Tag: Disney Publishing Worldwide Applications »

Brave: Storybook Deluxe is a lovely digital storybook novelization of the new full length feature film Brave. As one would expect from this Disney Pixar film, the illustrations, music and narration are quite striking and beautifully crafted - especially the brilliant use of bright and bold colors which was the main detail that caught my eye the first time I saw a trailer for this film.

Brave is a charming coming-of-age story about a princess, Merida, who is opposed to being married off to one of three allied princes to keep the peace between neighboring kingdoms.

I enjoy this princess story as this tale makes note of how being heir to the throne comes with responsibilities - making Merida a princess who has no issues with entitlement, who is physically strong, skilled at archery and is true to herself - a princess I would be happy for a child to emulate.

Two modes of reading this story exist, including Follow Along which includes highlighted text and the auto turning of pages as well as animated elements from the film.

Read and Play includes illustrated scenes with mild animated details, simple hotspots to tap as well as a treasure hunt of sorts as one seeks out the arrows hidden within these pages.

One also has the chance to record personal narration but this choice did not work well for me as my narration was drowned out by the included music - beautiful as it is. Because of this, I do wish that one would have been given volume control to both the voiceover playback as well as the music volume separately. I have also noticed that the highlighted text function that coincides with the narration is a little out of sync, and although it is possible this may not register with most children enjoying this application I did find this issue a little distracting.

Even with these notes, I do think Brave: Storybook Deluxe is one of the better applications bringing a full length animated movie to the smaller digital screen. I admire how illustrations are included between page turns that add more detail to the storytelling, making the experience more engaging than other apps which can feel like multiple plot points strung together without any dramatic arc of their own.

Having said this, it is also worth noting that the animated details and interactive moments within the storybook section of this app are few - worth mentioning as parents expecting a truly animated or interactive experience may be disappointed. This app is quite enjoyable, however, as a narrated storybook with illustrations.

Other extras are included such as a medieval target arcade game which works best on iPad as the targets are a bit small on the iPhone, although the storybook modes do look wonderful on either device.

Very nice puzzles are included, incorporating images from this storybook each consisting of 25 pieces that are fit within a background which includes a faint reference image to work off of. A nice sense of "grab" is included drawing pieces to their correct spots, this app also doing a nice job of only offering five pieces to work with at a time as to not overwhelm players, but it would be great if one could choose the number of pieces within these puzzles.

A coloring section is also available where one can use the drag of a finger to color in stills from this storybook which is a pleasant activity, yet it does surprise me that only two crayon points are included, and these pages are devoid of options such as an erase or “go back” button or “paint bucket” mode. It is nice, though, that one can return to these pages to continue coloring in the future as well as to be able to save their coloring pages on their camera roll and also have the ability to email their work to others.

Although we have not as a family had a chance to see this movie in the theatre, I look forward to this family outing with excitement, having some inside information about this story. I am glad this princess story can be enjoyed by those not really into princesses much like my son who tries to avoid anything that may seem at first glance to be “too girly.”

The ability to re-watch this movie within the parameter of a storybook at any time makes this app an easy one to recommend, but I can imagine parents feeling overwhelmed by this app’s current price tag of $6.99 - unfortunate because the quality, as one can expect from Disney Pixar, is simply stellar.

Please note that I will be reviewing the related app, Brave Interactive Comic, an interactive comic geared towards older children in the future. Please check iTunes for details if interested, and check back here at GiggleApps in the future for my review of this other app based on Disney Pixar’s Brave.

Avengers Origins: Hulk is a new universal interactive storybook apple ication that introduces the classic Marvel character, the Hulk, to children. I really enjoy this re-telling of such a classic story, narrated by Stan Lee who does an outstanding job as one would expect.

I enjoy how this story unfolds, especially for children who may be new to this character as this app opens up with a thoughtful introduction, walking readers through Bruce Banner's difficult childhood, becoming a scientist and the details of the faithful day that Banner becomes mistakenly affected by gamma radiation, developing the uncontrollable ability to turn into the Hulk when he is angered.

The look of this app is great as well, with attractive artwork, animated elements and page turning that includes many more cinematic ways of progressing through the story and keeping readers engaged than a simple turn of a static page, as do the interactive elements found within. Hidden Hulk fists are also to be collected when found within the pages of this story. The included music is also excellent, going a long way in terms of creating moments of drama and suspense.

It does surprise me, however, that Betty Ross, a love interest of Bruce Banner, is not included within this story and I was not hugely fond of Hulk being an intelligent being who tries to avoid injuring others and becoming a hero to the soldiers whom he was clashing with. To me, the Hulk has always been more of a Frankenstein monster not looking to harm anyone, yet still greatly misunderstood.

Even with these notes, this app is great fun, and my husband and I have enjoyed watching this story unfold with our son.

It is also nice that a “young reader's” mode is also included, adding arrows at the outer top corners of these pages to move forward and back through these pages - helpful for some as without this specific mode, a tap anywhere on the page will turn the page, allowing random taps to accidentally turn the pages prematurely before the narration is complete.

The narration by Stan Lee is no less than perfect, but it can be turned off if one prefers to read this story to one's children. Auto play is also available which will forward this story automatically, turning off the interactions in the progress.

I have also had the chance to check out a new magazine readers may be interested in called “Marvel Super Heroes” which not only includes comics to read but also includes a full color pull-out poster, word puzzle, maze and other entertaining content, my personal favorite being the superhero bios that go a long way in introducing these characters to children.

Subscriptions to this magazine are available and can also be purchased at retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kroger stores and Barnes and Noble. The target age of this magazine is for eight to ten, but I think younger children will also enjoy this periodical as well.

The only thing I wish were different about this fun magazine is for the poster to be a pull-out from the center page, not the cover, as removing the cover makes this magazine inherently less likely to be saved from one month to the next and beyond. Other than that, it is a lot of fun.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App! is a quirky and creative interactive universal storybook app which brings to life Mo Willems's character, Pigeon, found within his hit series of picture books.

We love the book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and other stories from this series in our house, so I was very eager to review this application. For those who do not know, this app is based on titles such as Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus or Don’t let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, as these books open with the Bus Driver asking the readers to do him a favor and keep reckless Pigeon out of trouble by not letting him drive the bus or stay up late and so forth. The rest of the story is about the pigeon trying every trick in the book to convince one to do what he wants, allowing children to stand up to the pigeon, saying “no” to his pleas.

I love these books. Pigeon can be cheeky, and my son has used pigeons’s one-liners, such as offering to “Give you five bucks” himself to try to stay up late. For this reason, some parents may feel that this pigeon is a bad influence on children, but I love the idea of my son practicing his ability to say “no” to this scheming pigeon as I want him to be prepared to stand his ground later in life when he is confronted by peer pressure, and I want him to recognize when he is being manipulated.

This app nicely translates these titles into witty videos that kids and adults will really enjoy. I like the fact that there are three levels of interaction available to best work with different aged children and their skill levels.

“Egg” mode allows young children to watch a video based on this pigeon’s exploits, and it is nice that the story changes each time with titles such as “Don't let the pigeon wear your shirt” or “Don’t let the pigeon borrow your cell phone.” There is no interaction here past shaking the device when the pigeon shows up, but the look and story are exactly what Willems fans will expect and it is nice here that one can switch on text to read along with as well if one so desires.

The “Chick” section allows one to customize the video as one can select different elements with a tap such as food item, favorite game and stinky thing, and one can also record one’s name that will also be incorporated into the story.

“Big Pigeon” is the most interactive section, allowing one to record the different elements used within to make the experience unique. Here, the player will be asked to record a favorite number, person's name and other responses instead of choosing from multiple selections.

My son really delights in each of these areas. He can easily watch the “egg” mode himself, and navigate the “the chick” section as well, making his own choices as wonderful prompts and lovely words of encouragement are offered by the bus driver, guiding readers through the interactive aspect of this section.

My son does does need help with the record feature of the “Big Pigeon” as one needs to press a record button and speak clearly before the provided few seconds run out. The time offered to record is a flaw here, as one does not have enough time to answer more than one or two words at a time - an issue sometimes as when we were asked for a favorite game, our answer - “duck duck goose” - was cut off mid-thought. The big issue here is that one cannot go back and re-record areas that one knows were flubbed, which can be frustrating, to say the least.

Having said this, I do really enjoy the chance to add my own details to these stories, and most of the time the recording works without any problems. It is also fun in the way the pigeon explains the different voice being heard as a frog in his throat and is in need of a cough drop.

My son squeals with delight during these videos in any of the different levels of interactive storytelling. Here, this pedantic pigeon expresses any and all emotions when he does not get his way - throwing a huge tantrum that my son adores watching - and oddly finding it very calming to see such relatable feelings expressed.

Both my husband and I feel that this pigeon is the Bugs Bunny of my son's generation as he in some ways may be an anti-hero and not a character than one would like one's child to emulate, but adults may be charmed by this pigeon nonetheless. I was really eager to hear the voice talent chosen for this iconic character, and I appreciate that Willems himself is narrating this character, bringing a sly sophistication perfect for this pigeon, with a nuance of what I believe David Sedaris would sound like if he voiced an anthropomorphic creature for a children’s story.

I think it is simply charming how this story changes, either automatically within the simplified “egg” mode or with the use of children’s own creativity. Adults will notice that although certain words or phrases are new throughout, the majority of the story is scripted and produces much of the same experience. I can see how parents could potentially grow weary as they listen to this again and again, but for what it’s worth, I have not grown tired or bored from this entertaining storybook.

One can save up to five favorite stories in the vault, but I wish there were more specific instructions on how to do so as I am not able to figure out how this works - kind of a bummer. I do hope a better guide for saving stories will be included in a future update.

There is also a section on how to draw a pigeon, introduced and narrated by Mo Willems himself. Typical of many drawing apps, kids trace over a template that builds shapes until the character is complete. This section is fun and I like how Willems explains how the placement of the pupil within the eye greatly changes the emotion displayed - great advice children can bring to their other drawings outside this app. It is also fun that the children's completed drawing can be saved on one's device.

This app may also be an interesting app for special needs children as I really enjoy how the Bus Driver prompts the readers into making interactive choices and how he responds so conversationally in the “Big Pigeon” section as he leads one through these recordings - a nice way to teach those who may have issues understanding the give-and-take found between people talking in a social situation. Of course, it would be up to parents and teachers if the rest of this pigeon’s antics are appropriate.

We all have enjoyed this app immensely and will continue to do so. Having said this, I do think the current price of $6.99 is high compared to other apps at this price point. I highly recommend this app for the right family who will enjoy this app’s quirky sense of humor, but I think a lower price would be more palatable to parents.