A charming bedtime story.” — School Library Journal
“A nocturnal companion to Matheson’s Tap the Magic Tree (2013), this interactive picture book illuminates nighttime’s wonders. . . . An implicit sense of power (and even a hint of magic) follows each page turn. . . . A delightful bedtime book.” — Kirkus Reviews
“This exploration of the word at night should be inviting to even the very youngest children, who will also enjoy its imagination-fueled and child-powered interactivity.” — The Horn Book
Praise for Tap the Magic Tree: “Proves you don’t need apps for interactivity. … You can imagine this book wearing out after repeated tapping, swishing, counting and shaking, but you won’t ever have to recharge its battery.” — New York Times
“The conceit of this clever picture book is that the changing seasons occur as if by magic. Readers are shown a bare brown tree and are implored to, “Tap it once. Turn the page to see.” As they do, green leaves appear. . . .Simply a treasure to behold.” — School Library Journal
“Although simple in presentation with ample white space, the artwork provides a glorious rendition of the four seasons of a tree. No iPad is needed to make this interactive book totally satisfying.” — Booklist
“Take an apple tree through the seasons by tapping, brushing, shaking, and clapping. . . . It’s a good on-the-way-to-bed activity.” — Publishers Weekly
“Matheson invites readers to take an apple tree through a seasonal round using taps and page turns in place of touch-screens. . . . A universal theme, developed in an unusually clean, simple presentation.” — Kirkus Reviews
Although simple in presentation with ample white space, the artwork provides a glorious rendition of the four seasons of a tree. No iPad is needed to make this interactive book totally satisfying.
This exploration of the word at night should be inviting to even the very youngest children, who will also enjoy its imagination-fueled and child-powered interactivity.
Praise for Tap the Magic Tree: “Proves you don’t need apps for interactivity. … You can imagine this book wearing out after repeated tapping, swishing, counting and shaking, but you won’t ever have to recharge its battery.
Although simple in presentation with ample white space, the artwork provides a glorious rendition of the four seasons of a tree. No iPad is needed to make this interactive book totally satisfying.
03/01/2015
PreS-Gr 1—Matheson follows up her Tap the Magic Tree (Greenwillow, 2013) with a sunset to sunrise journey through the nighttime sky. As before, readers are invited to interact with the story using a motion, thought, or words that provoke a change with every turn of the page. First fireflies, a deer, stars, and constellations appear, then a full moon and owls take their turn. All is finally still until the first light of dawn, when the magic of the day returns. The simple text is engaging and conversational and little ones responding to each prompt are not likely to be distracted by the occasional faulty rhyme. The mixed-media collage art features a palette of blues as gentle and warm as a summer evening. Full-page illustrations evoke the expanse of space while the nearly transparent earthly creatures enhance the peaceful ambiance of this magical reading experience. Those who are interested in the science behind the magic will enjoy the final page, which provides some basic information about the nocturnal world depicted. VERDICT A charming bedtime story.—Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA
2015-01-20
A nocturnal companion to Matheson's Tap the Magic Tree (2013), this interactive picture book illuminates nighttime's wonders while shepherding readers toward sleep. Dusk falls in waves of pink, blue and purple watercolor; lightning bugs glow, stars twinkle and fall, deer skedaddle, constellations shine—all with the touch of young readers' fingers. Rhymes offer clear instructions: "Now let's blow a quiet breeze. // Pat the deer / and say goodnight, please." An implicit sense of power (and even a hint of magic) follows each page turn, imbuing these soft, simple collages with a quavering excitement. With a whisper, the moon appears in the (now) very dark sky—a signal that it's getting to be time for owls to go to bed and probably past time for little readers. A soothing, somnolent narrative voice nudges, "Close your eyes and breathe in deeply. / Nod your head if you feel sleepy." Caregivers will surely appreciate the suggestion, as well as the gentle lesson in preparing for and accepting sleep. More learning lies on the final page, which delivers a glossary that offers rich information about the nighttime occurrences, animals and plants featured earlier. A delightful bedtime book that encourages both imaginative play and restorative rest. (Picture book. 2-6)