Dactyl Hill Squad (Dactyl Hill Squad, #1)

by Daniel José Older

• ISBN10: 198714385X
• ISBN13: 9781987143850
• Publish Date: 11 September 2018
• Publish Status: Transferred
• Imprint: Scholastic
• Format: Audiobook
• Language: English

Reviews

[Beth C.]

Ok, I really liked this book. It's got a great blend of good characters, action and adventure, and history (alternative though it may be with the dinosaurs). I honestly wasn't sure about this whole plan, simply because...well...dinosaurs. During the Civil War. I mean...really?! But I ended up very much enjoying the story *and* the dinos, and I think it would be a great supplement to lessons about the Civil War, as long as it is made clear (possibly quite often) that this *is* a work of fiction - including the timing of the dinosaurs.

I do also like that the author took the time to write some explanations in the back about who/what/when are figments of his imagination, or based on reality, or an actual piece of history. Definitely would be great for the lesson supplement as well, as there are resources listed that students could look up.

As I said - I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this, but it turns out I really liked it and I will be looking forward to book two. There was an ending to this one, no cliffhangers - but also definitely saying goodbye to the events in this book and moving on to more. Recommended for sure!

[Heather]

Do I really need to tell you anything else besides THIS IS A CIVIL WAR STORY WITH DINOSAURS?  Because, honestly, that's all it took for me.  I mean, ok, it is written by Daniel Jose Older whose adult and YA books I've loved.  Why wouldn't I love his new middle grade series?

The dinosaurs are both all important and just part of the background in this world.  They are used as draft animals.  The big ones function as buses and ferries.  Triceratops pull carts.  The bad guys ride carnivorous dinos.  

This fantasy imagery is set along side a plot inspired by real events.  There was a ring of white businessmen in New York who kidnapped and sold free colored people into slavery.  The colored children's home did burn in the Draft Riots.  This book imagines what would have happened if the survivors of the fire found their way to a resistance cell and learned to fight back -- WITH DINOSAURS! 

I'd recommend this book to anyone because of the imaginative world building and a look at a part of Civil War history that isn't often discussed, even without there being dinosaurs.  The dinosaur angle would work well to pull in readers who may be reluctant to read a book about the past.  This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Initial Thoughts: I loved the premise of this one (dinosaurs during the Civil War era!),but the writing left something to be desired. The pacing was off and things would happen very suddenly, and some things were so outrageous (but not in a good way) that I couldn't believe they actually happened. There's also not as much of a Civil War tie as I really wanted, but that's a personal opinion. I do like the historical notes in the back of the book about both the war and dinosaurs. Finally, the dialogue is very modern, which is another pet peeve of mine in historical fiction. I don't expect 100% 1860's sounding language, but I can do without characters saying things like "Let's roll up to the building."