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TEDDY'S DAY

Name: TEDDY'S DAY
Author: Bruno Hächler

by Bruno Hächler & illustrated by Birte Müller & developed by Auryn Inc. ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

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A little girl ponders the secret life of her stuffed bear and attempts to catch him in the act. Based on the 2004 children’s book What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Day?, by Bruno Hächler and Birte Müller, the brief story is sweetly told and full of surprises. At first, the app seems to be a no-frills, basic narrative, with painterly illustrations and simple navigation (arrows at the top left and right to flip pages). With only minimal animation—leaves blowing in a breeze or eyes blinking—it’s easy to miss the hidden features like a drawing tablet accessible by tapping on papers taped to a wall or the teddy bear’s ability to flop left and right with a tilt of the iPad on the title screen. Where the original book relied on readers’ ability to catch all the details presented on the page, this app takes advantage of the medium with these interactive touches to provide a full-blown picture of this teddy and his chums’ secret life. By not calling attention to those features until a few seconds after the narration is read on each page, then highlighting where to touch, it rewards patient readers while still providing a cozy tale for those who want to speed through. Subtle, surprising and ultimately spectacular. (iPad storybook app. 3-7)

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2010

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ROOM ON TOP
by Bruno Hächler ; illustrated by Laura D'Arcangelo translated by Marshall Yarbrough

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ANNA’S WISH
by Bruno Hächler & illustrated by Friederike Rave

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT DOES MY TEDDY BEAR DO ALL NIGHT?
by Bruno Hächler & illustrated by Birte Müller & translated by Charise Myngheer

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ADDIE ANT GOES ON AN ADVENTURE

by Maren Morris & Karina Argow ; illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2024

Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.

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An ant explores her world.

Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.

Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 9, 2024

ISBN: 9781797228914

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)