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From Horn Book

January 1, 2018
When a "sudden exhaustion of taco supplies" leaves the dragons bereft, the narrator tries (and repeatedly fails) to set a time machine back to the last taco party (�cf2]Dragons Love Tacos�cf1]). Mishaps involve cavemen, diapers, and (of course) spicy salsa. As in this book's predecessor, the tongue-in-cheek, conversational narrative's humor wears thin by book's end, but kids will devour Salmieri's slapstick illustrations of the hangry chaos.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

June 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-The kid and his taco-loving dragon friends are back, and there's a crisis. There are no tacos left in the world. "None. Nada. Nil." Circumstances require use of the time machine to go back to a party for a handful of tacos to plant and grow into trees. However, spicy salsa messes things up again, with journeys back to wrong time periods, including when dragons loved diapers and when tacos loved dragons. Eventually heading home, the kid watches in disbelief as the dragons lose their resolve and gobble down ALL the tacos...except one. He plants a taco tree and the world is saved from disaster. Created with watercolor, gouache, color pencil, and digital elements, the images are comical, especially the scenes of spicy salsa fire breath and its aftermath. Deadpan statements such as "Oh boy, not again" and "Oh, come on" reinforce the humor. VERDICT Kids who can't get enough dragons or tacos will be won over by this humorous tale. A silly addition for old fans and new readers alike.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

May 1, 2017
When the world runs out of tacos, there's only one thing to do: go back in time, "save a handful of tacos, plant them in the ground, and grow taco trees so we never run out of tacos again." Fans of Dragons Love Tacos won't be surprised that this expedition doesn't go terribly smoothly: there are several spicy-salsa-triggered fire-breathing incidents, as well as pit stops in timelines where dragons love diapers and giant tacos love dragons. Are the time jumps always easy to track? Not really, but this sequel's dialed-up energy and absurdity remain a tasty-and very funny-combination. Ages 3—5. Author's agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

From Kirkus

April 15, 2017
As if the fiery disaster of the first outing (2012) weren't bad enough, news that the world's entire supply of tacos has been used up leaves not just the dragons dismayed.Fortunately, there's a time machine in the garage, so it might be possible to bring new seed stock for taco trees (didn't you know?) from the past. Unfortunately, said device is hard to calibrate-- first they undershoot back to the previous volume's spicy-salsa-fueled holocaust and then overshoot to a similar catastrophe in prehistoric times. Subsequent ventures into alternate space-time continua lead to universes where dragons love...diapers ("That's not right"), and tacos chow down on dragons ("Weird, but closer!"). Then, when the chunky white lad leading the draconic expedition does finally get it right, only the taco in his lap survives the trip back to the present. That's enough for a happy ending, though, as Salmieri shows in the last of his naive-style cartoon scenes with a taco party in which dragons and diversely hued figures (some recognizable) from various historical and fantasy realms mingle. "After all," as Rubin puts it, "dragons love diapers. I mean, tacos. Dragons love tacos. / Heck, everyone loves tacos." Most young readers, even those in diapers, would agree. (Picture book. 3-5)

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Horn Book

January 1, 2013
Dragons love tacos, but they don't like spicy salsa--it gives them "tummy troubles." At his dragon taco party, a boy inadvertently serves up mildly spicy salsa and his guests accidentally burn his house down. The one-note plot falls a little short, but an absurd premise, funny (if repetitive) text, and humor-laced watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations will draw kids in.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

June 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-The goofy creators of Those Darn Squirrels! (2008) and Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door (2010, both Clarion) are back with another wacky story. Given the cover image of a red dragon gorging itself on tacos and the taco-filled endpapers, readers are prepared for the sheer silliness of this offering. A bemused young dragon fan and his dog are given the inside scoop on the best way to entertain dragons-with a taco party. A helpful narrator offers the boy advice about planning the festivities, informing him that dragons love tacos-beef tacos, chicken tacos, gigantic tacos, and tiny tacos. But those preparing to host these parties are cautioned to keep any kind of spicy salsa off the menu or suffer the consequences. After filling his house with tacos, getting rid of the salsa, and letting the party begin, the host is sure he's properly prepared, but he's missed the jalapenos peppers listed in the fine print of the "Totally Mild Salsa." Uh, oh! The watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil cartoon illustrations are the real stars here, extending the frivolous text. Regardless of, or perhaps because of, the absurdity of the story, this tale should be a big hit with anyone with an affinity for dragons.-Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

April 15, 2012
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos. Rubin's story starts with an incantatory edge: "Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well." The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in--that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks--the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled "totally mild" salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn't make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri's artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sis, but the story does not offer it enough range. A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from April 9, 2012
Rubin and Salmieri (Those Darn Squirrels!) are two of the weirdest, funniest guys working in kids' lit today. The team lets its geek flag fly in an obsessive how-to guide for would-be dragon taco party hosts. Why a taco party? As Rubin explains, "The only things dragons love more than parties or tacos, is taco parties." If further proof is required, Salmieriâ€"whose poker-faced watercolor, gouache, and color pencil drawings set a benchmark for oddball observational humorâ€"shows one odd, scaly creature with a carryout bag from "Taco Cave" and another beaming with anticipation as it eagerly circles the date for a taco party on its taco-themed calendar. But beware: even if all the tips and rules are followed to the letter (on quantity: "The best way to judge is to get a boat and fill the boat with tacos"), all will be for naught if spicy salsa makes its way into the taco filling. In fact, the dragons will bring a whole new meaning to "housewarming." Off-kilter fun for those who like their picture books (and salsa) zesty and fresh. Ages 3â€"5. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.