Though the interactive features are nondescript, this sweet, simple story may spur a valuable conversation or two about...
This tiny tale about individuality aims to encourage kids to be exactly who they are—without apology.
Morris, a diminutive mouse, doesn’t squeak like the others. In fact, he doesn’t squeak at all. One might say he’s multilingual. Morris is a one-mouse barnyard, making the sound of a different animal (as well as a couple of other objects) every time he opens his mouth. With each “quack,” “vroom” or “cock-a-doodle-doo,” his fellow rodents become increasingly determined to fix him. They’re definitely not comfortable with his abnormal way of communicating. All the while, Morris doesn’t seem fazed; he just keeps on being…Morris. Tactile interactions are minor, mostly triggering slight animations. Little ones can find and collect cheese wedges to unlock a “record” feature, which allows them to do voice-overs on the sounds. Once the recordings are complete, readers have two versions of the story: the original and a personalized edition that inserts the recordings into the narrative (hint: recording begins after the countdowns, not before). At the end of the story, a cat shows up; when Morris barks like a dog, the cat scampers away, never to return. Suddenly, his quirky linguistic style is seen as an asset, and he wins the affections of his former detractors.
Though the interactive features are nondescript, this sweet, simple story may spur a valuable conversation or two about nonconformity. (Requires iOS 6 and above.) (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2014
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Digital Leaf
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
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 Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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