This universality of heartache inspires Handler not only in this novel, but also on his related blog, The Why We Broke Up Project, which asks for personal stories from his audience, including famous authors. (One of my favorites is Brian Selznick’s: “I knew I had to break up with Ann Rosenberg after she chose a teal dress for the prom. I had never heard of teal. Also, I was gay.”) There’s even a section on the blog where Handler hilariously and cleverly responds to some of the readers’ experiences.

The breakup testimonials are varied—some funny, others sad—but you and I, and everyone, everywhere who’s been through one will appreciate their honesty and insight. Join this catharsis-party to share your pain, be soothed and entertained by others’, and start the countdown until the novel’s December 27 release.

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How is creating an app like creating a movable book?
Creating the app was similar to creating a movable book in the sense that both are interactive; I try to integrate the interactivity into the concept. I try to avoid using the interactivity in a book or an app simply for show. You will also notice that my concepts take advantage of the hands-on nature of the medium, whether by asking a child to lift a flap to find an answer to a question or to touch the screen to move the app forward. In both cases the reader must be actively involved and use their fine motor skills.

What particular challenges come with the app format as opposed to working in print?
The greatest challenge in creating the app was understanding the capabilities of the device and the programming, and then figuring out how to apply the concept. With paper books, through many years of experience, I have a deep understanding of how to use paper engineering and the printing and assembly process to convey and integrate my ideas.

Do apps have elements analogous to the pop-ups of a movable book?
I like the fact that with pop-up books and apps, the reader is actively involved by touching the art. In both mediums we ask the reader to not only read the words and view the images but to touch and interact with the art.

How does your past life as an advertising illustrator inform your current work?
As an artist and illustrator I think in and communicate with images and color. In the past few years I have been using simple shapes and colors in a non-representative way, like modern art, to express my concepts. I like these non-representative images because they allow the reader to interpret the idea through their own mind. Kids will say that a pop-up looks like an ice cream sundae or a roller coaster. That’s the viewer filtering the non-representative art through their own experience.

Which of the puzzles/screens are you most excited about?
My favorite playspace changes from time to time, but I really like playspace nine, the black dot, because it is a bit magical. The images are invisible until you touch the screen in the right place. I also love the fact that as you touch the images you hear various musical sounds—you can play these sounds like a keyboard. I often go to this playspace just to play music.

That’s my favorite, too! What would your younger self think of Spot the Dot?
With the app as with my books I do exactly that: go back in my mind to little David Carter and run that test. That is what I call my “gut feeling” when decisions need to be made. I can tell you that little David Carter likes this app, especially the bright colors, surprises and the sounds, and that little David Carter can’t wait to see what’s next.

Any plans for a How Many Bugs–inspired app?
I am thinking about how to adapt all of my titles and ideas, including the Bug series, but most of all I’m thinking about new concepts specifically for apps that use the technology in clever and entertaining ways. I hope my art tickles your mind and as always, please touch the art.

Spot the Dot is $3.99 in the App Store (or try it out with the free “lite” version).

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Which sparks some fascinating—if as-yet unanswerable—questions: how will e-publishing evolve as digital resources become a bigger part of public school curriculum? What criteria will (or should) administrators and teachers use to select ebooks and apps for their students? And, as SLJ editor Brian Kenney asks, what do we do about the “digital divide” between schools that can afford to keep up with ever-changing educational technology and those that can’t?

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Venerable-yet-irreverent multimedia publisher McSweeney’s recently announced a new project: “The Goods,” a weekly newspaper insert offering “a gallimaufry of games, puzzles, comics, and other diversions” created by children’s authors and illustrators. Looking at their line-up—headed by such heavy hitters as Mo Willems, Laurie Keller, Lane Smith, Bob Shea, Adam Rex, and Children’s Literature Ambassador emeritus Jon Scieszka—I predict lots of breakfast table scuffles between kids and parents over who gets “The Goods” first.

While we’re on the topic of kids’ books and newspapers, The Guardian’s new kid-friendly children’s book site also looks like a good time, with news, kids’ reviews, and forums.

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Needing a London fix, I picked up London: A 3D Keepsake Cityscape illustrated by Sarah McMenemy, also from Candlewick and due out in May. At roughly 4 inches by 4 inches with an accordion-fold format, this definitely isn’t a tour book or map to use as reference while wandering Kensington or Westminster, but it makes a perfect souvenir or gift. Both sides of the accordion showcase twelve cut-paper, pop-out illustrations of London landmarks with general information about each. Two maps place the sites in geographical relation to one another. For London lovers like myself, these pop-outs of famous places like Westminster Abbey (where Prince William and Kate will be married on April 29th!) or The London Eye are a great way to reminisce.

I hope more Keepsake Cityscapes are in the works and can’t wait to see which city will be next: New York? Boston? Paris? Rome? Washington, D.C.? There’s a world of possibilities.

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I’m oohing and ahhing over apps she recommends, like Winged Chariot’s The Red Apple and Loud Crow’s PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit. And, new-found review criteria in hand, I’m looking forward to exploring them myself.

The post The drama of the page-scroll appeared first on The Horn Book.

In addition to Everywhere Babies, send-a-stories are available for Joanne Ryder and Melissa Sweet’s Won’t You Be My Kissaroo?, Debi Gliori’s No Matter What, and my perennial Valentine’s favorite, Sandol Stoddard Warburg and Jacqueline Chwast’s endearingly bizarre I Like You. Sure beats a boring drugstore Mother’s Day or new baby card!

I never manage to get it together in time to send Christmas cards, but maybe I can get I Like You in the mail to friends by Valentine’s Day—if I start now.

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