An amiable-enough story weighed down by a few misguided illustrations.
A boy finds the perfect pet hiding under his bed—trouble is, his mother just won’t believe him.
During a trip to the zoo, Jimmy decides that a polar bear would be a perfect pet, but his mother brushes him off, saying, “Don’t be silly, Jimmy….They are big and wild, and they eat little boys like you.” To his delight, Jimmy discovers a miniature polar bear hiding under his bed that night. Jimmy will amuse readers with his mop of curly hair, goofy expressions and earnest attempts to convince his mother that his new pet is real. The bright cartoon illustrations are full of funny details, but they suffer from a few significant problems. Secondary characters suffer are grossly exaggerated in places. When they get angry, sister Lucy looks like a demented monster, with her florescent pink face, and Mum looks like a Bratz doll. Jimmy’s black friend Tumi occasionally looks like the worst kind of caricature. Narration and text are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, with an unusual option that allows viewers to read and listen to two languages at the same time. Easy-to-use controls allow users to turn off narration, music and text from the home page. Animation keeps young readers engaged on each page without overwhelming the story.
An amiable-enough story weighed down by a few misguided illustrations. (Requires iOS 6 and above.) (iPad storybook app. 4-8)Pub Date: March 3, 2014
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Rogue Software
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2014
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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