In an equally rousing sequel to The Monster at the End of This Book (print edition, 1971; app version, 2011) Elmo drags a reluctant Grover through one page after another toward a second “monster.”
Blithely ignoring his blue buddy’s “Not again! I simply cannot handle another monster right now. I get very worked up by books about monsters,” little Elmo chivvies him along. Meanwhile, he coaxes readers with both specific instructions for proceeding and, if a tap or swipe is not forthcoming, a more imperative “Turn the page!” The episode was made for interactive and animated enhancements, and to the 1996 print edition the designers have added a full slate. These range from objects and figures that fly about or drop in and out of sight to stackable (and knock-downable) alphabet blocks, a simple color-matching game, gooey “glue” to spread around and, in balloon-enclosed dialogue, highlighted words that are links to audio clips of pronunciations or definitions. The two Muppets respond in unpredictable ways to repeated taps, and delayed comments or developments on nearly every page repay lingering a few moments before moving on. In the end, the two scare each other, and Elmo (predictably) campaigns for another go-round. From Elmo’s opening tutorial to the closing ticklefest, a treat and a half for preschoolers and parents alike. (learning activities section for adult sharers, thumbnail image index) (iPad storybook app. 3-5)
Pub Date: Nov. 23, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Callaway Digital Arts
Review Posted Online: Dec. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Smoother rides are out there.
Mommy and Bonnie—two anthropomorphic rodents—go for a joyride and notice a variety of conveyances around their busy town.
The pair encounter 22 types of vocational vehicles as they pass various sites, including a fire engine leaving a firehouse, a school bus approaching a school, and a tractor trailer delivering goods to a supermarket. Narrated in rhyming quatrains, the book describes the jobs that each wheeled machine does. The text uses simple vocabulary and sentences, with sight words aplenty. Some of the rhymes don't scan as well as others, and the description of the mail truck’s role ("A mail truck brings / letters and cards / to mailboxes / in people's yards) ignores millions of readers living in yardless dwellings. The colorful digitally illustrated spreads are crowded with animal characters of every type hustling and bustling about. Although the art is busy, observant viewers may find humor in details such as a fragile item falling out of a moving truck, a line of ducks holding up traffic, and a squirrel’s spilled ice cream. For younger children enthralled by vehicles, Sally Sutton’s Roadwork (2011) and Elizabeth Verdick’s Small Walt series provide superior text and art and kinder humor. Children who have little interest in cars, trucks, and construction equipment may find this offering a yawner. Despite being advertised as a beginner book, neither text nor art recommend this as an engaging choice for children starting to read independently. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Smoother rides are out there. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-37725-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
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