Category: Stories »

Nursery Rhymes with StoryTime is a lovely universal application that brings classic nursery rhymes to devices, now with delightful interactive features.

I really appreciate the look of this app, as the style used is certainly vintage in appearance, creating an interesting dichotomy as children can tap to create movement among the characters and objects around the screen as well as move the words around the page which will be of interest to those interested in graphic design as well.

Traditional tales include Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and The Three Blind Mice, each with interactive elements and whimsical details oftentimes with the use of a physics engine which allows children to toss objects around the screen.

Also included is the spinning of certain details, such as the Three Blind Mice running in circles that reminds me of the details one may see in a Victorian Arcade, allowing children to use this period technology with the swipe of a finger - interesting elements adults may enjoy more than their children.

It is also worth noting that the three blind mice do get their tails cut off with a knife as an included interaction - a moment I enjoyed - yet I can see this detail not being a favorite among some families.

This app contains narration allowing children to listen to these short rhymes themselves and parents will enjoy the fine details included such as the use of texture found among these pages that include paper art, de-saturated hues and distressing that add even more period charm to this app.

I do love the way this app merges the period look with technology - something I have seen done well before, but oftentimes without narration - unlike this app.

For these reasons and more, Nursery Rhymes with StoryTime is worth checking out, allowing children to obtain a foundation in nursery rhymes that many families have forgotten about, also including fun and creative interactions that will keep modern kids engaged.

Dandelion is an interactive universal app with a wonderful sense of style, developed as an app with a message about bullying.

There is a lot that I enjoy about this app, recently chosen as an application of special interest in the books category by iTunes.

The most striking element of this app is the sense of style, shown not quite in black and white, as more of a sepia-tone look is included, adding the slightly warmer shades of subtle desaturated browns - an interesting choice - which allows areas of the screen to pop softly, adding a vintage, almost timeless look to this app that is also quite modern-looking as seen on the screen of one’s device.

Likewise, the illustrations and simple, animated moments are gorgeous to look at as are the intriguing characters, especially that of the main character Benjamin, drawn without a face and who seems to glow from the backlit device. These images are beautiful and will stay with readers for a long time, especially the ability to blow fluff off a dandelion - lovely to explore, to be sure.

Very good narration is also included if one wishes, and I enjoy how this app and the page turns are styled to look like one is looking through a view finder, including a 3D effect that one can see when moving one’s device, as well as an artful use of mild distressing which adds a bit of texture as well.

This is the story about how Benjamin is being bullied by boys from The School for The Misguided - what to me is presumably a reformatory of sorts, “A place for Ne’er Do Wells and Bullies.” However, it is unclear to me if this is the school that he attends or has to pass by on the way to his own school.

As only one school is noted in this story, I will assume that Benjamin attends The School for The Misguided, and this is an element that I have a hard time getting past. How could this child be thrown into such an institution where he will obviously be eaten alive, as he is less than half the size of the other students and a sensitive soul who would not fare well in this environment?

It is worth noting that Benjamin is not just being teased, he is being physically harmed, needing to tend to wounds. Because of all this, while blowing on dandelions, he begins to make wishes for the school to disappear, which never happens, but he learns from these dandelions how to let go of his fears and and gain confidence.

I find many of the elements of this app quite moving, such as the included music and imagery.

I do find the actual story, written in rhyme, to be underwhelming. yet if one wants to take away from this tale a sense of confidence and a lack of being afraid, this I welcome them to do so.

For me, it may have worked better if the main character were dealing with a different sort of bully, more subtle in the approach, such as an outsider girl dealing with “mean girls,” who could possibly rise above the mental daggers thrown her way, but if one is being physically harmed by dangerous teens with one foot in jail, confidence will go only so far.

I have no doubt that the chance to blow the dandelion fluff as well as the mythology of Benjamin making his wishes will be moving to anyone reading or listening to this story, but with the setup included here, more than inner confidence is needed to deal with the situation as it has been written, leading me to struggle to understand the message of this application.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for iPad is Random House Digital’s app based on the classic children’s book of the same name.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a favorite story of mine, and I do enjoy how this app includes a very nice picture book section with excellent narration as well as wonderfully rich and stylized illustrations containing mild yet effective interactions and moody, atmospheric music. These slightly animated illustrations are also found within the unabridged version of this book - a nice touch.

I enjoy the storybook section, as although adapted from the longer version, this storybook includes many of the details and nuances found in the original book, making this section not overly simplistic - a very nice primer for children new to these Oz titles.

The narration is top-notch, and I enjoy following along with the highlighted text. I do find the elements of narration, illustrations and music to be perfectly realized, but it is to my great disappointment that not all of the 24 chapters of this story are illustrated, including the scene when Dorothy first encounters the poppies - a favorite moment of mine from childhood, as well as a missed opportunity to show these flowers in their grand colors with their sedating abilities.

Likewise, within the adapted version, I found the telling of the second half of the journey - after Dorothy misses her ride home on the hot air balloon and the gang needs to go in search of the Good Witch of the South - to be rushed in its re-telling. It also does not include chapter 20, The Dainty China Country - my true favorite chapter of the story as a child, where Dorothy and the others venture into a world of fragile characters made of china - another missed opportunity to have users break these china characters with a tap. I also would have wished this adapted version to go into better details about the Hammer-Head characters also met among these chapters - briefly mentioned without being named.

Although I did find the lack of an illustration for every chapter in this book to be a disappointment, as the unabridged section is also without these same illustrations, I am quite enamored with the pictures that are included - wonderful artwork that adds a sophistication to this story which I enjoy, maintaining the darker tone from the original story for a slightly older child - something that is sometimes sanitized in other re-tellings. Also nice is the inclusion of the forward written by author L. Frank Baum as well as a map to show the four different lands of Oz, a nice touch.

Although I would certainly prefer for each of these chapters to be represented by illustrations, this app is still quite enjoyable, especially to listen to the shorter storybook being read, and for this reason, even with the nagging omissions included, this is an app that I can recommend, especially to those who are not Oz purists who would certainly be disappointed by the lack of illustrations per each chapter and the overly abridged second half of this epic tale.

The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater is a gem of an app, an interactive storybook which allows children to make choices that will affect the direction this tale takes, as this is the story of Sophie, a sweater who experiences many different lives with a varied group of people as they re-use and re-cycle her into other garments, craft ideas or other objects which illustrate how to use her material.

I did enjoy a great deal the Choose Your Own Adventure or Which Way books as a child, and I have begun to read these titles to my son as well. I do love this app as I think it brings an intuitiveness to these kinds of books, as my son can get confused as to why I am asking him questions while reading him these types of stories.

Children first meet Sophie in a shop and is then bought by an individual, one in a long line of people who will have an influence on Sophie’s life as they wear, share, and re-purpose her.

I admire how the majority of these characters are very much real people who work with Sophie in ways that are practical to their lives, reminding me of independent movies such as Twenty Bucks or even Crash, as although this story is kept light and fun, the plots revolve around an object that works its way through multiple subplots, as well as the intertwining of some of the characters that children will notice in different ways throughout these story lines. This is a subtle way of making the world seem smaller as well as the theme of no-waste and re-using of materials.

The first decision one needs to make is who first walks through the doors of the shop to buy Sophie. Choices include Fiona, a mother or “punky Meg” styled with the sides of her head shakes and piercings. I especially enjoy Meg’s character - a personality that is not often seen in children’s apps, who creates a studded vest that she makes out of Sophie, who at first is weary of this transformation but enjoys her new look.

There is a multitude of whimsical tangents that include other characters worthy of an ensemble cast as well as a few anthropomorphic animals. I did not mind the presence of a magician - not really an everyman but still a working man of sorts, but I had mixed feelings about the prince and princess found in a castle, possessing bad attitudes and feeling entitled enough to try to fake illnesses, also using Sophie to create a rope to “escape” their situation of a boring royal commitment. Although I kind of enjoy the fantasy that has brought Sophie to the castle, these characters pull me away from the realism of the other people met, from the homeless people thankful for clothing to wear to the small child fashioning Sophie into doll clothing or other creative objects. It is however possible that readers are not supposed to like these specific characters - an interesting choice.

Even with this note, I wholeheartedly recommend The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater. All the elements are top form, from the excellent optional narration to colorful and stylized illustrations to the 24 different options that one can choose from - great for re-reading.

It is worth noting that past the decision making, there is little to no other interactions to be found. I am actually happy for this choice on the part of the developers as I am now finding many apps that are littered with hot spots more distracting than helpful, and I am very glad this app does not fall into this pitfall in any way.

I also admire how this app can be so educational in terms of the environmental theme of conservation and re-use, getting the message home in a way that is not preachy.

I have never been one to throw away anything remotely re-useable, as there are charitable donation sites around our city that we take advantage of, so I was moved when it came time to possibly choose tossing Sophie into the trash - a choice that I had a hard time making, but did for testing purposes. I hope this message follows children with them as they too make choices like the ones seen in this book.

The only thing I would love to see in addition would be a menu of pages, not only to this story, but also highlighting the areas where decisions are made, making it easy for children to go back and change their mind as well as to seek out the different possibilities also included within this story.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this app by Gro Play. I sincerely hope that more apps with this same ability to select different outcomes will be developed in the future.

Sofia the First: Story Theatre is a delightful, interactive app based on the children’s animated series on Disney Junior.

We are not familiar with Sofia the First in our home so I did not have any expectations about this book. I am happy to say that I am very pleasantly surprised with what this app has to offer.

The plot of this story is both very traditional but also has a modern sensibility to it as this tale opens up with Sofia’s mom marrying into a royal family. In this blended family, at first Sofia feels very out of place by becoming newly royal as well as not being treated very well by her new siblings - especially her step-sister.

I enjoy how well the characters for this tale are written, in first person from Sofia’s point of view as well as the very effective animated moments one can find by tapping on the included illustrations delivered with a lot of polish, effectively pantomiming both the actions as well as emotions being described - often silently and never in a way that is remotely distracting.

I also enjoy the tie-in with the fairies from Sleeping Beauty as well as Cinderella, which did not seem forced in any way.

Although I did have to raise an eyebrow when Cinderella explains how she should have given her own step-sisters a second chance, I admire how the concept of forgiveness is included as well as the step-sister explaining her motivation for being mean in the form of an apology that children can also learn from, creating a moment I did not expect.

Some details involving magic are included that one would expect from a story involving a fantasy such as this, this is a relatable tale that young girls - especially those from blended families - can relate to.

I throughout this app have appreciate how music and sound effects are included in this story yet can be muted separately from the narration - a nice touch. Auto play is also an option, as is the ability to read this book by oneself. I do think, however, that one should be able to turn back a page if so desired - not possible at this time.

One can use the menu to find a previous page if needed, but the ability to swipe or arrow tap to forward the pages should work in reverse as well.

A puppet show is also included allowing one to choose characters, background props and music. Move these characters around the screen recording the sounds and movements of these elements in action for a nice effect.

I have seen a few puppet shows such as this, and I am happy with the ease in which one can have a character or prop enter and leave the scene - gameplay one can take for granted until interacting with an app that makes this basic function difficult - fortunately not an issue here.

It is worth noting that this section, styled as if using paper puppets, does not allow one to resize or have these puppets turn to each other to engage in dialogue, but consists of cutely drawn images both polished and low tech in the way one would expect paper puppets to be for a very nice effect.

My son is not much into princesses so it is doubtful that Sofia the First will be a show we gravitate towards, but I do recommend this app to families who have princess children, and I from what I have seen that this TV series is worth checking out as well - especially as Sofia does not have the terrible sense of entitlement often seen in other princess stories.

I Need My Monster is an interactive storybook app based on the children’s book of the same name, now also including a few extras such as a memory-styled matching game and a “Simon” styled mini-game.

I know this title well, as I Need My Monster is a story that is often read out loud at our local library’s story time, and when borrowing this book, the pages are worn from being enjoyed by many children.

This is the story of a boy who instead of being afraid of monsters, desperately needs one - a really scary one - to be able to sleep. Unfortunately, his monster takes some time off, leaving the boy to find a new monster under his bed that will do the job. New monsters come and go, never filling the shoes of the original, scary creature under the boy’s bed.

This is a faithful adaptation of this popular story, with the same text as well as included illustrations altered somewhat to fit the iPad, also containing mild animation and hot spots.

Narration is included, yet I am not completely sold on the woman who provides the narration, as this is a tale told in the first person, from the point-of-view of the main character who is a boy. Because of this, I wish a child voice actor were included, as I can think of a few times a child was used in a storybook application to a great effect.

I do like how a male actor sometimes provides the voice for some of these monsters, yet I did not understand the choice of having the monster character “Ralph,” a dapper, well-groomed monster, voiced by a woman with a presumably British-like accent. Instead, I would have preferred a male, more genteel-sounding voice reminiscent of Kelsey Grammer or David Hyde Pierce because the voice included does not relate in any way to the character created, which to me distracting.

Some very effect interactive moments are included that work quite well within this story, especially a scene with a monster scraping her nails across the screen - a moment new to the story not found in the printed book.

Also nicely included is the ability to add the reader's name to this app as within the printed copy, the sign “Ethan’s Room” which can be seen on the bedroom wall, can now include any name. There are a few hot spots within this app, however, that I thought were not necessary, such as being able to tap some objects in the boy’s room, making sounds that drown out the narration.

Even with these notes, this is a terrific story that differs so wonderfully from the traditional fears children have of creatures under their beds. It is worth noting that here, the boy professes that boy monsters are for boys, and girl monsters are for girls - a moment that for me is cringeworthy yet rings true in the way children at this age may think. This detail aside, this is still a creative story with vivid illustrations.

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is the second children’s book written by Dr. Seuss, first published in 1938. Now to celebrate the 75th anniversary of this app, this story has been adapted into a universal app by Oceanhouse Media.

Although this title may be less known, I think it is an important story to make note of as this is a tale written in prose instead of the heavy rhyming that Dr. Seuss is known for.

I honestly did not enjoy the typical Seussian style of writing as most kids did, as I viewed books that rhymed much the same as how I viewed musicals - that of style getting in the way of the storytelling.

Because of this, I am very happy that The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, along with other titles such as Yertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, or The Big Brag, - stories heavy with narrative - have been turned into applications as well.

Meet Bartholomew Cubbins, a farmer boy who while taking a trip to the market has an unfortunate run-in with the King of Didd who demands that Bartholomew take off his hat as a sign of respect. The child complies, but an odd thing happens. Once his hat is removed, a new hat re-appears over and over again much to the dismay of the king, who brings the boy to his castle and tries everything one can think of to remove the hat from Cubbins - from consults with a tailor to magicians and even threats of violence.

Nothing helps until 500 hats have been removed, with the last few changing into wonderfully ornamented hats that the king becomes smitten with, offering to buy them for a handsome price as this story, rich with tangents, ends on a happy note.

As is typical with Dr. Seuss adaptations by Oceanhouse Media, this app can be read by oneself or listened with to grand narration, here spoken by my favorite voice actor, John Bell, who does a stand-out job adding different voices to each character met, bringing a richness to this story that makes this app and others like it so very enjoyable for me to listen to.

Another new option to users is the ability to create their own narrations that can in turn be added to other devices or shared with friends and family who also have access to this application.

Options also include the ability to be able to turn off the wonderful ambient sound effects or word highlighting.

One will notice how the illustrations, although obviously drawn by Dr. Seuss, are interestingly stark compared to his other works, using only black and white with red highlighting for the hats that are seen throughout these pages - an interesting choice.

Do tap on the characters and objects found within this story as they are nicely labeled with both narration and text yet never speaking over the narration - a detail I am fond of.

Written many decades ago, I think this story stands up quite well, yet there are a few moments where parents may raise an eyebrow. I doubt whether the threat of beheading would be taken literally by most children as these scenes are also filled with a sense of whimsy, keeping the threats fantasy-related.

I don’t really worry about my son being exposed to the idea of this child having his head cut off, as my son has been exposed to this kind of imaginative violence through Grimms Fairytales and he is no worse for wear, but later in this story there is another boy who wants very much to push the main character to his death - a threat that bothered me more than the beheading, as well as a reference to an actual spanking of the other boy in this tale - an issue I have had with other books including those from my childhood which I thought were safe until re-reading them as an adult.

Parents themselves will need to decide if they are comfortable with these elements for their families.

I am grateful to Oceanhouse Media that by developing this story into an application, this tale may be enjoyed by children who may not have been otherwise exposed to this Dr. Seuss story. I look forward to reading more about the King of Didd and Bartholomew in Bartholomew and the Oobleck - another children's book adapted to application, available in the future.

I would also like to let readers know that through March 7th, Oceanhouse Media is celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2, with a sale on Dr. Seuss apps through March 7th - a great time to add these classic titles to one’s library of storybook applications. They are all worth purchasing.

Just Going to the Dentist - Little Critter is an adaptation of the title of the same name - part of the Little Critter series of storybooks now available in application form.

As the name may imply, this is the story of the Little Critter’s trip to the dentist. In this world, Little Critter is an anthropomorphic animal - a little boy who has been found to be relatable to by children for many years.

While reading about this trip to the dentist, I enjoy how some of this visit mirrors the experience my son has had while going to the dentist as well, such as the waiting room filled with toys and books, making my son desire to go to his bi-yearly appointment.

I am also glad to see Little Critter go back to the exam room to have his checkup on his own - something my son is now expected to do, which at first was stressful for both him and for myself.

Adults may note how some of the details included, such as the use of a spit sink or the archaic-looking x-ray machine might seem dated by many of today's standards, but this is by far an adult concern and I am happy that Little Critter is wearing a protective apron before the image is taken.

It is important to mention that in this story, a cavity is found on the x-ray, which needs to be filled. A syringe is seen right before Little Critter is being numbed for the drilling that can be heard faintly as an ambient sound.

Parents may have mixed feelings about this detail of the app, some believing that cavities and needles may be too scary for children in preparation for their first visit. Others, especially those with a history of cavities in older siblings or other family members, may feel the need to bring up the topic of cavities as Little Critter is a champ through this process - a good role model who does not fuss during the procedure, yet discusses the odd sensation of numbness - possibly helping children to be aware yet not afraid.

I do think that telling Little Critter that he will not feel anything during this procedure is a bit disingenuous as the needle is felt even if the drilling is not. Therefore, I do wish that the poke was mentioned if this book feels the need to include the filling of a cavity. This explanation, however, may make for wordiness in a way that these titles are not known for.

Personally, I could do without the lollypop offered after the filing - even if it is labeled “sugar-free,” but this is a book worth discussing because parents, I am sure, may want a book which brings up the topic of dentists and even cavities to prepare their children.

Like other books developed by Oceanhouse Media, Just Going to the Dentist includes narration, a mode allowing one to read this book by oneself, as well as Auto play, allowing one to enjoy this book being read by the delightful child voice actor as with the pages turn automatically in Auto Play.

Do tap on the illustrations as object are labeled with narration and text, adding more details to what can be found in an dentists office, such as x-rays or a light box, but I did wish this app would go into even further details instead of labeling many items as just "dentist equipment"

New to this app is the ability to record one’s own voice, download this recording onto any device, as well as sharing personal narrations with others who have access to this app as well.

The text is also highlighted when read - always a nice touch, as is the ability to tap a word to hear it spoken individually.

As is the case of the other Little Critter apps, one can find Spiders and Frogs hidden among these pages, seen as well in the original printed versions that now are included as a simple and sweet added hidden picture mini-game. These original illustrations are also shown with zooming and panning of these pages to draw the reader's eye.

Although this story may not suit the needs of all families who are looking for a story about visiting the dentist, other parents may appreciate how Little Critter handled himself during this visit as a way to prepare their children.

Snow Queen by the developers at Timecode is a very nice adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story of the same name - a lengthy tale traditionally told over seven stories.

I am impressed by how this app also is broken into seven stories to create a thorough version of this classic story - nice to see as many times the Snow Queen is abridged, and oftentimes without the back story of how the magic mirror, which makes all things beautiful look ugly, is produced here by a goblin. It is this mirror, when broken, also negatively affects the people who get imbedded by these shards, making them see and feel as though everything around them is ugly as well.

This is a favorite story of mine as a child, as the idea of being manipulated this way by parts of a broken mirror affected me a great deal, and I am glad to have access to a version that is not shortened or watered down for children, as this version can also be enjoyed by adults, including Andersen fans who have certain expectations from adaptations of his work.

Effective narration is included which I have enjoyed listening to. Although the text is read a little quickly, I don’t believe that this narration is hard to understand or to follow as the sentences are highlighted - a nice touch that differs from the word-for-word highlighting that some books include.

Illustrations are also included - hand-painted and lush with details. It is worth noting that although a smaller illustration is included on the top of each page of text, a beautiful, full page illustration is found after ever page or two, making this not primarily a picture book but a very nice version of this story for an older child who can sit and listen for a good length of time.

Interactions are activites also included adding some fun yet minimal sounds and animations to the illustrations. I appreciate how a hint button is included showing where to tap to find hotspots or how to interact in different ways that children will enjoy, but are not the main selling point of this application.

Parents of older grade school children will be happy to introduce the Show Queen via this application, be it listening to the narration, reading this book out loud themselves, or by children reading this tale to themselves.

I do wish, however, that a table of contents were available in case a family does not have time to complete all seven stories, and it is unfortunate that if this app is closed, the space where readers left off is not saved. Because of this, it is good to know that this app, if left running on the iPad, will open to the page currently being read.

Although I recommend this app now as very nice storytelling, complete with beautiful artwork and lovely background music, being able to bookmark a page as well as a table of contents would be worthwhile inclusions for a future update.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants is a very nice adaptation of the book of the same name - a popular choice among grade school children.

I can remember learning how to read in school, mainly how bored I was by the early reader titles that were made available. Although not specifically “Dick and Jane,” the stories I remember were so simplistic, uninteresting and genteel that they were on the verge of being condescending, without any humor or action to keep me engaged.

Because of this, I am always on the look out for beginner books that will keep my son interested when he begins to read books longer than sparsely worded picture books.

For this reason, I have been eager to share The Adventure of Captain Underpants with him for quite some time as I bought many of these books used from this series from our local library when he was a baby.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants is a cheeky story about two friends who love to pull pranks at school as well as writing comic books, especially The Adventures of Captain Underpants, about a super hero who actually flies around in his underwear.

Things become complicated for the boys when they are caught pulling pranks at their school by their principal, who blackmails them until they are able to hypnotize their principal, yet things take a turn for the worse as the principal takes on the persona of Captain Underpants.

There is a lot that I appreciate about the digitization of this book, as here the story is told in full color instead of the black and white used in my copy of the paperback edition. Even with the color added to these illustrations, the images and text remain the same. Yet very good narration is included which I enjoy a great deal.

The words are not highlighted when read which I find acceptable as most children ready for this story should be able to read along with the text without highlighting assistance.

What I especially like about the narration provided is that different voices are used when dialogue is spoken, breaking up the page a bit to keep kids interested, as well as the slight but effective use of ambient sounds found among these pages. The narration can also be turned off if parents would like to read this book to their children or children to themselves.

Comic Pages are also included that can be enlarged for easier reading, yet are included without narration - good to know if parents want their non-readers to enjoy this book by themselves as they will need help deciphering these panels.

I am grateful that this app does not contain any hotspots to interact with that would become distracting, but there are fun moments where the details from each page move across the screen as the pages are turned for a very nice effect.

I am also happy that this app does save the page one was reading last as well as allowing one to search by chapter to find the menu of pages that one would will then use to find a specific page as a reference.

I also really love how the flip-o-rama pages are included, maintaining the low-tech look from the publisher's copy originally allowing children to flip back and forth between pages to make a cute but crude animated flip book.

My only note is about the included mini-games found both within the story and the ability to select these games from the main page of this app as they are simple and mainly arcade-styled shooting where one tips the iPad to move one’s character while shooting at targets - much like Space Invaders.

It would have been nice if these games were a little less sophomoric - an almost hypocritical request as a fan of The Adventures of Captain Underpants, but I would have appreciated games based more on logic or memory that will in some way serve children. As is, my only hesitation is that my son, if given the iPad to read this book by himself with the aid of narration, may spend his time playing these games intently - not a great use of screen time.

Luckily, there is an avatar maker and a variation on a sound board that allows children to mix different sounds found in this book - both exercises that allow children to be a little creative. Yet it unclear how the advanced functions of the sounds section work as well as the locked content - presumably for this game but I am not really sure.

As a child, I remember being able to borrow albums of books being read out loud that were not abridged in any way such as Alice in Wonderland, and this was the catalyst for me to read books of length on my own.

I enjoy being able to use this app to bridge the gap from my son listening to shorter storybooks on the iPad to a longer chapter book that we can both listen to and enjoy. I hope this app will pique his interest in reading the other books from this series as well.

Although The Adventures of Captain Underpants is not great literature, I don’t think it has to be as long as the book is fun and encourages an interest in reading.

I do think some children could feel overwhelmed by the length of the paperback, while a short read for adults and first chapter book can seem overwhelming to reluctant readers - not an issue with an application.

Some adults may not be fond of the potty and even poop humor found throughout this story making this an application that is not suitable for all families. I do appreciate this story not only for its silly humor but for its dramatic structure of including a cohesive beginning, middle and end, as well as the friendship between these boys, one caucasian and one non-caucasian and their love of writing comic books - a hobby I would be proud for my son to share.

For these reasons I am glad that The Adventures of Captain Underpants has been adapted into an app for iPad. I hope more popular chapter books will be developed as well, both by Scholastic as well as other publishers.

McElligot’s Pool is an early Dr. Seuss tale about the vivid imagination of a boy who fantasizes about the fish he may find in a polluted body of water said to be too dirty to support fishing.

Published in 1947, the style found in this book is a little different from the expected pen and ink used in other stories, instead using what to me looks like colored pencils or possibly water colors creating a softer look that I find interesting compared to the sharp lines I am used to in these storybooks.

The zooming and panning of these illustrations are included, typical of the adapted apps developed by Oceanhouse Media to draw the eye to different sections of the pages for visual interest, yet the softness of these images leads to what can momentarily look like resolution issues, as these pictures lack a crisp edge that leads to easy enlarging. Luckily, these moments go back fast and will not register for most children.

I do like a great deal, however, how the black and white illustrations also found in the book look on the backlit screen of the iPad and iPhone.

John Bell, my favorite narrator, is back - much to my delight. I love his narrations, always bringing life to the books he is a part of, especially here bringing so much wonderment as the boy in this story first describes how this pool could possibly be connected to a larger body of water, a possible source in which fish could live. The cadence is perfect as a boy with a vivid imagination speaking on his feet, stretching a story farther and farther the way my son, who also has a vast imagination, might.

This story contains parts with a fair amount of repetition and lacks the Dr. Seussian whimsical words which can actually make Dr. Seuss books hard to read for some, making this story a great early read for the intermediate reader who is up for a lengthy yet simple to read story. It is also quite helpful that if one chooses to silence the narration, words can still be heard with a tap, always nice for children who may feel stuck on certain words.

Also available is the chance to turn off the fun ambient sound effects which I personally always enjoy a great deal as well as the ability to tap objects in the pages to hear and see these words displayed.

New to these apps is the ability to share personal narrations between those who each own this application.

McElligot’s Pool is a Seuss story which may be less known than some of his other titles but is worth checking out. I look forward to see what other Seuss titles are to be adapted into applications in the future as well.

Doctor Cat is a cute children’s app allowing users to use different medicines to treat animals.

This app is bright and colorful, with a simple and sweet narrative about a cat finding a lost doctor's bag and using its contents to treat creatures in need.

Do note the cloud at the top of each animal page which is pulled down to find the tools one uses to treat the sick. Although I don’t think the contents of the medical bag would necessarily be found by children who stumbled across this app themselves, the placement of these objects is explained in the parents' section, and once shown, children will have no problem accessing and using these tools to help the animals feel better.

Right hand taps to page turning arrows allow this story to progress, but children are able to choose the animals directly from a menu page styled like a map or maze, showing the cat making his rounds to each patient. Feel free to follow the path or choose any animal favorites one may desire. Other Simple hotspots along the way that add some other interactive details without too much distraction.

Narration is included which is clear and well-spoken, and I appreciate how children use both their empathy as well as rudimentary first aid knowledge to choose the appropriate remedy for each animal.

I can seen this app being used as a gentle reminder to be easy and helpful when taking medicine, yet I can’t help but notice that many of the drugs given, even on an OTC level, are not typically approved for children at the young age this app is geared for, and I would not want my young child asking me for drugs as treatments for simple colds or other viruses.

Having said this, I do think this app is charming, allowing children to take steps to make hurt or sick animals feel better - which children will really enjoy. My son loves to play animal doctor with his stuffed animals, and although I would never expect this app to take the place of this creative play, I like how he can still do this kind of pretending when we are out and about without all the plastic medical tools he has collected over the years.

There is an undeniable level of quality in Dr. Cat, a role-playing app that children are sure to enjoy a great deal, making this app great for toddlers' social intelligence and simple cognitive skills.

StoryBox 2 is a second installment of the digital magazine StoryBox, based on the award winning children’s magazine of the same name and based in the UK.

Because my son has begun to enjoy published children’s magazines at this point, I am always interested in reviewing their digital equivalents.

StoryBox 2 consists of five different sections: a short story as well as two non-fiction sections, an area of games and activities and a second chapter to Polo - a serial cartoon without words.

I do enjoy the Storytime selection, A Night At School, about anthropomorphic animals spending the night at school to avoid a wolf who had been spotted near by, as this story includes an appropriate amount of suspense relatable to my son who I am sure would have a range of emotions regarding the idea of spending the night at school.

There is a very nice moment when the animal children meet the wolf for the first time, realizing that this animal is old and means them no harm - a moment that I think children will keep with them for some time.

Based in the UK, the narrator, to an American ear, has an accent as well as speaks a little quickly but should not be too much of a problem for children to listen to. It is also worth noting that one can record one's own narration - always a good option to have.

I was also quite impressed with the information explained in the Wonder with the Wizkid area of this app, as children learn alongside a curious alien child, allowing children to tap this character’s speech bubbles as Wizkid asks all kinds of questions - here about why humans have five fingers.

I especially like how more in depth the information gets as children then turn the page, tapping to read and hear more about this subject, comparing human hands to those of other animals such as cats, monkeys or fish.

This section also includes some Fun Facts about evolution, and I admire how it is explained that although scientists don’t know why exactly humans have five fingers, there is much that we do know about the subject. I want my son to begin to understand that for some questions, there are no good answers, and that this can nevertheless be ok.

Animal World is another very nice non-fiction section that discusses the world of stags, adult male deer.

There is a lot of information for children to absorb both by reading as well as listening, and I learned some interesting facts about these animals here as well. The illustrations included are wonderful, highly detailed and attractive, but it would have also been nice to see some actual stag photos.

Pull-up window tabs are also included that cover such information as where do stags live, what do they eat and what size do they grow to, but I wish more information were included than “They are a lot bigger than you” to describe the rough drawing of the scale between a child and stag, which could have been more fully explored.

Fun and Games is an interactive area of this app that contains traditional activities such as a Dot-to-Dot, coloring or spot-the-difference pages. My favorite pages from this section involve the tapping to count different vegetables during snack time and a puzzle exercise where one drags puzzle elements which fit into the image of the larger page consisting of a maze that is then completed with the drag of a finger. I do wish an eraser were offered as a tool to aid children as they complete the dot-to-dot and maze activity, and it would also be great if one could tap for hints or simply see the completed Find the Difference page as children may not complete this section without help.

Polo is the serial comic of StoryBox. Without words, this story is dreamlike, picking up from the end of the first chapter where Polo, a dog character, travels up into space from his bedroom window. This adventure continues into a new venue promised for the next installment. I do love the gentle storytelling of Polo, but I do wish each chapter were a little longer as I simply would love more.

Do note that one can tap these comic book-inspired panels, enlarging them to full screen as one wishes as well as recording one’s own stories based on what is seen. Although I don’t often make my own recordings when narration is included, I see great benefit to being able to have children record their own stories - here told without words and wonderful for their creativity. This music included here is also perfectly relaxing, making this section especially desirable at bedtime.

Although I don’t think that a few of the activities such as a single coloring or Dot-To-Dot pages are what make this app stand out from others in iTunes, I truly enjoyed learning about the topics of human hands and stags as well as the other included stories, making this an easy application to recommend.

This is the second in a series of StoryBox applications. If interested, please read my first StoryBox review on GiggleApps as well.

Rounds: Parker Penguin is a delightful universal app that nicely blends elements of Life Sciences into the story of penguin life in Antarctica, the second in a series of Rounds apps from Nosy Crow.

Rounds: Parker Penguin wonderfully captures the life cycle of these creatures from birth to procreation, depicting three generations of offspring.

There are two basic ways of exploring Rounds: Parker Penguin. In Read and Play, follow along with highlighted text as one listens to narration. Tap the screen to interact with surroundings, especially looking for blue dots used to highlight interactive hotspots, also keeping in mind that Parker and other characters may also speak if touched.

In Read to Myself, the use of sound effects and music are still included, but the text is silenced allowing children to read to themselves, including the added dialogue of the penguins, now seen only as speech bubbles.

I really appreciate all the polish that has been included within the Rounds apps, as the interactions bring not only richness to this story but their actions often propel the narrative and are never random or distracting in any way and sometimes going beyond a tap or drag to create wonderful moments which add important facts or details to this application.

The palette used of blue, white and shades of grey captures Antarctica beautifully, as do the stylized illustrations with a heavy use of circles and half circles that I have come to expect from the Rounds series.

I admire the slow pacing of this app, as children will need to take their time allowing moments to unfold, tapping characters more than once to hear extra penguin facts. The included musical score, sound effects and whale sounds found within the ocean all work together to create a thoroughly relaxing experience children and adults will enjoy a great deal.

Although one can turn the pages at any time, this function is asleep and needs to be tapped twice to forward the pages before everything has been explored within, then becoming black and bouncing, letting readers know it is safe to turn the page - an inclusion I greatly appreciate.

As gentle as this app is, children will also have a lot of fun with the speed Parker can slide or swim, yet maintaining the serene environment - an element that has mild arcade elements while sustaining a relaxing tone. Likewise, I enjoy helping Parker feed, as he swims after little fish yet avoids larger fish who may also be hungry, nicely touching upon predator and prey in a way that is sensitive and age-appropriate.

As this app progresses, Parker grows into an adult and goes on a march looking for a mate. I love the music and dance used to express the mating ritual of these animals as well as the egg passing made famous by the movie March of the Penguins.

When it is time, help the egg hatch with a tap, learning about baby penguins along the way as this new penguin grows into adulthood as well, mating and becoming a father himself.

Three generations of penguins are included with different names but same life experiences as this app cycles over to great effect. I do wish, however, that parents had a choice to end the app after three generations if they choose to in order to create an endpoint often found helpful in reining in their children, especially at bedtime.

Even with this mild note, Rounds: Parker Penguin will be a wonderful addition to any digital library. The writing is thoughtful and is quite conversational, delivering facts about penguins that will stay with children for a long time.

I have also greatly enjoyed the first app in this series Rounds: Franklin Frog. I hope to see more of these apps in the future as they are top-notch in every way and are screen time that adults can feel good about.

I simply adore Martha Speaks Story Maker, an app for iPhone based on the hit PBS show and previously published storybook, Martha Speaks, about a talking dog – an educational show which teaches synonyms and new vocabulary to children.

I am a big fan of this PBS show because I think it is an effective and ingenious way of improving children’s vocabulary, as this show is liberally peppered with sophisticated words using both the context of the story as well as Martha explaining these words in ways most conversational.

Martha Speaks Story Maker opens with a series of questions for the players about the story they would like to create - be it characters, locations or items of interest to be used in their own unique and fun adventures. These choices are then used in a cute and creative story and there are enough variables to choose from that each story can easily be different from the last and can be stored in this app's library to be enjoyed in the future.

I also really appreciate the inclusion of traditional pop-up book taps that one can pull to see animations stylized as traditional pop-up book movements that I find utterly cute and charming.

Another section of this app is the Word Bone Zone where children are tested on the words that they have just learned by asking them to choose the correct synonyms, further emphasizing the new vocabulary that have been learned.

If needed, tap on Martha to hear the question again, but I wish the two possible word answers were also read out loud again for children who can comprehend these larger words yet may not be able to read them.

Even with this minor note, I really enjoy the time I spend with this app. The choices that are made by children fit seamlessly into this app to create really cute and funny stories that children can feel proud about constructing.

I can think of few better ways to introduce new vocabulary words to children, thus possibly making this app useful for English as a second language as well as an app for children with special needs who could benefit from learning new vocabulary as well.

This is the third app based on Martha Speaks for either iPad or iPhone. My family enjoyed each of them, and I have had the pleasure of reviewing the two most recent apps. If interested, please search for my review of Martha Speaks Word Spinner here at GiggleApps as well.

I hope that more wonderful apps based on this terrific show are developed. I have come to realize that an app based on a favorite TV show or magazine does not guarantee a great application, but after experiencing the other Martha Speaks apps that have become available, I will be very eager to explore any new Martha Speaks apps that may be released in the future.