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BABEL, THE KING

Charming and technologically interesting, but otherwise uninspiring.

A feline megalomaniac appoints himself king, gathers subjects and subsequently has a showdown with his mortal enemies—the clouds.

Even though the storyline is weak, author/developer Maaloul has infused this app with commendable elements of originality and creativity. The laser-sharp illustrations are anchored by muted shades of blue and green, while bolder hues are reserved for the characters and their surroundings. Animation is smooth and consistent, and there’s an interactive “help” layer that can either be set to automatic (meaning it's superimposed over every page) or summoned when needed by touching the question-mark icon. Readers can tap, swipe and tilt the tablet to muster movement and sound. One particularly delightful page features a cyclone that sends objects flying Wizard of Oz–style, triggered by blowing on the screen. Narration, which can be switched off or on, is engaging and adds a distinct dramatic flair, but the title pages between each page are definitely overkill, making for a horrendously choppy reading experience. As for music, there doesn’t appear to be a way to turn it off without killing the sound altogether, even though the developer’s website lists “music control” as one of the app’s features. The premise of the story is imaginative, but it’s never really clear whether the main emphasis is on Babel’s ongoing feud with the clouds or his delusional attempts at self-exaltation.

Charming and technologically interesting, but otherwise uninspiring. (iPad storybook app. 3-7)

Pub Date: June 13, 2012

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: EPIC Agency

Review Posted Online: July 21, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

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DRAGONS LOVE TACOS

From the Dragons Love Tacos series

A wandering effort, happy but pointless.

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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

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