developed by Scott Dubois ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 20, 2013
Though it doesn’t take full advantage of its medium, a playful introduction to a trio of core scientific theories.
This app focuses on the research of Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717), Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) and James Hutton (1726-1797)—not exactly titans on par with Galileo and Newton but unquestionably critical Enlightenment figures.
The figures’ relative obscurity is actually an asset, as the storytelling focus gives the biographies an element of surprise and something for young readers to relate to: All three are depicted as precocious outsiders who persuaded the establishment of the value of their findings through hard work. For instance, Merian, a pioneer in the study of metamorphosis, is shown trying to communicate her research from girlhood through middle age, ultimately successfully. The cartoon artwork features a bright and pastel-heavy palette, with a simple swipe-up movement to page through the story. Users are encouraged to touch animated circles and word bubbles, though they’re only moderately engaging—a recited passage from Hutton’s research paper or a close-up of a bee’s face scrutinized through van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope. Additional informational pages for each scientist include a more thorough timeline, a fuller description of the era and scientific concepts, and brief bibliographies. It’s a pity the app is so relatively static, though: The lack of animation in the chapter on Hutton’s research into erosion and subterranean heat, for instance, seems like a missed opportunity.
Though it doesn’t take full advantage of its medium, a playful introduction to a trio of core scientific theories. (Requires iOS 6.1+) (iPad informational app. 7-11)Pub Date: July 20, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Scott Dubois
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2013
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
What a wag.
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What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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BOOK TO SCREEN
by Chris Barton ; illustrated by Don Tate ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2015
A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering.
An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know.
Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality. The title’s first three words—“The Amazing Age”—emphasize how many more freedoms African-Americans had during Reconstruction than for decades afterward. Barton and Tate do not shy away from honest depictions of slavery, floggings, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow laws, or the various means of intimidation that whites employed to prevent blacks from voting and living lives equal to those of whites. Like President Barack Obama, Lynch was of biracial descent; born to an enslaved mother and an Irish father, he did not know hard labor until his slave mistress asked him a question that he answered honestly. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Lynch had a long and varied career that points to his resilience and perseverance. Tate’s bright watercolor illustrations often belie the harshness of what takes place within them; though this sometimes creates a visual conflict, it may also make the book more palatable for young readers unaware of the violence African-Americans have suffered than fully graphic images would. A historical note, timeline, author’s and illustrator’s notes, bibliography and map are appended.
A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering. (Picture book biography. 7-10)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5379-0
Page Count: 50
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
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