It would be nice to have more control over the pace of the story, but the overall presentation is so spectacular it’s worth...
A stunning iPad adaptation showcases the story behind the popular ballet.
Over the last century, scores of books have attempted to capture The Nutcracker’s magic, but any one of them would be hard pressed to outshine this version. Without question the app’s most breathtaking component is the lavish artwork hand-painted by fine-art painter/illustrator Tanaka. Her exquisite use of color and light coupled with her distinctive interpretations of the characters provides a luxuriant feast for the eyes. Text is effectively scant, and there is no narration. Each screen is accompanied (occasionally at inconsistent audio levels) by Tchaikovsky’s beloved compositions, as performed by the developer’s “virtual” orchestra. In storybook mode, the features run their course at their own pace (which is frequently painstakingly slow), and readers have no choice but to wait it out. In movie mode, the pages turn automatically; both options offer a pause button. Interactive features are minimal and involve eliciting various brief sound effects, but there’s plenty of brilliant animation—though at times movement resembles languid animatronics in a mall display. On the iPad 2, the app can be streamed to HDTV for a “concert hall” experience.
It would be nice to have more control over the pace of the story, but the overall presentation is so spectacular it’s worth lingering over. (iPad storybook app. 3-10)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Mouse King Media
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2011
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
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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