A sticky-sweet rendition, with none of the original’s pungency or strangeness.
A rhymed version of the classic, compressed into just 12 screens thickly strewn with touch-activated trifles.
“A pretty girl named Alice sat by the stream one day, / She was clever and nice, but had no friend with whom to play.” Viewers can read this literary lowlight to themselves, listen to a saccharine audio or even record their own version. The best option of all removes the text from view entirely with the tap of a button. This leaves a dozen bland, brightly colored cartoon views of an expressionless, doll-like blonde lass in a blue pinafore shrinking, growing (“Mm! A cookie!”) and encountering various odd creatures. These include the usual suspects: a Mad Hatter with an array of headgear options, a sniggering purple Cheshire cat and a Queen who explodes into cards at Alice’s accusatory “Hey, you!” In each scene, taps release sprays of hearts or sparkles, activate exclamations or other sound effects and set off slow animations. Seven screens also include several drag-and-drop jigsaw pieces. The app is available for a nominal charge or in a free version with large pop-up ads.
A sticky-sweet rendition, with none of the original’s pungency or strangeness. (iPad storybook app. 5-7)Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: TabTale
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
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
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