Millie Was Here, Book 1: Meet Millie Review

Millie Was Here is a super cute iPad app that introduces children to the character of Millie the dog in this highly creative interactive experience.

The moment the narration began within this app I knew that I was going to enjoy this immensely, as the quality of this narrator’s voice is rich, resonating and dramatic. I don’t know the exact way to describe the sound that is emoted here, but this style is my very favorite when it comes to narration, as to me it is the perfect radio voice and I appreciate the mood created here, starting this book on a wonderful note.

It nice that these words are highlighted as this book is read out loud, and this app can be read by oneself as well. A very nice "Bedtime Mode" is also included, a nice feature that dims the screen of the iPad, helping children transition to sleep.

I love the epic tale told here about a one-in-a-million dog with special powers. The buildup is powerful and I love the stylized look of this highly interactive app, reminiscent of Victorian penny arcades and vintage pop-up books with an abundance of levers to pull or slide, dials to spin and buttons to press on. A beautiful wood grain detail is also used throughout this app, this detail peaking out from the bottom of the pages where the forward, back, and menu buttons are found, as well as other areas, adding to the vintage feel of this interactive ebook. The carnival music used throughout this app also adds a great deal of charm and style to this sweet, clever and inventive application.

My son really enjoyed the great reveal of Millie herself. Much like seeing the Wizard of Oz for the first time, it may not be what one would expect as this one-in-a-million dog is actually a modern little dog, ordinary in many ways, creating a lovely juxtaposition to the larger-than-life description and story told about this animal. This tale continues, giving details about
Millie’s daily life, wonderfully spun to make her seem out of this world and includes photos and videos of the real Millie, demonstrating what is being explained from her more humble point-of-view. Stickers can be found in each page, and I appreciate how a metal claw reaches into the page to save the sticker for later, also nicely stylized and with a carnival feel. Some fun mini-games are included within this application.

This is a free app worth the download and although not as lengthy as some paid books, contains an abundance of style and interactions. My son really enjoys this app and it works well as a stand-alone experience.

The last page introduces the next book in this series, a paid app named Millie and the Lost Key, but this application is much more than a simple teaser, something I greatly appreciate as many “lite” version of an ebook that contains only the first few pages, often stopping abruptly - many times at a cliffhanger.

Children will simply love Millie, and parents will greatly appreciate all the stylized details and whimsy that are within these pages. If interested, look for my review of Millie and the Lost Key - Millie Was Here, Book 2 to be published later at GiggleApps, available for purchase at iTunes.