Young techies may or may not want to zoom into bed right after listening, but they’ll be more than a little “bitty” ready...
What happens when robots wind down? Do they actually sleep?
Yep, they do, according to this charmer with a mechanical twist. Told in jaunty, rollicking rhymes that are enlivened by colorful, humorous digital illustrations, this robot version of a bedtime story demonstrates that, no matter how energetic a little “bot” may be, there inevitably comes a time when “batteries are running low!” Filled with personality, Bitty is one imaginative, enterprising—and not tired—droid, first building a nifty spaceship, then rocketing to the moon and, in comical scenes reminiscent of the iconic cantina in the first Star Wars movie, cavorting in a rousing lunar dance-a-thon. The final scene shows Bitty building…who knows what, but this bot is clearly ready for another out-of-this-world adventure. Readers will have already seen, though, that sleep must inevitably follow a day of raucous activity. Vocabulary-enriching rhymes scan well, making this a fine read-aloud choice. The lively, action-filled illustrations with their retro look feature smiling, mostly gender-neutral robots of myriad colors, body shapes, and sizes, bearing varied whirring accoutrements. Young audiences will also chuckle at illustrations depicting young bots clutching favorite sleepy-time must-have toys—in one case, a tiny human.
Young techies may or may not want to zoom into bed right after listening, but they’ll be more than a little “bitty” ready for repeat readings. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4929-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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