Despite minor flubs in the English translation (“The crab is a crustacea [sic] with 10 legs”), this is a voyage worth taking.
Unusual interactive features and visual effects give this undersea jaunt a glossy digital sheen.
Prefaced by two screens of instructions, the tale takes young Scott and his Japanese friend Aiko through ocean waters teeming with life to a sunken pirate ship, then into and out of the clutches of a goofy-looking giant octopus with googly eyes. Not only are the printed text and audio narration available in English, Spanish, French or Japanese (with the addition of an uncommon audio-only option), but both also come in two versions. There's a short, simply phrased one recommended for toddler audiences and a more advanced option for preschoolers and older children. Rising bubbles aside, there isn’t much conventional animation, but the sub’s capture is signaled by successive whole scenes that shimmy back and forth, and the two explorers are once seen from a wavery subsurface view. The illustrations are done in a plasticky anime style, but sea life is rendered with reasonable accuracy; several scenes are revealed by scrolling down or sideways. Other features range from a disappointingly static “spot these items” game to amusing touch-activated sound effects on most pages. There is also a virtual camera that allows readers to take snapshots of any part of any scene to create an “album”—in which any shots of sea animals come with informational captions.
Despite minor flubs in the English translation (“The crab is a crustacea [sic] with 10 legs”), this is a voyage worth taking. (iPad storybook app. 4-7)Pub Date: May 7, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Square Igloo
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings.
The Crayons head back to class in this latest series entry.
Daywalt’s expository text lays out the basics as various Crayons wave goodbye to the beach, choose a first-day outfit, greet old friends, and make new ones. As in previous outings, the perennially droll illustrations and hand-lettered Crayon-speak drive the humor. The ever wrapperless Peach, opining, “What am I going to wear?” surveys three options: top hat and tails, a chef’s toque and apron, and a Santa suit. New friends Chunky Toddler Crayon (who’s missing a bite-sized bit of their blue point) and Husky Toddler Crayon speculate excitedly on their common last name: “I wonder if we’re related!” White Crayon, all but disappearing against the page’s copious white space, sits cross-legged reading a copy of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. And Yellow and Orange, notable for their previous existential argument about the color of the sun, find agreement in science class: Jupiter, clearly, is yellow AND orange. Everybody’s excited about art class—“Even if they make a mess. Actually…ESPECIALLY if they make a mess!” Here, a spread of crayoned doodles of butterflies, hearts, and stars is followed by one with fulsome scribbles. Fans of previous outings will spot cameos from Glow in the Dark and yellow-caped Esteban (the Crayon formerly known as Pea Green). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621110
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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