A beautifully illustrated children’s guide to the intricacies of AI that celebrates the wonders of being human.
Lopez and Ulloa’s colorful primer teaches kids how to safely integrate AI into their internet experience while continuously emphasizing the importance of thinking for yourself.
Through the adventures of an unnamed narrator, young readers explore the wondrous things that artificial intelligence can do—as well as the uniquely human things that it cannot. Each page uses specialized terminology to tackle the different ways in which humanness is ultimately superior to AI (only humans have “The Feelings Detector” and “The Right-and-Wrong Radar”). Each topic is presented via bullet points or in short paragraphs; the bite-sized chunks of information are accompanied by Hassam’s colorful illustrations of kids and assorted robots (representing AI). Occasional exercises, such thinking of “three things in your house that use computer brains,” add an interactive element. The authors also instruct readers on remaining safe and smart when encountering AI: “If a computer brain says something silly…or tells you to do something that doesn’t feel right, STOP and THINK!” Every few pages, the text offers an additional tip from the “Safety Hero,” such as a reminder that computers “are built to grab [your] attention and never let go.” Lopez and Ulloa have crafted a practical, thought-provoking manual for kids on a topic that is likely at the forefront of parents’ minds. They make their points in a fun and engaging way by using child-friendly vocabulary and breaking up subjects into small pieces—helping adults ease into a discussion for which, due to the newness of the technology, there is little to no guidance. The illustrations, with their short, choppy lines and plenty of shading that gives all of the diverse cast a joyful and dynamic sense of movement, complement the narrative. This combination—of a visually sumptuous feast and highly pertinent subject matter—is a superb pairing that teaches kids skills in a relatively new field through engaging instructions and compelling images.
A beautifully illustrated children’s guide to the intricacies of AI that celebrates the wonders of being human.Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
ISBN: 9798293306459
Page Count: 41
Publisher: Strange Attraction Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 5, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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