by Michael Slack & illustrated by Michael Slack & developed by WingedChariot ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 15, 2010
This multilingual 17-page story-and-sticker app for the youngest readers charms. Simple rhyming text, one line per page, describes the daily activities of a lovably imperfect cat (“Scruffy Kitty adores the moon / Scruffy Kitty sings out of tune”) up until bedtime. Even the narrator seems to laugh at Scruffy Kitty’s antics, reinforcing readers’ responses. A muted blue background emphasizes the softness of the nighttime setting, while the spiky illustrations convey Scruffy Kitty’s energy. The page layout matches the uncluttered composition, with no navigation or other buttons to distract. The text fades in as it is read, then the page’s interactive element (usually Scruffy) pulses or appears to breathe. When tapped, he moves and makes a range of noises, revealing personality and emotion. (Note: Once read or tapped, text/objects cannot be immediately replayed. Move on.) There is a separate sticker activity, available off the main menu, that allows readers to generate scenes from Scruffy Kitty’s life on a digital canvas incorporating these images: duck, guitar, bath, moon, dustbin, door, grasshopper, tree, and mouse. Creations can be saved to the device’s photo library. Narration is available in English (with a British accent), French (Chaton Chiffon), Dutch (Zwerfkatje), Spanish (El Gato Solito) or Japanese. Toddlers will fall in love with Scruffy Kitten and this gently engaging app from Europe. (iPad storybook app. 1-4)
Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2010
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: WingedChariot
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2011
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by Dan Saks ; illustrated by Brooke Smart ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 2, 2018
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry
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