This app will hold little ones’ interest long enough to eat a bit of porridge before a quick nap, but probably not much...
Another iPad adaptation of the infamous ursidae family and their golden-haired intruder.
There are no surprises in this high-definition offering from Huomo, meaning it’s the same story with the same outcome, told in a predictable way. The illustrations are definitely lovely and will look even more stunning on the HD screen of the iPad 3, but beyond that, it’s a typical retelling. The narrative is presented in undistinguished verse (quite common in the classic-meets-tablet genre) and is effective enough at telling the story—if not terribly engaging. In places, the text is redundant, seemingly a slave to meter and rhyme: “But the thing that Papa Bear didn’t realize / was that a little girl, a girl of small size…” Do readers really need a tutorial on what constitutes a “little” girl? Ironically, when Goldilocks turns around to face the reader, she looks more like a middle-age woman than a child. There are some run-of-the-mill animated elements—steaming porridge and transient clouds, for example—and a handful of moderately entertaining yet inconsistent interactive components (items and actions that are interactive on one page may not be on another), but none stand out as particularly unique or innovative.
This app will hold little ones’ interest long enough to eat a bit of porridge before a quick nap, but probably not much longer than that. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: JH Digital Solutions
Review Posted Online: May 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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