THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD—THE AUTHORIZED VERSION

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THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD—THE AUTHORIZED VERSION

Name: THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD—THE AUTHORIZED VERSION
Author: Watty Piper

by Watty Piper developed by Penguin Group USA ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

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Stranded toys on the tracks and the little blue train engine who saves them are presented in a solid mix of old and new in Penguin Group's "Official" app based on the classic story. Animating the version of the story credited to Watty Piper (a pseudonym of Platt & Munk publisher Arnold Munk), the app begins with the illustrations that date back to the 1950s and does an admirable job making the digital version seamless. It retains the style and intent of the original version, but it doesn't skimp on multimedia features like read-along narration, objects that can be moved around the screen or tapped for sound effects and animation that dazzles without overwhelming the story or feeling too tacked-on. The blue engine, who famously chants, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can," as she travels up a daunting mountain, leads a large assortment of large stuffed bears, dolls, a clown and other colorful characters. On some pages, the contents of the train can be rearranged, and individual characters can be manipulated; a giraffe's neck can be flicked to make the toy animal's head bob, for instance. More-subtle effects—puffs of engine smoke, leaves moving atop water—and visual cues that show young readers where to press the screen to interact show admirable attention to detail. In just about every way, it is far superior to the other, "unofficial" Little Engine That Could app currently available. Even the page index, allowing readers to skip to a specific page, is presented as a series of connected, scrolling boxcars; it's a rolling train within the story of one determined little engine. (iPad storybook app. 3-8)

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2011

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD
by Watty Piper ; illustrated by Dan Santat

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD
by Watty Piper & illustrated by Loren Long

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.

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In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.

Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 25, 2025

ISBN: 9780063387843

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH LOST CHRISTMAS!

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DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH LOST CHRISTMAS!

by Alastair Heim ; illustrated by Aristides Ruiz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.

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Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.

Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)