PRINCESS BABY

Name: PRINCESS BABY
Author: Karen Katz

by Karen Katz & illustrated by Karen Katz & developed by Random House Digital ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2011

On the home screen, readers can choose from four ethnically diverse princesses to "play with." The chosen princess coaches...

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An interactive toddler book for those with a penchant for princesses, this offers something between a picture book and a play date (complete with naptime).

On the home screen, readers can choose from four ethnically diverse princesses to "play with." The chosen princess coaches readers through playtime, with lots of encouragement and giggling as they manipulate toys such as blocks, a ball, teddy bear with bottle and even a cat to pat. Speaking with a baby voice directly to viewers, she says things like, "You are fun to play with," and asks the user to "touch my nose," etc., responding appropriately each time. This direct interaction from the main character and the lack of printed text make it feel more like a game than a book. An introduction for the youngest, first-time iPad users, this app features simple interactions designed to develop motor skills for the touch screen, offering gentle prompts when needed. Katz's signature sweet, simple illustrations feature nearly perpetually beaming faces, and a constantly slipping crown adds a bit of personality.

Pub Date: June 30, 2011

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House Digital

Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011

- BOOK REVIEW
MY FIRST EARTH DAY
by Karen Katz ; illustrated by Karen Katz

- BOOK REVIEW
MY AMERICA
by Karen Katz ; illustrated by Karen Katz

- BOOK REVIEW
WELCOME, BABY!
by Karen Katz ; illustrated by Karen Katz

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YOUR BABY'S FIRST WORD WILL BE DADA

by Jimmy Fallon ; illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 9, 2015

Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.

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A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.

A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.

Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: June 9, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
CON POLLO
by Jimmy Fallon & Jennifer Lopez ; illustrated by Andrea Campos

- SEEN & HEARD
Jimmy Fallon Christmas Book Coming This Fall

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NOISY DINOSAURS

From the My First Touch and Feel Sound Book series

by Jonathan Litton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015

Young dino fans will enjoy it, though their grown-ups may not.

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What sounds did dinosaurs make? We don't really know.

Litton suggests some possibilities while introducing sophisticated vocabulary in a board-book format. Five dinosaurs are featured: Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Pterodactyl, Diplodocus, and Triceratops. For each species there is a brief description that highlights its distinctive features, followed by an invitation to hear and repeat the dinosaur's sound. There is no explanation for why scientists think T. Rex “roared,” Stegosaurus “howled,” Pterodactyl “screeched,” Diplodocus “growled,” or Triceratops “grunted.” The author tries to avoid sexism, carefully referring to two of the creatures as “she,” but those two are also described in stereotypically less-ferocious terms than the male dinos. The touch point on the Pterodactyl is a soft section of wing. Readers are told that Diplodocus “loved splashing in swamps,” and the instruction is to “tickle her tummy to hear her growl,” implying that this giant creature was gentle and friendly. None of this may matter to young paleontologists, who will enjoy finding the tactile section on each creature that triggers the sound. Despite extensive directions in small print, most parents and libraries won't bother to change the battery secured by a tiny hex screw, but while the battery lasts, the book will get lots of play.