HIDING HANNAH

Name: HIDING HANNAH
Author: Mike Johnson

by Mike Johnson & illustrated by Melanie McCall & developed by Glowdot Productions ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2011

Though it lacks anything in the way of extras or games, Hannah's little story is one worth seeking out. She's a charmer.

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A child's frustrating habit of hiding things (including herself) around the house is offset by the cuteness of the hider and the light, playful tone of this app.

Honey-haired Hannah, a pint-sized toddler in hairclips and a bunny T-shirt, enjoys hiding items like her mother's hairbrush. She also enjoys hiding herself, especially at nap time ("I not tired!" she chirps) or bath time ("I not dirty!"). The cozy rooms in Hannah's house are full of potential hiding places, like cabinet drawers, closets and big couch cushions. Readers can touch these items to shake out whatever's missing, from Dad's remote control to Hannah herself. At the end of the story, Hannah's parents hide, causing a moment of genuine panic for the girl, but it all ends well with a group hug and laughs. Illustrations throughout are effective, with lots of colorful, distinct objects and parents who are drawn as alternately wary, exhausted and cuddly. There are clever details, such as an easy-to-miss photo of Hannah as a wailing baby in the background and a very amusing sock puppet–themed TV show. The story is narrated by Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, which seems like overkill for such a short, basic affair, but it speaks highly of the publisher’s commitment to production values.

Though it lacks anything in the way of extras or games, Hannah's little story is one worth seeking out. She's a charmer. (iPad storybook app. 2-6)

Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2011

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Squeaky Frog

Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2012

- BOOK REVIEW
HIDING MONSTERS
by Mike Johnson ; illustrated by Melanie McCall ; developed by Glowdot Productions

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S CHRISTMAS

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 23, 2014

Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | 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)