With narrative constrained by the meter and an interface that’s mostly passive, this app is one to skip.
A rhyme-driven tale about a gamboling girl who singlehandedly initiates a citywide renaissance.
There’s never any explanation why Wenda wears an aviator’s helmet and scarf, but nonetheless, she’s a cute little spindly lass who can’t sit still. When she glides into town (with a movement that seems a bit like roller skating), she appears to be looking for a fight, as her fists are cocked and shifting. But she’s really just grooving, and that drives the mayor and the townspeople crazy. In an effort to stop her motion, the mayor silences everything—even capturing a singing bird—but Wenda hears her own song within. Eventually, her dance prevails, and it inspires everyone to create great art. The screen transitions are quite sluggish, and animation is minimal yet fluid. The text is lethargic too, appearing after the narrator begins reading; a row of dots indicates how many text blocks must be swiped before moving to the next screen. The visuals are bright and appealing, but there’s very little interaction other than a wiggle here, a wagging finger there. The intended message is admirable, if packaged in a weak, spoon-fed narrative: Be who you are, and it will inspire others.
With narrative constrained by the meter and an interface that’s mostly passive, this app is one to skip. (Requires iOS 7 and above.) (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: July 25, 2014
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Aslan Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 2, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2014
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
© Copyright 2024 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.
bookshelf
