by Shira Karp illustrated by Manuela Soriani developed by My Digital Photo Story ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2011
Readers may not be so sanguine in the wake of this flashy but superficial tour.
Interactive features solidly trump art, writing and factual accuracy in this quick but far from slick aerial travelogue.
Having selected a generic Caucasian boy’s or girl’s body and (optionally) personalized it with a portrait photo, readers are invited to grab hold of a magic kite and fly over eight U.S. cities (viewable in sequence or selected from a map). In keeping with the DIY characterization, readers can even add self-recorded comments to the (also optional) audio narrative. The leaden verse is nothing to write home about: “They eat Jambalayas here and have the famous Mardi Gras parade. / But you’ll have to be a bit older to watch it, I’m afraid.” Each cartoon flyover scene can be zoomed past the point of pixilation and features both a jumble of recognizable landmarks and several touch-activated effects. President Obama introduces himself in front of the White House, a boy—inexplicably—dances atop the Statue of Liberty and an outsized orca leaps in Orlando. After being blithely misinformed that rockets take off into space from Houston, Space Needle elevators fall faster than raindrops and that sharks prevented any escape from Alcatraz, the traveler ends his or her journey back “Home” (a draggable icon on the map) eager for further outings.
Readers may not be so sanguine in the wake of this flashy but superficial tour. (iPad informational app. 6-9)Pub Date: May 6, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: My Digital Photo Story
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
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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
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
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by J. Dillard ; illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 3, 2021
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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by J. Dillard ; illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts
by J. Dillard ; illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts
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