An irresistible invitation to free play with one of Carle’s signature characters (plus cameos from some others).
Caterpillar gets an extended play space in this bright, minimalist, seemingly artless app.
The action plays out on five continuous screens. Readers can pull apples (later pears, plums, etc.) down from trees and drag them into position; they can water seeds and plants to produce flowers or strawberries; they can open a toy box and fetch a ball (and other toys, like an aggressive windup ladybug, on later visits); they can urge the caterpillar onto a raft to float among rubber duckies. The fifth scene features a stump, onto which the caterpillar can be nudged for a nap while the off-screen “stations” are reset with additional fruit or other items. The original tale’s buffet of desserts and junk food never appears (alas?). Rendered in Carle’s distinctive style, the figures all pop off the plain, white backgrounds—particularly the caterpillar, who munches through fruit, swings on a vine, makes eye contact with viewers and creeps about energetically while growing increasingly chubby. Ultimately, the lumpy larva disappears into a chrysalis that can be flicked opened to free a big, colorful butterfly. A tap-hatchable egg then appears to kick off subsequent rounds. Above each “station,” small bars gradually fill in to let users know that it’s time to move on; otherwise, aside from an occasional arrow, there is no narrative, text or other prompt. Nonetheless, even very young children will quickly get the hang of things.
An irresistible invitation to free play with one of Carle’s signature characters (plus cameos from some others). (Requires iOS 6 and above.) (iPad activity app. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2014
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: StoryToys
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
Preserving the look of the classic board book—even to the trim size and rounded corners—this makeover folds new into old in such inventive ways that it may take more than a few passes to discover all the interactive features. Aboard a ship that rocks in response to a tilt of the tablet a set of animal passengers bounce belowdecks. First they take a bath featuring user-created bubbles, and then they brush their teeth using water so hot that the whole screen hazes up with wipe-able “steam.” Pajama-clad, all then wobble—or, tweaked by a finger, rocket—back outside for a bit of exercise before bed. (Readers control this part by twirling the moon.) In the finest animation of all, every touch of the night sky in the final scene brings a twinkling star into temporary being. Along with making small movements that resemble paper-engineered popup effects, Boynton’s wide eyed passengers also twitch or squeak (or both) when tapped. And though they don’t seem particularly sleepy or conducive to heavy lids, an optional reading by British singer Billy J. Kramer (whose well-traveled voice also pronounces each word individually at a touch), backed by soothing piano music, supplies an effectively soporific audio. “The day is done. / They say good night, / and somebody / turns off the light.” This is as beautiful as the developer’s earlier PopOut! Peter Rabbit while styling itself perfectly to Boynton's whimsy. (Ipad board-book app. 1-3)
Pub Date: March 7, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Loud Crow Interactive
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
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