The Legend of King Arthur-a-tops by Mo O'Hara (review)

The dino squires in the "misty swamps of Camelot" dream of being the one to pull Rex-calibur (a golden-ringed dinosaur horn) from its stone, for "whoever succeeded would be crowned king or queen." Though the dino squires "tugged and twisted" and "thwacked and thumped," no one is strong enough—until Arthur-a-tops seeks a missing lance for his knight and effortlessly extricates the horn. The dino squires are skeptical of their new king, who is small ("and a bit forgetful," "and kinda clumsy"), but with a little push from Merlin-a-dactyl, their faith is restored. This dinosaurian-Arthurian readaloud is a humorous introduction to Arthurian legend, including various characters from canonical lore (Lancelot-o-saur, Guinevere-raptor, and Merlin-a-dactyl). The digital art emulates playful mid-twentieth century style in its zesty line, retro palette, and aged off-white backgrounds, and Joyner sprinkles in delightful period details: castles and jousting tents; knights in armor with colorful plumes; maiden dinosaurs in pointed hats; and Merlin-a-dactyl dressed in star-patterned wizard gear. The twist on the very last page gives viewers some pure shock value to laugh at (and it's a unique interpretation of the fall of Camelot). O'Hara combines the best of the medieval and Mesozoic in this humorous take on the famous tale.