Pretty at first glance, but unlikely to engage children more than superficially.
A saccharine forest-friendship tale chock-full of cute little bugs, frogs, spiders and other wildlife ready to pulse and giggle with a tap.
The story is cast (and also read by the optional narrator) in an earnest tone despite an oxymoronic opening: “One day a young wolf cub named Jack sat in a forest clearing and stared at the night sky.” It pairs Jack with a fallen star that needs help from a spider and an owl to get back to the sky and reattached to its celestial home. Notwithstanding Jack’s “Oh, I feel so lonely sitting here by all by myself,” his cluttered house and each moonlit, elaborately finished, cartoon-style woodland scene is positively festooned with large-eyed small animals. They leap, croak, flit away, wake up, fall down or otherwise respond to taps while background music tinkles away. And just to add some confusion to the sugar rush, a shadowy, wolf-shaped figure lurks in the bushes in two scenes before slinking away entirely. What’s that about? Readers who (rightly) judge the story worth no more than a quick run-through will find as diversions five coloring pages and five jigsaw puzzles. These are, happily, accessible from any screen.
Pretty at first glance, but unlikely to engage children more than superficially. (iPad storybook app. 5-7)Pub Date: May 23, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Yabra
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-00361-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
The lifecycle of the frog is succinctly summarized in this easy reader for children reading at the late first-grade level. In just one or two sentences per page, Vern details the amazing metamorphosis of the frog from egg to tadpole to adult, even injecting a little humor despite the tight word count. (“Watch out fly! Mmmm!) Large, full-color photographs on white backgrounds clearly illustrate each phase of development. Without any mention of laying eggs or fertilization, the title might be a bit misleading, but the development from black dot egg to full-grown frog is fascinating. A simple chart of the three main lifecycle steps is also included. Lifecycles are part of the standard curriculum in the early elementary grades, and this will be a welcome addition to school and public libraries, both for its informational value and as an easy reader. (Nonfiction/easy reader. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-216304-2
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
