The Runaway Radish (who, spoiler alert, doesn't exactly make it out of the story intact) is entertainingly chaotic, and this...
Although markedly different in tone and style from most iPad storybook apps (though no less worthy), this English-and-Spanish tale of a food sculptor and a mischievous, fast-moving root vegetable is fun and has some features that make it worth multiple readings.
When Don Pedro tries to sculpt an elaborate scene, including a castle and knights, out of radishes, one of the veggies springs to life and runs for the hills. The ensuing chase, which eventually involves a donkey, a group of mariachi musicians, a chef and a street vendor is silly enough. But the reality-bending illustrations are appropriately over-the-top, and the giant radish's cry—"Places to go, people to see. / Out of my way, you can't carve ME!"—is catchy. In addition to the usual interactive features, including optional narration, a pop-up page index and mute-able background audio, it has two good options for younger readers. It can be read in English and Spanish and even includes bilingual flash cards for some of the words used in the story. But best of all, its "English learner" and "Spanish learner" options slow down the tempo of the narration, making it easier to follow along with the text. If there's a quibble with the app it's that the text's font itself is too small and doesn't serve the style of the art well. A matching game is included.
The Runaway Radish (who, spoiler alert, doesn't exactly make it out of the story intact) is entertainingly chaotic, and this “Gingerbread Man” variant is a good effort in both Spanish and English. (iPad storybook app. 3-8)Pub Date: March 19, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Siena Entertainment
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
A riotously fresh take on breaking the fourth wall.
This book may not have pictures, but it’s sure to inspire lots of conversations—and laughs.
Television writer, actor and comedian Novak delivers a rare find, indeed: a very good celebrity picture book. It doesn’t even seem fair to call it such, since it has nothing to do with his Emmy Award–winning writing for The Office or the fame his broader career has afforded him. The jacket flap even eschews a glossy photo, instead saying “B.J. has brown hair and blue eyes,” in order to keep with the book’s central conceit. What this book does have is text, and it’s presented through artful typography that visually conveys its changing tone to guide oral readings. Furthermore, the text implies (or rather, demands) a shared reading transaction, in which an adult is compelled to read the text aloud, no matter how “COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS” it is. Employing direct address, it pleads with the implied child listener to allow him or her to stop reading. Nonsense words, silly words to be sung and even a smattering of potty talk for good measure all coalesce in riotous read-aloud fare. Although the closing pages beg the implied child reader to “please please please please / please / choose a book with pictures” for subsequent reading, it’s likely that this request will be ignored.
A riotously fresh take on breaking the fourth wall. (. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4171-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
© Copyright 2025 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.
