A winning playdate with brother and sister bunny takes readers from alarm clock to “lights out” via a very full day.
Everyone knows that toddlers have energy to spare, and the Busy Bunnies are no exception. They wake up, jump on the bed, ride a tandem bike, play ball and still find time for a quick outing in their sailboat. Illustrations are crisp, simple and uncluttered; interactive elements are potent but appropriately minimal. For example, each page has between one and three touch-activated motions with charming (and, in the case of a potty break, realistic) sound effects. Mattress springs “boing,” an alarm clock rings, bike horns and bells sound off and mommy bunny sneaks slurpy tastes as she stirs her carrot stew. After watering the garden, the bunnies take a bubble bath and are promptly hung out on a clothesline to dry. Once pyjama-clad (the Australian/British spelling of “pajama”) they settle sleepily in to bed and, when prompted, offer unlimited goodnight kisses, complete with bubble hearts. The book is so short and tidy it doesn’t seem odd that there’s no formal menu, but it would be nice to have the option of skipping to beginning or end without going through every page; this is a minor flaw, though.
An adorable storybook app with a near-perfect balance between stimulation and simplicity. (iPad storybook app. 2-4)
