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The Great Cookie Thief is a new universal interactive storybook app by Callaway Digital Arts based on a popular Sesame Street segment from 1971 and later a book of the same name.

The Great Cookie Thief is a silly story with a western theme, taking place in a saloon when patrons notice a stranger who oddly looks very much like the wanted poster of the “Great Cookie Thief” that this stranger is standing next to. Children and their adults will have a lot of fun with this tale as they will recognize Cookie Monster both as the Cookie Thief in the poster as well as the stranger himself.

The other people in the saloon take notice of this stranger, but not wanting to make any hasty assumptions, compare the traits that both the thief and this other character share, such as big, white goggly eyes, wide mouth, blue fur or black hat. Everything checks out, but this sly stranger notes that he does not resemble the poster because he is without an important element that he himself draws on the poster with great comic nuance. There is also a silly ending that children of all ages will smile at.

Interestingly, the original take on this story was for Cookie Monster to draw a mustache on the poster, but this fun digital adaptation has a few disguises for Cookie Monster to choose from, including a mustache, pigtails or glasses. Children can also choose with a tap what details one can compare with Cookie Monster and the poster, offering children a chance to explore three out of five available details. It is especially nice that the sheriff in this story talks directly to the readers, deputizing them and drawing children directly into this story as they choose which Cookie Monster traits to compare.

The illustrations are wonderful as one may expect, bright and colorful, including muppet characters that readers will have great affection for. I really enjoy how the animated details are creatively articulated throughout these pages while never being very video-like - an aspect I think many parents will appreciate. A nice layered 3D look is included - effective without being a distraction.

I also really enjoy the chance to interact with other auxiliary characters found in the saloon to hear witty comments that are also heard between page turns. For the richest experience, do wait to hear this dialogue before turning the pages, and it is charming how the reader is drawn into the story.

My son has been very excited about this app from the moment I told him I was given the opportunity to review this application. He pestered me until I downloaded this app onto our devices and really enjoys this fun interactive story. It was also the first app he asked for when an unfortunate situation made me need to re-install apps back onto my iPhone - high praise to be sure.

It may be worth noting that Cookie Monster actually does not say much in this story, and in some ways his participation is slim. Having said this, it was Cookie Monster who was the big draw for my son, and he loves this story even without it being focused on Cookie himself.

A section is included which allows children to make their own wanted poster from characters in this story using a photo from their device or from a new photo if their device has a camera. Draw over or add stickers from the chosen character or photo, which will be turned into a wanted poster complete with a new, silly Western name and crime that has been committed. The saving, printing and emailing of these posters are also options.

I also really like the parents' section of this app which explains not only this app’s functions but also offers hints on how to help children get the most from this cute story. The included music is also great, ranging from a simple western theme to that which would be at home within Kill Bill - a nuance that adults will appreciate while keeping this app utterly family-friendly.

I did not, however, find reference to the in-app purchases I saw available through iTunes. I am not typically a fan of these add-ons, especially within apps that one pays for, as I would rather pay upfront than feel, in general, manipulated into getting what I often consider the full content of an application. Having said this, I did not find how to make these purchases within the app, or what they offer readers - an odd omission that maybe I have missed.

Even with this issue, my son and I have enjoyed this story very much. The one note I do have is that the pages take a very long time to load between each page, which can take a reader out of this experience. Luckily, being big Muppet and Sesame Street fans, we found the story and overall style still engaging and worth the wait for the pages to load, but I can imagine others feeling differently - especially since many, if not most, other interactive storybooks load pages without effort.

The Great Cookie Thief is still an easy book to recommend, but I hope the page-loading time can be greatly reduced in the future. We have also had issues with this app crashing on us. I hope this concern can also be dealt with in a future update.

Another Monster at the End of this Book...Staring Grover and Elmo is a universal interactive storybook application and a fun sequel to the previously reviewed app, The Monster at the End of This Book...starring Grover, an interactive storybook based on the published book of the same name.

Much like its predecessor, this interactive app tells the story of Grover who, after reading the title of this book, is afraid to get to the end of this story because he is afraid of monsters, here co-starring Elmo as well. Interactive elements are included that foil Grover's attempts to keep readers from digitally turning the pages as they get closer and closer to the end.

At first glance, this book is a remake of a classic story that many will feel does not need to be updated with an additional character. At first, I admit that I believed this same way. I must note, however, that the inclusion of Elmo changes the dynamic to a tone some parents may feel is more child-friendly.

As I have mentioned in my previous review, The Monster at the End of This Book is a true family favorite in our house, a book both my husband and I loved as children as well. This title is very creative and witty, and most children will get a kick out of the humor within these pages as Grover begs and pleads for readers not to turn the pages.

As much as I love this story, hamming it up when I read this book out loud to our son, it does register in the back of my mind how mean-spirited this book may seem to some as Grover’s angst seems very real, and yet my son take great delight in turning these pages without concern for Grover’s feelings.

For this reason, I think Sesame Street did a nice job in creating a related story with the same fun elements with less drama, as here Elmo’s character is actually quite curious about the monster at the end of this book, and Grover, a worrier by nature in this story, does not display the same level of anxiety while these pages are turned, and even becomes willing to take a look at this monster after Elmo's insistance.

Here, this story shows the relationship - the give and take - between these characters instead of the connection Grover makes with the audience within the first book and application, as the original first-person delivery of Grover's woes may make the first story all the more troubling for some. Because of this, families also looking for a gentler version of The Monster at the End of This Book may be very fond of this application.

Children and adults will really enjoy the interactive elements included as well as watching these scenes unfold with nice animated elements which still look very much like moving book illustrations that parents will appreciate.

I also enjoy the fun extra moments found when one fully lets each page play out that are not included within the published version such as cute banter between these characters, comedic moments as well as hints to the included interactions.

I find the “Parents” section of this app to be thoughtfully written, Elmo’s tutorial helpful to new app users, and the ability to personalize this app with a children’s name cute, yet I could do without the pull-out tab of other apps available by these developers as this kind of app fuels the wants of children in ways parents don’t always appreciate.

Having said this, I am very pleased with how this book has been adapted into an application - something the developers at Callaway Digital Arts do a uniformly good job with. If interested, please check out their other titles based on published books as well. They are of a consistent high quality.

The Monster at the End of This Book...starring Grover! is a wonderful adaptation of the classic picture book of the same name, starring Grover from Sesame Street. I am enjoy this application greatly, having purchased this app when it was first released a while back, and I am happy now to have the chance to review this app for readers.

The Monster at the End of This Book, as a traditionally published book, has been a family favorite since my son was young as well as a story both my husband and I remember from our childhoods - an especially popular book with my husband when he was a boy.

I have had a lot of fun reading this book to my son, as here, Grover is very afraid of the idea that there is a monster at the end of the book, asking the readers not to turn any pages to avoid this creature, creating barricades along the way to prevent page turning. I must admit, however, that I never got Grover’s voice just right, much to the chagrin of my son who wanted me to sound just like Grover from TV.

Because of this, I remember being very excited when I first heard that this classic book had been turned into an interactive application, and I happy to announce that the end product lives up to the high expectations that I had of this title.

Possibly the best element here is the fact that Grover himself does the narration, pitch-perfect as one can imagine. The original artwork is included as well, along with seamlessly animated moments setting up the images captured from the printed material, such as Grover building a wall of bricks that is seen only in its completion within the published story. I am also happy that the unique use of text layout, font choices and color within the text is maintained as well, with possibly more impact within this app as the words appear on the screen as well as faintly highlighted when spoken, drawing in the readers attention for a very nice effect.

I also appreciate how the Grover animations look more like articulated drawings without a fully animated video feel that may be off-putting to some parents looking to avoid animated books akin to television.

I very much like the ease of use of this application as well, as one simply taps the corners to advance, something readers are not able to turn pages prematurely. This app also includes a nice cue to turn each page, as the corner of the page to be turned flaps slightly and includes the subtle yet effective page turning sound effects.
The adding of page-turning arrows is also an option. Yellow highlights are also included to show where to tap to trigger hotspots, such as the knots Grover has tied in rope to try to keep children from turning the page which are very effective in demonstrating where the interactive areas of this storybook are located.

It is also a nice touch that Grover will tell readers himself how to work through the interactions if children pause at tapping these interactive areas, adding some fun, conversational humor not found within the traditional book. Do take the time to look for these fun moments as they are very cute and inventive, offering up hidden ways of interacting with this book as well, such as tickling Grover or shaking the device to knock down a brick wall protecting the pages from being turned.

A very good use of musical moments is also included - an element not found by simply reading this book to one’s child which I found especially well done, adding a lot to the richness of this delightful story.

Another nice inclusion is a parents' section which discusses how to deal with children’s fears as well as other tips on getting the most out of sharing this app with one’s children.

I especially like how manners are touched upon as my son had real laugh-out-loud moments interactive with this application, turning the pages against the express request of Grover, who is not being comforted at all during this experience. We love this book, and I recommend this application and the published book without hesitation, but parents may feel the need to talk to their children about not doing the opposite that a friend requests just for a laugh.

I am glad to see a menu included as I can imagine children asking for specific scenes over and over again - a nice touch.

The only thing I wish that could be included was a way to turn off the tab that can be opened to see other applications available by this developer, Callaway Digital Arts. It is true that one has to tap a specific area of the tab to get full access to this section in a way that adults are bound to maintain control, but children can still see the images of other apps they may desire, enough to add them to a list of wants that may not thrill parents.

Having said this, I highly recommend this application to families who have enjoyed this title before as a traditional storybook as well as fans of Sesame Street, yet rest assured that children new to Grover will enjoy this app just as much. Parents will enjoy this application as well as the interactions which truly propel this story forward and are never random.

If readers have not done so yet, they may want to take the time to familiarize themselves with developer, Callaway Digital Arts, as they have a very nice selection of apps available, especially those which have been adapted from previously published stories including familiar characters that kids will love such as Angelina Ballerina or Miss Spider’s Tea Party, another personal favorite app.

Readers may also be interested to know that a companion app, Another Monster at the End of This Book...Starring Grover & Elmo, is also available through iTunes, also to be reviewed soon here at GiggleApps.

Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels is a universal interactive storybook app, also including a video and extras that will be of interest to fans of Thomas and Friends, from the developers at Callaway Digital Arts.

For those who do not know, Callaway Digital Arts has developed high quality apps based on some of children’s favorite series, specifically Miss Spider’s Tea Party, Angelina Ballerina and Thomas and Friends.

Here, Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesel is a story dealing with the interpersonal relationships between the trains living on the island of Sodor. Here, a new train has come into town who seems to be getting all of Thomas’s attention, much to the disappointment of another train, Percy, who is then manipulated by the foils of this story, the diesels, and is lured to dieselworks, home of these not-so-nice trains with the promise of friendship, but in reality this is part of the diesel trains' plan to take over Sodor’s Steamworks.

This story also includes some nice moments of adventure and fire-fighting as well. While in narrater mode, the words are also hightailed when read, always a nice touch for young readers.

Told both in storybook form with included mild but effective hotspots as well as CGI video, this nicely done app also includes a song which has the words being sung highlighted at the bottom of the screen, karaoke-style. Coloring book pages, a matching game and puzzles are also included.

To be honest, I prefer my anthropomorphic characters to be animals, not inanimate objects like cars or trains, a personal preference of mine and the reason that we have never really gotten into Thomas and Friends or the like at our house, although occasionally my son has gotten a few Thomas-themed toys as gifts and has seen the show a few times as well.

Because of this, I did find the plot of this story somewhat confusing, presumably because I am a true outsider when it comes to all things Thomas and I know nothing of the various characters found throughout.

Based on a full length DVD of the same name, a lot of plot points are incorporated into this storybook, making the narrative a little cumbersome for me, but I am sure this would be less of an issue for fans of this series who are familiar with these characters and the style of Thomas stories in general.

I did like the issues touched upon here, such as knowing who your true friends are, and the feelings of rejection when new, popular kids come to town, allowing for some nice open-ended conversations for adults to have with their children.

This app will make a great companion piece to any family who has watched this DVD or who are fans of the show. The quality of this app, the narration and the sound effects included with this storybook are very well done, and I enjoy being able to enlarge the text with a tap for an easier read, especially when the narration is turned off. I also appreciate the included menu of pages and the ease of use of the settings as well.

Some nice extras are also included here, and I do enjoy how the completion of the included puzzles brings player to a short clip from the video where this puzzle image presumably was pulled from.

It is also nice that the matching game allows one to choose an easier or more difficult level that contains more cards that one has to turn over and match together, each including a character from the book and have a sound bite of their very own. These moments include a few words found within this story, making this a more engaging experience than other games like it without specific sound effects.

The coloring book consists of six pages to color, but I would like to see more brush size choices, as here only a larger paintbrush and a smaller pen are offered, and I still think children will find it difficult to color within the lines of some of these more detailed areas of some of the included trains. It would be nice if one could enlarge these images to color in the fine details if one wanted to - just an idea for a future update.

I find it interesting that this CGI video, although recapping the same story as the storybook, possesses a very different look, more of a music video of sorts, than the included storybook, this app offering two unique experiences fans of Thomas will enjoy.

I do recommend this app for any family with a Thomas and Friends enthusiast, especially those who are a fan of the DVD. I know my son asks to watch DVDs before bed when there is little time, so it is nice that parents in this same predicament with their own children can read this storybook or watch the included video before bed instead.

This specific Thomas app I do feel is best suited for those already fond of and knowledgeable about Thomas and Friends. Children new to this franchise may find themselves subsequently feeling a little lost, as did I, but I can imagine fans of Thomas really enjoying this application, and for those families, I recommend this app.