The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore Review

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore is a very special interactive storybook for iPad that is perfectly realized in every way. Strong words, I know, but this app is simply wonderful, poetic and beautiful experience for all ages. Based on the short film of the same name, this ebook has interwoven interactions and other animated visuals that are simply striking for use of imagery that will stay with the reader for a very long time.

It is hard really to write this review as I would encourage readers to experience this themselves, as I don’t think my words here will do this app justice. The story is said to be inspired by hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, and the Wizard of Oz equally, and is about a man who is currently writing a book about his life. One day, his world gets turned upside down but is fortunate to later find a library filled with books with flying abilities that need a caregiver. In reality, this app is really about so much more. My son, at 3.5 years, still takes things on face value, and for him, this story book is about the love of reading and the warm embrace books deserve as the protagonist takes care of these flying books as if they are living, breathing things.

Some critics worry that the use of book apps will make traditional books less important and not as much a part of children’s daily lives as in the past. I make sure that we read as many - if not more - classic picture books as ebooks, and I am so very happy that this app, using the technology of the iPad, engrains a true love of reading and the importance of books within this application.

The look of this app is simply stunning, mixing a use of both black and white as well as color, many times juxtipositioning both on the same page. The black and white images possess many shades of gray, making them as rich and lush as the best black and white films that classic Hollywood has to offer. The color images here are just as grand and lush, full of saturated colors reminding me of the Technicolor at its most vivid. Combined on the same page creates something very special and very beautiful. I am grateful to introduce my son to the effects of these wonderful black and white images, something he has not yet been exposed to.

The interactions work seamlessly within these pages, and I appreciate how hotspots are many times shaded gray as a subtle hint on where to tap, working well to help the reader find interactions without being overly distracting. Possibly my favorite moment is when the main character Lessmore walks into the library for the first time, allowing the reader to tap various books which in turn speak famous lines from the works of such authors as Edgar Alan Poe, Shakespeare, or Mark Twain. This moment’s true impact may be lost on my son, but I found it very moving.

The interactions offered here are varied and quite captivating. I love how Lessmore meets a new best friend from the pages of one of these books, this friend coming alive as well as becoming an important character within these pages and creating a book within a book with great effect, leading the reader through many interactions including a musical one where one is guided through the playing of a simple song as well as others, truly bringing this character to life, and I am impressed how emotionally involved I became with this character from a simple children's rhyme.

I also enjoyed the puzzles included, designed like torn pages that need to be painstakingly taped back together, something my son and I can relate to as I have also mended a few pages of our books as well. It is quite beautiful how one can change day to night and back again, as well as the changes of seasons, illustrating the many years that Lessmore has spent with these books. By the end, the reader becomes aware of the circular nature of this story, something I greatly appreciate.

This app has a nice selection of features that aid in personalizing the experience, hiding the text if one so chooses as he listens to equally well-done narration, which can just as easily be silenced. Music and sound effects are included and are of equal quality; each can be played together or independently from the text or narration if one so chooses. A menu is also included to make finding a special place in this story easier for the reader, an addition I always enjoy.

I highly recommend this app to anyone who owns an iPad, with or without children as simply all ages will enjoy this book. Adults will be moved in ways their children might not understand, and it is possible that I enjoy this book more than my son does.

I truly hope to see more storybook applications from the developers at MoonBot Studios. The images of this interactive story book will stay with me for a very long time. Please note: the short film of the same name is also available in iTunes, something I have become very interested in as well.