by John C. Vanden-Heuvel Sr. & Andrey Ostrovky ; illustrated by Tom Holmes ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2016
For the baby showers of expectant web developers only—all others should close the browser on this one.
An alphabet primer that introduces little ones to HTML, the internet, JavaScript, and more.
Each page presents one letter and a brief definition of a concept from web design and coding. “O is for Open source. / Use an O. / Work with O. / What begins with O?” This is followed by an explanation: “Open source is sharing code and adding what you know.” The terms are accompanied by cartoon babies, with paper-white, orangey-brown, and burnt-orange skin tones, demonstrating the meanings of these web concepts in everyday situations. To demonstrate “open source,” pajama-clad tots happily share a hard-candy choke hazard. To illustrate “elements,” a baby builds with oversize Lego-like bricks, and the “tags” page shows clothing on hangers with large store tags dangling. Many of these concepts are quite sophisticated, and the one-sentence definitions will just leave little ones and many of their grown-ups with more queries. Also, it is hard to know who the book’s audience is. Will board-book–reading, literal-minded toddlers and preschoolers be able to understand that the “cookies” in their computer aren’t real cookies at all? Most children will not begin to understand the concepts in this book until they are 8 or 9 at least, but they will likely not want to have these ideas explained by cartoon babies wearing onesies.
For the baby showers of expectant web developers only—all others should close the browser on this one. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0312-9
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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by John C. Vanden-Heuvel Sr. ; illustrated by Cristian Turdera
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
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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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad
by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023
Let these crayons go back into their box.
The Crayons return to celebrate Easter.
Six crayons (Red, Orange, Yellow, Esteban, who is green and wears a yellow cape, White, and Blue) each take a shape and scribble designs on it. Purple, perplexed and almost angry, keeps asking why no one is creating an egg, but the six friends have a great idea. They take the circle decorated with red shapes, the square adorned with orange squiggles “the color of the sun,” the triangle with yellow designs, also “the color of the sun” (a bit repetitious), a rectangle with green wavy lines, a white star, about which Purple remarks: “DID you even color it?” and a rhombus covered with blue markings and slap the shapes onto a big, light-brown egg. Then the conversation turns to hiding the large object in plain sight. The joke doesn’t really work, the shapes are not clear enough for a concept book, and though colors are delineated, it’s not a very original color book. There’s a bit of clever repartee. When Purple observe that Esteban’s green rectangle isn’t an egg, Esteban responds, “No, but MY GOSH LOOK how magnificent it is!” Still, that won’t save this lackluster book, which barely scratches the surface of Easter, whether secular or religious. The multimedia illustrations, done in the same style as the other series entries, are always fun, but perhaps it’s time to retire these anthropomorphic coloring implements. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Let these crayons go back into their box. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-62105-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
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by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Alex Willmore
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by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
BOOK REVIEW
by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
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