bookshelf

THEO THE WHITE BEAR

Name: THEO THE WHITE BEAR
Author: Iroha Hazuki

by Iroha Hazuki & illustrated by Nikolay Nikolov & developed by Stella 28 ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 23, 2013

A dreamy story of lost, found and abiding affection in the Arctic. (iPad storybook app. 4-7)

bookshelf

Two polar bear cubs meet and scan the evening sky for a special star.

Theo is a polar bear out trooping around in the snowy wild of the far north when he happens across another cub, Lena, who is patiently sitting in the snow. Lena tells Theo that she is waiting for the night to see her mother, who is now a star. Theo catches the drift when he remembers that his parents told him that his deceased grandparents were stars. Theo offers to join Lena in her vigil, and, together, night falls around them and the stars come out. This is a wistful and rather stiff story, but in its simplicity there is a sense that the future is wide and open and that memories will always be part of it. The app is designed to look like a book, with text on the right and a looping animated video on the left. There is no interaction with the video other than to set it in play, and it does a good job depicting the ghostly, bluish light of the northlands, with awesome snow peaks and what looks like really cold water. Occasionally the narrator will fumble a line, but the mishaps will keep early readers on their toes, and there is a record-your-own-narration option available.

A dreamy story of lost, found and abiding affection in the Arctic. (iPad storybook app. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 23, 2013

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Stella 28

Review Posted Online: April 13, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013

bookshelf

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.

bookshelf

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

bookshelf

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...

bookshelf

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)