MARVIN AND MOLLY
by Joseph Theobald & illustrated by Joseph Theobald & developed by Pekingese Puppy
Sheep play sexual politics on the lea in this deceptively bucolic outing.
Suddenly seeing her longtime best friend Marvin “in a different way,” Molly makes courtship overtures to which Marvin is oblivious. She then plays the jealousy card by going off with another sheep who has a feather and other “special things.” Wandering off sadly, Marvin comes upon an outdoor music festival where he’s primped, pampered and given such special things of his own as star-shaped shades and polka-dot shorts. Back in the field, he sings a wild song about how special he is and proposes to Molly—who accepts “[when] we are grown up. But first let’s play lots of silly games together!” In the painted illustrations, flowers nod over clipped greenswards as fleecy sheep drift by and baa or change expression when poked. Along with audio and autoplay options for the story, the app includes painting and dress-up features, plus a link to an unstable but free satellite app in which Marvin can entertainingly be made to blush, fart and belch.
At first glance, just a mildly comical set of ovine antics—but with (speaking of “silly games”) a not-so-amusing subtext.
(iPad storybook app. 5-7)