Neatly balancing between too complicated and too simple, this app packs an abundance of cuteness into a deceptively minimalist package. In retelling Aesop's fable about a fearsome lion, an act of kindness and the rescued mouse who returns to repay it, this app modernizes the presentation but wisely eschews unnecessary features. Two unobtrusive white arrows on the lower corners of the screen control page turns (and "ding!" when pressed), but other than that, there's only beautifully textured illustrations, animation that's lively but not overwhelming and some charming voice work and sound effects. The optional narration is read by a young British girl who over-enunciates winningly. The deliberate reading enhances the story of interspecies friendship, as do the unexpectedly effective growls and "squeak, squeak!" audio effects that are played when the titular characters are touched. When the Mouse frees the Lion from a hunter's net and he falls down to the ground, the background scrolls as readers follow his downward trajectory. It's effective without being too showy. The admirable use of restraint sets the story apart from so many cartoons and animated book apps. The illustrations, including extreme close-ups of Mouse's potato-like skin, are reminiscent of Eric Carle's collage artwork. "A little kindness is never wasted, Your Majesty," the Mouse tells the Lion at the story's conclusion. Neither is a little bit of thoughtful, well-executed storytelling—truly adorable. (iPad storybook app. 2-8)
Pub Date: July 22, 2010
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Stepworks
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
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