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ROBO BUDDY

Name: ROBO BUDDY
Author: Jayn Arnold

by Jayn Arnold illustrated by Jim Steck developed by Skyreader Media ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2011

Given the artistry of its interactive elements and the overall design, its shortcomings make it an even bigger...

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A lot of design creativity is wasted on a sub-sitcom-level story that never reaches for the stars, despite its Jetsons-meets–Marvel Comics approach.

This three-chapter digital comic tells the story of a boy who loses his robotic companion, Robo Buddy, one distant-future morning. Visually, the app appeals with its pop-art sci-fi backgrounds and its cartoon characters. The panel compositions are sophisticated and lovely to look at, with bright colors and sharp, inviting character art. But by the third chapter, when readers realize the action has never left the home of Robo Buddy's owner Dexter, it becomes clear there's no storytelling here. Robo Buddy took the family space cruiser out to get some cereal, which explains his disappearance (but which doesn't explain tremendous lengths the app goes to tell such a mundane tale). Background music is spacey and fun, but much of the voiceover narration (primarily from Dexter) is loud and grating. It's a feast for the eyes that disappears from memory almost as soon as the last page is turned.

Given the artistry of its interactive elements and the overall design, its shortcomings make it an even bigger disappointment than less-ambitious efforts. (iPad storybook app. 4-6)

Pub Date: May 23, 2011

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: SkyReader Media

Review Posted Online: June 28, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011

- BOOK REVIEW
MARS COLONY
by Robert Cutting illustrated by Jeevan Dhamindra developed by Skyreader Media

- BOOK REVIEW
COYOTE'S TALE
by Ruby Lee illustrated by Robin Joseph developed by Skyreader Media

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

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Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.

Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: March 29, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

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RUBY FINDS A WORRY

From the Big Bright Feelings series

by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...

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Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.

Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)