Though the technical and literary elements don’t warrant a failing grade, there’s not much to bite in to here.
Marcel the bookworm lives in a magical apple that provides him with an endless supply of books.
Marcel needs shelter from the bitter cold of winter. Luckily, a magical apple appears, blows its top and begins spewing books. Throughout the next 12 months, Marcel reads incessantly while the apple carries him to various seasonally appropriate locations, where he meets new friends and gives them books to read. The concept, though on the weird side, isn't a total dud, but the writing is never better than bland. The developer’s vision statement articulates a commitment to developing stimulating, creative and interactive applications for children; unfortunately this effort is unsuccessful on all counts. While the muted watercolor-like backgrounds are visually appealing, the graphics and animation are primitive and utterly underwhelming. Snow and rain fall, selected fish wiggle (though, disappointingly, all crustaceans are static), the moon cycles through phases and on one page—which is arguably the technological high point—the waters are briefly troubled and then stilled. Besides page turns, interactive elements are limited. Readers can eliminate words from the page and/or silence narration, but they cannot stifle the often-annoying electronic ditties that drone and tinkle from beginning to end (unless everything is silenced altogether, which rules out music-free narration).
Though the technical and literary elements don’t warrant a failing grade, there’s not much to bite in to here. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Kids and Beyond
Review Posted Online: Nov. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011
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
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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