edited by Ryan Modjeski developed by Honeybee Labs ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 15, 2011
A breath of fresh air.
A collection of classic haiku accompanied by original music and lush seasonal backdrops.
Modjeski has assembled more than 150 Japanese poems written over centuries by haiku masters, including Basho, Shiki and Issa—to name only a few. The overall presentation is both lovely and in keeping with the spirit of the ancient Japanese art form, as the soft, muted illustrations and the mesmerizing score encourage readers to linger over verses and ponder their meaning. “Each Haiku,” says Vickerman in the foreword, “is dedicated to freezing a particular moment in time, like a miniature word photograph.” The app opens to a table-of-contents wheel that has no beginning or end and can be dialed to various “chiming” points on the circular spectrum. Once launched, the background image is static in composition, meaning the basic scene never changes (except that tilting the screen will change the orientation.) However, with each swipe of the text box, more poems appear, and the seasons not only change, but the music and sounds do as well. Stormy skies give way to brilliant sunsets and gently falling snow. The tree loses its leaves and later buds again. There’s very little interaction, which seems fitting for this meditative offering; the beauty lies in its simple invitation to tune in to the wondrous sights and sounds that regularly surround us.
A breath of fresh air. (iPad poetry app. 10 & up)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Honeybee Labs
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2012
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by Tiffany Jewell ; illustrated by Aurélia Durand ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2020
Essential.
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A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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by Dav Pilkey & illustrated by Dav Pilkey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 28, 2012
Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel.
Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain’s ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment.
Not that there aren’t pranks and envelope-pushing quips aplenty. To start, in an alternate ending to the previous episode, Principal Krupp ends up in prison (“…a lot like being a student at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School, except that the prison had better funding”). There, he witnesses fellow inmate Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) escape in a giant Robo-Suit (later reduced to time-traveling trousers). The villain sets off after George and Harold, who are in juvie (“not much different from our old school…except that they have library books here.”). Cut to five years previous, in a prequel to the whole series. George and Harold link up in kindergarten to reduce a quartet of vicious bullies to giggling insanity with a relentless series of pranks involving shaving cream, spiders, effeminate spoof text messages and friendship bracelets. Pilkey tucks both topical jokes and bathroom humor into the cartoon art, and ups the narrative’s lexical ante with terms like “pharmaceuticals” and “theatrical flair.” Unfortunately, the bullies’ sad fates force Krupp to resign, so he’s not around to save the Earth from being destroyed later on by Talking Toilets and other invaders…
Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-17534-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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