Infused with both humor and drama, the animated and interactive features maintain an organic flow with the text throughout....
Set to Buchanan's lush, luminous illustrations, this adaptation of the adventures of Mowgli introduces the classic to a new generation.
Infused with both humor and drama, the animated and interactive features maintain an organic flow with the text throughout. Following the adventures of a human baby rescued and raised in the Indian jungle by a wolf family (with plenty of help from a bear, a panther and a python, of course!), the view pans through the jungle as the reader begins. Kids can ride with the buffalo herd in a mad chase, help the python save Mowgli and tickle the mischievous, flatulent monkeys just as the tension might get too high. Jungle sounds and background music can be turned off but add to the ambience without ever intruding. In addition to the usual book-bar options, a hint button offers interactive tips and facts about the jungle on each page. And if it's time for bed just as the monkeys are stealing young Mowgli away, readers can bookmark any page for a quick return later. With wonderful production values, this app is enjoyable both for the narrative and the effects. Readers accustomed to Kipling’s sonorous original language, complete with formal “thee” and “thou,” will find it missing, though this adaptation is far more faithful than the Disney movie's.Pub Date: May 26, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Electric Type
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
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
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