Charming and technologically interesting, but otherwise uninspiring.
A feline megalomaniac appoints himself king, gathers subjects and subsequently has a showdown with his mortal enemies—the clouds.
Even though the storyline is weak, author/developer Maaloul has infused this app with commendable elements of originality and creativity. The laser-sharp illustrations are anchored by muted shades of blue and green, while bolder hues are reserved for the characters and their surroundings. Animation is smooth and consistent, and there’s an interactive “help” layer that can either be set to automatic (meaning it's superimposed over every page) or summoned when needed by touching the question-mark icon. Readers can tap, swipe and tilt the tablet to muster movement and sound. One particularly delightful page features a cyclone that sends objects flying Wizard of Oz–style, triggered by blowing on the screen. Narration, which can be switched off or on, is engaging and adds a distinct dramatic flair, but the title pages between each page are definitely overkill, making for a horrendously choppy reading experience. As for music, there doesn’t appear to be a way to turn it off without killing the sound altogether, even though the developer’s website lists “music control” as one of the app’s features. The premise of the story is imaginative, but it’s never really clear whether the main emphasis is on Babel’s ongoing feud with the clouds or his delusional attempts at self-exaltation.
Charming and technologically interesting, but otherwise uninspiring. (iPad storybook app. 3-7)Pub Date: June 13, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: EPIC Agency
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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