Music lovers will enjoy this melodic story, which is a good thing, since they’ll likely not forget the tune anytime soon.
Sing along with the classic children’s tune as a giggly girl gathers provisions for a picnic with her friends.
Writer/artist/musician Bright has adopted the moniker “Cat Doorman” for her children’s work and here employs her talent trifecta to create this adaptation of the traditional children’s song. She has modified the lyrics to fit her musical storyline and also created the book’s vibrant, childlike illustrations. The app begins with an adorable little girl pulling her wagon to the first screen. Readers are invited to place an instrument (a guitar, a piano or a full band) into the wagon, which determines the accompaniment. There’s an animated staff of music at the bottom of the screen that offers musical notation of the melody. From there, the girl visits the bakery, the dairy, an orchard and a garden, where—with the help of readers—she will collect food for her picnic. Each stop offers ample opportunity to hone fine-motor skills, and little fingers can also find interactive opportunities along the way. The musical mix is well-done, and the three-part harmonies soar (Doorman enlisted members of the Decemberists and the Corin Tucker Band to help round out the band.) The only thing missing is a way to skip around between scenes, as there are absolutely no shortcuts from beginning to end.
Music lovers will enjoy this melodic story, which is a good thing, since they’ll likely not forget the tune anytime soon. (iPad storybook app. 2-6)Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Night & Day Studios
Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013
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
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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
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