Riley's story isn't too bewitching, but the colorful characters along the way are worth a look. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)
Plump with clever visuals but never really reaching great heights in any other areas, this trip to a fantasy land isn't as magical as the title suggests.
Baby Riley sits in a wicker basket imagining a faraway cupcake palace and the strange inhabitants of a lush, surreal world, while Mommy cleans house. The story begins in the home, but even here, there's elements of whimsy. The washing machine churns and blows bubbles. A sock monkey announces, "I am a sock monkey, oo-oo-ah!" when touched. Far less endearing is the way Riley, essentially a pre-verbal toddler, is portrayed in the narration by an adult speaking in a little-kid voice. Third-person would have been a far better choice for this story. The cupcake land itself is gorgeously rendered, with exquisite character design and surprising sound and voice effects that play differently with multiple screen touches. Sometimes these characters burst into short songs as Riley flies in her enchanted wicker basket. Grooving dinosaurs don't just look funny in their friendly pastel skin tones, they also wear cute hats and have bow ties. In an app that feels a little short and has unremarkable text that features forced rhythm and rhyme ("Look at the animals and look, a fairy! / Dancing in her ring, so happy and merry!"), it's the illustrations and their audio accompaniment that remain memorable.
Riley's story isn't too bewitching, but the colorful characters along the way are worth a look. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Monkey Prism
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2011
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
