Readers themselves will be in need of rescue from this abominable adaptation.
A drastically abbreviated and uncommonly inept version of the classic survival tale.
Crusoe’s paraphrased narrative sweeps through the original’s major events up to the stranded traveler’s rescue—then on the last page suddenly cuts to a scene from Defoe’s lesser-known sequel for a one paragraph account of Friday’s death. The classic tale has been slashed to 15 screens of large text that is well-stocked with typos and interleaved with clumsy, sometimes irrelevant tilt- or touch-sensitive cartoon illustrations. Interactive effects include a “shooting gallery” in which the rifle points away from the moving pirate and a platter that inexplicably slides back and forth on the table in Crusoe’s shack. There are several screens on which foliage that can’t be completely moved aside covers parts of the text, and the superfluous firelit set of grimacing “cannibals” and flickable skulls have nothing whatsoever to do with the accompanying narrative. Furthermore, the menu’s index icon opens a tiny window almost impossible to scroll, and (in this version) the change-language icon shows only an option for English.
Readers themselves will be in need of rescue from this abominable adaptation. (iPad storybook app. 9-11)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Bee Gang
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Swinburne sets out to teach young children about how shadows are created, describing night as a shadow on the earth, and giving children tangible reasons for why shadows vary in size, shape, and location. The latter half of the book invites readers to guess the origins of the shadows in vivid full-color photographs; subsequent pages provide the answers to the mysteries. A foreword contains information regarding the scientific reasons for shadows, which can be explained to small children, but it is the array of photographs that truly invites youngsters to take a closer look and analyze the world around them with an eye for the details. (Picture book/nonfiction. 3-5).
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-56397-724-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
In this alphabetic tour of the golden state, alliterative phrases illuminate the featured letter and relay pertinent facts about California, while colorful illustrations form the centerpiece of each page. Below the picture is the descriptive phrase and beneath that are both uppercase and lowercase version of the specific letter. For M, “monarchs [are] migrating to Monterey” with the accompanying scenic illustration showing said butterflies flitting around the coast. Readers can then turn to the detailed appendix for more information on both monarchs and Monterey. With such exhaustive detail, this outwardly simple book is packed with a wealth of information, blending art, history, marine and animal life, while providing a stimulating and colorful introduction to the alphabet. (map) (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-87358-682-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
© 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.
