лексикою, притаманною для дітей. За цією простою Рубін зумів передати багато важливих повідомлень, особливо актуальних для сучасного світу. Для мене найважливішим є те, що ми щодня чимось зайняті та затурбовані, утрачаючи за цією рутиною справ і клопотів красу, а отже — і сенс життя. Нам варто зупинитись, придивитись, озирнутись. Раптом наш сусід — доісторичний динозавр? Ну й неприхований гуманізм, який учить усіх нас уважно пригледітись до іншого й не сприймати його із острахом чи подивом.
А ще тут чудово передана атмосфера Нью-Йорка. Не знаю наскільки ретельно він відвторив місто топонімічно, але основні елементи міста збережені: типова архітектура, квартали, вікна, метро, навіть Метрополітен і його експонати тут присутні. Але основне — атмосфера. Завдяки шорохуватому, але водночас точному малюнку Рубін створює відчуття затишного, по-своєму ностальгійного Нью-Йорку з його містянами, які окуті не тільки своїм звичним ритмом, але й речами, деталями, нюансами. Зловив себе на думці, що Рубін хоче й нас підловити на основній своїй ідеї. Мовляв, а чи все ми помітили на його сторінках? Чи не пропустили якоїсь деталі, яка пазлом розкриє неймовірну красу, що нас оточує? Тому «Болівар» — це також ода місту. Будь-якому, не обов'язково Нью-Йорку, хоча насамперед йому та Брукліну — рідному району для Рубіна.
На сторінках так багато світла, що ця історія просто не може не підняти настрій, повернути магію дитинства, яке здавалося вічністю, а було лише одним теплим літнім днем.
Книжка стала лауреатом премії Айзнер, основної нагороди в царині мальованої прози.
А ще тут чудово передана атмосфера Нью-Йорка. Не знаю наскільки ретельно він відвторив місто топонімічно, але основні елементи міста збережені: типова архітектура, квартали, вікна, метро, навіть Метрополітен і його експонати тут присутні. Але основне — атмосфера. Завдяки шорохуватому, але водночас точному малюнку Рубін створює відчуття затишного, по-своєму ностальгійного Нью-Йорку з його містянами, які окуті не тільки своїм звичним ритмом, але й речами, деталями, нюансами. Зловив себе на думці, що Рубін хоче й нас підловити на основній своїй ідеї. Мовляв, а чи все ми помітили на його сторінках? Чи не пропустили якоїсь деталі, яка пазлом розкриє неймовірну красу, що нас оточує? Тому «Болівар» — це також ода місту. Будь-якому, не обов'язково Нью-Йорку, хоча насамперед йому та Брукліну — рідному району для Рубіна.
На сторінках так багато світла, що ця історія просто не може не підняти настрій, повернути магію дитинства, яке здавалося вічністю, а було лише одним теплим літнім днем.
Книжка стала лауреатом премії Айзнер, основної нагороди в царині мальованої прози.
January 23, 2018
Bolivar is the last dinosaur. He does not want to be noticed, so he lives in the perfect place - New York City - where everyone is too busy to notice a dinosaur in their midst. He goes to museums, hits the deli for corned beef sandwiches, and haunts used book stores. But his neighbor, a young girl named Sybil, has seen him. If only she could convince someone else of his existence . . .
A lovely labor of love that took the author over five years to illustrate!
A lovely labor of love that took the author over five years to illustrate!
May 15, 2020
A sweet combination of comic book and picture book, it tells the story of Bolivar, a non-scary Tyrannosaurus Rex-like dinosaur that lives in the house nextdoor to a young girl and her mother.
Nobody notices he is a dinosaur, because everyone is too busy with their own lives. Except the earlier mentioned young girl, Sybil. Of course nobody believes her, so she tries to snap a picture of her elusive neighbour.
It's a sweet little story, but above anything else, the book is a warm love letter to life in a big city, and to New York specifically. It's exactly the kind of book I would've loved as a child - illustrations filled to the brim with detail, perfectly depicting the chaos and liveliness of city life. It's a book I would've read again and again.
It's lovely.
(Kindly received a review copy from Boom! Studios through NetGalley)
Nobody notices he is a dinosaur, because everyone is too busy with their own lives. Except the earlier mentioned young girl, Sybil. Of course nobody believes her, so she tries to snap a picture of her elusive neighbour.
It's a sweet little story, but above anything else, the book is a warm love letter to life in a big city, and to New York specifically. It's exactly the kind of book I would've loved as a child - illustrations filled to the brim with detail, perfectly depicting the chaos and liveliness of city life. It's a book I would've read again and again.
It's lovely.
(Kindly received a review copy from Boom! Studios through NetGalley)
March 28, 2019
Yaşayan tek dinazor Bolivar, fark edilmek istemediği için herkesin işinin başından aşkın olduğu, gözünün önündekini bile görmediği şehir New York'ta yaşıyordur. Gerçekten de kimse onu sokaklarda dolaşsa da, gidip gazete alsa da, kiraya çıksa da fark etmiyor. Komşusu Sybil hariç.
Sybil, yan komşusunun bir dinazor olduğunu biliyor ama kimse ona inanmıyor. Çünkü dinazorlar soyu tükenip bitmiş bir hayvan. NY'da ne işi var?....
Kendisine inanılmadığı ve inanılmasını istediği için Sybil Bolivar'ın fotoğrafını çekmeye çalışıyor.. Bu sırada müzede, kitapçıda, parkta Bolivar'ı takip eder ama aynı zamanda annesi de kızı için endişelenmeye başlıyor falan filan.
Bilmiyorum, kötü bir hikaye değildi. 9-12 yaş arası için önerilmiş ama bu okumam için engel değildi tabii. Çizimleri olsun hikayesi olsun 5 yılda hazırlanmış bir kitapmış üstelik.
Anlatmak istediği neydi ben onu pek anlayamadım, hala düşünüyorum, şehirde dolaşıp normal bir insan gibi yaşayan dinazoru küçücük bir kız hariç koskoca şehirde kimsenin fark etmemesinin anlamı ne? diye.
Anlamı yok gibi geliyor ama genel olarak çizimleri de tatlıydı, kısaydı ve hikaye de güzeldi. Özellikle polis memurunun Bolivar'a ceza kestiği sahne dlfk Bolivar 'ama ben araba değilim.' dediğinde polis memurunun 'orası beni ilgilendirmez' cevabı hoştu dlfdfg
Bolivar'ın gidip gazete alması ve kira sözleşmesi yapması olayından bahsetmiyorum bile.. bu gözünün önündekini görememe şeyiyle ilgili ne düşüneceğimi bilmiyorum...
January 17, 2022
Болівар любить:
🦖відвідувати природничий музей;
🦖гуляти в Центральному парку;
🦖слухати вечорами живу музику у підземці;
🦖"Нью-Йоркер".
Болівар не любить:
🦕 коли йому приділяють зайву увагу;
🦕 коли йому виписують штрафи за неправильне паркування (у нього навіть машини немає!);
🦕 коли від нього тікають, репетуючи: "ДИНОЗАВР!!!".
Бо так, він динозавр. Власне, останній динозавр на світі, який надає перевагу тихому, непомітному життю у Нью-Йорку. У місті, де живуть мільйони людей (та інших створінь) легко загубитися у натовпі, нью-йоркці так багато не помічають довкола, навіть триметрового динозавра, який у них простісінько під носом. Усе змінюється, коли завзята маленька сусідка Болівара починає наполегливо переконувати всіх, що поруч із ними мешкає динозавр.
"Болівар" — це справжнісіньке любовне послання Нью-Йорку. Уся книжка — це неймовірна мандрівка до чудового, неординарного, такого живого міста. Кожен розворот так і дихає любов'ю до нього. Автор здебільшого уникає популярних туристичних місцин, натомість він замальовує типові вулички, тихі закутки парку, непримітні станції метро, де грають музиканти. Неможливо прочитати «Болівара» і не захотіти відвідати Нью-Йорк!
🦖відвідувати природничий музей;
🦖гуляти в Центральному парку;
🦖слухати вечорами живу музику у підземці;
🦖"Нью-Йоркер".
Болівар не любить:
🦕 коли йому приділяють зайву увагу;
🦕 коли йому виписують штрафи за неправильне паркування (у нього навіть машини немає!);
🦕 коли від нього тікають, репетуючи: "ДИНОЗАВР!!!".
Бо так, він динозавр. Власне, останній динозавр на світі, який надає перевагу тихому, непомітному життю у Нью-Йорку. У місті, де живуть мільйони людей (та інших створінь) легко загубитися у натовпі, нью-йоркці так багато не помічають довкола, навіть триметрового динозавра, який у них простісінько під носом. Усе змінюється, коли завзята маленька сусідка Болівара починає наполегливо переконувати всіх, що поруч із ними мешкає динозавр.
"Болівар" — це справжнісіньке любовне послання Нью-Йорку. Уся книжка — це неймовірна мандрівка до чудового, неординарного, такого живого міста. Кожен розворот так і дихає любов'ю до нього. Автор здебільшого уникає популярних туристичних місцин, натомість він замальовує типові вулички, тихі закутки парку, непримітні станції метро, де грають музиканти. Неможливо прочитати «Болівара» і не захотіти відвідати Нью-Йорк!
May 21, 2020
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I have to say I thought this was a picture book when I saw it on Netgalley. But no this is a gorgeous and hilarious graphic novel about a girl who finds out her neighbour is... a dinosaur. But will she be able to convince her mom and people at school she is not lying?
It all starts with suspicions.Sybil is the only one who thinks something is up with her neighbour, and we the reader already know what is up, her neighbour is a dinosaur. Yep, there is a dinosaur just going his way eating bologna sandwiches (with ridiculous amounts of bologna), reading newspapers, and having a lovely time. Sybil herself tries to keep watch on her neighbour, tries to find him, while I did think she went a bit too far (privacy anyone?) I could also understand why she did all the things. I know I may also have had a hard time containing my curiosity. :P We see her hold stakeouts (falling asleep), hide behind things, make photographs and photographs and more photographs (eventually filling an entire wall with Polaroids). All that to find out who her neighbour is.
I did think it was funny that Bolivar didn't even seem to realise at times he was a dinosaur, or that he cared.
While I do know that a lot of people don't really see what is happening in front of them as they are so wrapped up in their own lives, I wondered throughout the story why no one, with the exception of Sybil, saw the dinosaur. It did get a bit ridiculous and yes, it also pulled away from the fun a bit. Especially when the part at the townhall and museum happened. How did no one notice?????? Sybil has to do everything to make people see the dinosaur, though I was also already eager to warn her that this may end up in chaos. While your neighbour is a good dinosaur, a law-abiding, not-eating-humans, dinosaur... he was still a dinosaur and one that is generally seen as one that noms on humans.
I laughed at quite some parts, but the best one would be the part about the mayor.
The last part of the book had me both worried, a bit sad, but then at the last pages also very happy. That was a great ending and I am happy for not just Bolivar (the dinosaur) but also everyone around him.
The art is absolutely stunning, I just love the style, the amount of details. It really sucks you in the story and I loved seeing the city and Bolivar and Sybil travel through it. I want more of this artist, see what more they have made.
All in all, a sweet and hilarious read that I really loved (OK, still not a fan of the no one saw the dinosaur part, but that is really all) and which I would highly recommend.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I have to say I thought this was a picture book when I saw it on Netgalley. But no this is a gorgeous and hilarious graphic novel about a girl who finds out her neighbour is... a dinosaur. But will she be able to convince her mom and people at school she is not lying?
It all starts with suspicions.Sybil is the only one who thinks something is up with her neighbour, and we the reader already know what is up, her neighbour is a dinosaur. Yep, there is a dinosaur just going his way eating bologna sandwiches (with ridiculous amounts of bologna), reading newspapers, and having a lovely time. Sybil herself tries to keep watch on her neighbour, tries to find him, while I did think she went a bit too far (privacy anyone?) I could also understand why she did all the things. I know I may also have had a hard time containing my curiosity. :P We see her hold stakeouts (falling asleep), hide behind things, make photographs and photographs and more photographs (eventually filling an entire wall with Polaroids). All that to find out who her neighbour is.
I did think it was funny that Bolivar didn't even seem to realise at times he was a dinosaur, or that he cared.
While I do know that a lot of people don't really see what is happening in front of them as they are so wrapped up in their own lives, I wondered throughout the story why no one, with the exception of Sybil, saw the dinosaur. It did get a bit ridiculous and yes, it also pulled away from the fun a bit. Especially when the part at the townhall and museum happened. How did no one notice?????? Sybil has to do everything to make people see the dinosaur, though I was also already eager to warn her that this may end up in chaos. While your neighbour is a good dinosaur, a law-abiding, not-eating-humans, dinosaur... he was still a dinosaur and one that is generally seen as one that noms on humans.
I laughed at quite some parts, but the best one would be the part about the mayor.
The last part of the book had me both worried, a bit sad, but then at the last pages also very happy. That was a great ending and I am happy for not just Bolivar (the dinosaur) but also everyone around him.
The art is absolutely stunning, I just love the style, the amount of details. It really sucks you in the story and I loved seeing the city and Bolivar and Sybil travel through it. I want more of this artist, see what more they have made.
All in all, a sweet and hilarious read that I really loved (OK, still not a fan of the no one saw the dinosaur part, but that is really all) and which I would highly recommend.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
November 13, 2017
Bolivar is my favourite kind of "children's book" -- the kind that hides in the category until people discover it's far more than just a kid's picture book.
Narratively Bolivar flows through text and image, the story only half-told through text and half-told through art. It's a simple story but a complex one at the same time and so beautifully told you finish reading with a smile and then start flipping back through each page to find all the hidden details in the artwork.
The book reads as a tribute to New York, but also a tribute to children and their often uncanny ability to spot things adults overlook. The perfect book for a Christmas or birthday present for any child who isn't quite up to reading longer-form narrative but is too smart to just want a picture book.
Narratively Bolivar flows through text and image, the story only half-told through text and half-told through art. It's a simple story but a complex one at the same time and so beautifully told you finish reading with a smile and then start flipping back through each page to find all the hidden details in the artwork.
The book reads as a tribute to New York, but also a tribute to children and their often uncanny ability to spot things adults overlook. The perfect book for a Christmas or birthday present for any child who isn't quite up to reading longer-form narrative but is too smart to just want a picture book.
January 5, 2019
I love children's books like these, especially the classics. The illustrations get me. I love to get lost in their details and this one did not disappoint. No wonder it took him 5 years finish. There is so much going on and, as others have said, this is a love letter to NYC. Great to show to a child before and after a visit to the highlights we see in the book like the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, the Met and Chinatown. It's just a gorgeous book to enjoy. Oh, and bonus, it's about a dinosaur! Kids like that. 😊
December 19, 2017
A entertaining and engaging picture book / comic book readers of all ages. Bolivar is an exciting story about the last dinosaur who just happens to live in NYC. This story is a fun adventure that takes readers through the hustle and bustle of New York City, while getting to know more about Bolivar, and discovering the wonder that's all around us.
FULL REVIEW https://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/...
FULL REVIEW https://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/...
November 16, 2017
Bolivar was such a fun read, even for adults. The story is clever and amusing, and the illustrations are so beautiful and also have little hidden gems. I had the opportunity to purchase a few as gifts during the initial release and look forward to buying others to give out. Bolivar will be a wonderful addition to any kids' book collection!
January 24, 2018
Great book for younger readers looking for hefty standalone graphic novels. The artwork features top notch panel work blended with a Calvin & Hobbes esque level of expressive storytelling. I highly recommend taking your time while you read to really pay attention to all the small touches in each panel.
December 17, 2017
This was a very cute, very beautifully-illustrated, emotionally-resonant book. Huge amounts of detail in the pictures! I'm classifying it as a graphic novel at school although it's more like a picture book -- but it's 224 pages long, and has a lot of little clevernesses in it for older readers. My favorite part was the facial expression on the teacher during the first essay-reading scene.
July 7, 2018
A truly beautiful graphic novel that finally answers the question about what happened to the dinosaurs. After all, what would NYC be without the last dinosaur living there!
July 13, 2018
Oh I love this! The illustrations so perfectly capture NYC, and the book perfectly captures how we can go about our day without noticing anything. Perhaps you're missing your own dinosaur?
March 18, 2023
У захваті від мальовки 🤩
А сама історія дуже мила, добра, з гумором, проте абсолютно не реалістична 😅
А сама історія дуже мила, добра, з гумором, проте абсолютно не реалістична 😅
Want to read
October 31, 2020Як часто ми губимося в роботі, що забуваємо про важливі речі? Як часто за буденністю бачимо магію і красу, які оточують нас? "Болівар" Шона Рубіна якраз нагадує, що є великий і цікавий світ навколо, який варто побачити.
⠀
Жителі Нью-Йорка настільки глибоко загрузли в рутину, що не помічають живого динозавра на вулицях свого міста. Адже всі динозаври вимерли, іншого не може ж бути? Він купує ранкові випуски місцевої газети, відвідує музеї і гуляє доріжками улюбленого Центрального парку. Тому він може узагалі не переживати, адже у своїх клопотах давно втратили сенс життя, а бігають тільки за фізичними благами.
⠀
Єдиний, хто помічає динозавра Болівара є маленька дівчинка Сивілла, яка марить бажанням познайомитися із ним. Коли вона пробує розповісти це своїй матері, то та звісно її ігнорує, бо усе просто вигадка. Схожа ситуація й у школі, коли Сивілла намагається розказати про незвичного сусіда. Але тут підходимо до більш тонкої проблеми нашого суспільства. Якщо ти не такий як всі та ще й розповідаєш дивні речі, то відразу опиняєшся у центрі уваги і стаєш "річчю" для насмішок. Тому Сивілла всіма силами намагається зробити фото динозавра, щоб відкрити очі усім: "динозавр існує, гляньте який же світ прекрасний навколо".
⠀
Шон Рубін малював цей комікс п'ять років. Як же довго ви скажете? Але його любов до найкращого міста у світі, Нью-Йорку, якраз криється у надмірній увазі до деталей малюнку. Вулиці, будинки із типовою місцевою архітектурою, дахи із голуб'ятниками й пишною рослинністю, маленькі крамниці та затишні кав'ярні. Виглядає, що художник зобразив усе те, що й закохало його в це місто.
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Ця історія створена в першу чергу для дітей. Але вустами й думками дитини, автор намагається показати, що діти вміють помічати красу життя. Для них кожна хвилинка - це вир емоцій й зустріч із чимось новим. То хто насправді розуміє сенс життя, маленькі діти чи розумні дорослі? Читаючи цей комікс, легко повертаєшся �� дитинство, яке було оповите магіює, запахами та безмежним невідомим світом.
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Підніміть голову і зрозумієте, що живете поряд із динозавром 🤗
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Жителі Нью-Йорка настільки глибоко загрузли в рутину, що не помічають живого динозавра на вулицях свого міста. Адже всі динозаври вимерли, іншого не може ж бути? Він купує ранкові випуски місцевої газети, відвідує музеї і гуляє доріжками улюбленого Центрального парку. Тому він може узагалі не переживати, адже у своїх клопотах давно втратили сенс життя, а бігають тільки за фізичними благами.
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Єдиний, хто помічає динозавра Болівара є маленька дівчинка Сивілла, яка марить бажанням познайомитися із ним. Коли вона пробує розповісти це своїй матері, то та звісно її ігнорує, бо усе просто вигадка. Схожа ситуація й у школі, коли Сивілла намагається розказати про незвичного сусіда. Але тут підходимо до більш тонкої проблеми нашого суспільства. Якщо ти не такий як всі та ще й розповідаєш дивні речі, то відразу опиняєшся у центрі уваги і стаєш "річчю" для насмішок. Тому Сивілла всіма силами намагається зробити фото динозавра, щоб відкрити очі усім: "динозавр існує, гляньте який же світ прекрасний навколо".
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Шон Рубін малював цей комікс п'ять років. Як же довго ви скажете? Але його любов до найкращого міста у світі, Нью-Йорку, якраз криється у надмірній увазі до деталей малюнку. Вулиці, будинки із типовою місцевою архітектурою, дахи із голуб'ятниками й пишною рослинністю, маленькі крамниці та затишні кав'ярні. Виглядає, що художник зобразив усе те, що й закохало його в це місто.
⠀
Ця історія створена в першу чергу для дітей. Але вустами й думками дитини, автор намагається показати, що діти вміють помічати красу життя. Для них кожна хвилинка - це вир емоцій й зустріч із чимось новим. То хто насправді розуміє сенс життя, маленькі діти чи розумні дорослі? Читаючи цей комікс, легко повертаєшся �� дитинство, яке було оповите магіює, запахами та безмежним невідомим світом.
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Підніміть голову і зрозумієте, що живете поряд із динозавром 🤗
December 21, 2017
Bolivar is a dinosaur living in the bustle and crowds of New York City without ever being discovered. He doesn’t just stay at home, venturing out into the city to visit the used book store, see new exhibits at the museums, and buy a copy of the New Yorker. Then a neighbor girl notices that Bolivar is a dinosaur. Sybil tries to get the adults in her life to believe her, even giving a presentation at school about her dinosaur neighbor. No one believes her until one day, Bolivar gets a traffic ticket despite not having a car. He tries to set things straight, but it just gets more and more complicated until he is suddenly outed as a dinosaur by Sybil who then has to figure out how to repair things.
This graphic novel is brilliant. Clearly designed with a deep love of New York City, the neighborhood is captured with an eye for small details and invites readers to also fall for the great City. The ability of adults and humans to miss the fact that there is a dinosaur right in front of them is a great basis for a book and completely believable. The art is distinctive and inviting as is the humor and the pace. Pure joy in a graphic novel that will have you believing in Bolivar too. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
This graphic novel is brilliant. Clearly designed with a deep love of New York City, the neighborhood is captured with an eye for small details and invites readers to also fall for the great City. The ability of adults and humans to miss the fact that there is a dinosaur right in front of them is a great basis for a book and completely believable. The art is distinctive and inviting as is the humor and the pace. Pure joy in a graphic novel that will have you believing in Bolivar too. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
May 14, 2020
Sybil is the only one who can spot the dinosaur, so the whole book is how no one else can see him, no matter how much she points him out.
But that isn't the point of the book, or rather that isn't the point of reading the book. The point of treading the book is the amazing pictures of New York city that we get to see in great detail.
For that, it gets four stars.
This is combination of a picture book and a graphic novel.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
But that isn't the point of the book, or rather that isn't the point of reading the book. The point of treading the book is the amazing pictures of New York city that we get to see in great detail.
For that, it gets four stars.
This is combination of a picture book and a graphic novel.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
November 28, 2017
Bolivar is a dinosaur living in New York City - a city notorious for anonymity. One little girl knows who and what he is but, determined though she is to get photographic proof, anonymous he will remain. Or will he? Beautifully illustrated - Bolivar has the sweetest face, cleverly written, and compellingly complex, Bolivar should leave you with a smile.
March 13, 2018
My new year's resolution is to get back to being caught up on GR. It's not going to happen, but looking at my reading history, I saw this and thought . . . "Awww . . . Bolivar . . . " I pretty much fell in love with this mild-mannered T-rex who likes to read and keep a low profile. Until his meddling neighbor sees him and then tries to convince everyone he exists . . .
June 7, 2017
I've only actually read the preview sample that was given out at BEA this year, but I'm already in love with this book. I don't have any kids, but I know a little girl who would adore this book. And I'll probably buy a copy for myself, I'm honestly so charmed!
January 5, 2018
Completely charming. The characters have a Calvin and Hobbes-style look; the protagonist’s mom experiences about the same level of exasperation as Calvin’s mother, too. The NY City scenes are so well done, with so much loving detail; even non-residents will want to pore over the pages.
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