Pleasantly unprepossessing from A to Z.
Blinking its yellow eyes, the eponymous Beast (The Lonely Beast, 2011) squires diapered digerati through the ABCs in this simple but (largely) satisfying app.
Though a black, hairy and (except for those eyes) featureless silhouette, the Beast comes off as an agreeable tour guide in Judge’s cleanly drawn and brightly colored scenes. On each screen, a large single letter (shown in upper- and lowercase) starts a declarative sentence (“Y is for yo-yo”) that is read—repeatedly, with taps—by the author. With further taps and, usually, help from familiar animals or other figures, the Beast rows by in a Boat as fish flit out of sight, pounds away on Drums, emits a raspberry through an attached Elephant trunk, models a series of Hats and Kicks balls belonging to a variety of sports as off-screen crowds cheer. Children can also pop bubbles for a Crab, place various foods atop a Fork, consume Ice-Cream and an Orange, and play a Xylophone on the way to a noisy Zoo. The design is somewhat inflexible, as there is no way to skip around aside from swiping back or forth one screen at a time, and restarts require either closing the app or reaching a “Start Over” button at the end. Nevertheless, the touch-activated effects offer some compensation with a range of pleasing, often surprising sounds and animations.
Pleasantly unprepossessing from A to Z. (iPad alphabet app. 2-4)Pub Date: June 1, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: James Kelleher
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.
Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.
Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-838-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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