This app won't win any awards for outstanding use of tablet technology; worse, it doesn’t make reading even remotely...
A collection of animal stories for beginning readers.
This app from Cavallo Media offers eight adaptations of previously published educational stories, all designed to stimulate language skills and boost literacy. Much like the old Dick and Jane readers, these short animal tales are written in simple and repetitive or patterned language, offering budding readers a reliable shot at mastery. Each story is six pages in length (good for short attention spans) and is accompanied by crude, clip-art–like drawings and rudimentary animation. Interactivity is minimal, as story selection, page turns and taps to repeat animation provide the only opportunities to utilize touch-screen technology. The read-to-me option includes highlighted text and sound effects, neither of which is available in read-it-myself mode. Tapping the top of any page reveals a menu icon, which allows readers to easily navigate between stories. In print, this series has been marketed directly to schools. The iPad adaptations don’t add much to the mix in terms of technological value. Other than a small amount of movement and some sound effects they don’t offer much more than the books do, which is darn little, considering the many excellent books for emerging readers currently available.
This app won't win any awards for outstanding use of tablet technology; worse, it doesn’t make reading even remotely pleasurable for children starting out on their own. (iPad storybook app. 2-6)Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Cavallo Media
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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