A well-crafted app that will hold interest for little ones as they learn and practice their ABCs. (iPad alphabet app. 2-6)
An engaging ABC app encourages kids to learn and explore the alphabet.
Each page features a gray cityscape serving as a background for large representations of the letters of the alphabet. The upper- and lowercase letters enter in grand style: The “H” emerges from the yawn of a hippo, the “N” is flown in by a nightingale, and an egg cracks, and the “E” pops out. One accompanying word and illustration appear right away in color, and there are two more hidden illustrations in the gray background; their outlines flash in white until kids press them, and then they animate with color, narration and sound effects. The graphics look like simple clip art, but the animations and sound effects together are playful and effective. Some of the words are a little difficult, like “nightingale” and “zeppelin,” but generally, the words are simple and will be familiar enough to the target age group to make stretching a pleasure, not a burden. Kids can choose letters at will or go through the alphabet A-Z. Multiple kids can have profiles with their pictures and names, and there is a parents’ area that features a bar chart showing which letters have been accessed how many times for each profile. There is an accessible navigation area at the top of each page that takes kids back and forth one page or to the home screen. Lively music and sound effects can be turned on or off, and kids can choose to have male, female or both voices narrate the app. These can be set from the home page or from a pull-up menu on each page.
A well-crafted app that will hold interest for little ones as they learn and practice their ABCs. (iPad alphabet app. 2-6)Pub Date: July 4, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Kid's Academy
Review Posted Online: Aug. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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