Category: Animals »

Ice Is Nice!: All About the North and South Poles is a very enjoyable as well as educational app adapting the book of the same name, part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library.

As the name may suggest, Ice Is Nice does indeed give a lot of great information about the earth’s North and South Poles, as well as animals found in these areas that children and their adults will enjoy a great deal.

As with the other titles from this series, go on an adventure with The Cat in the Hat, Dick and Sally as well as Thing One and Thing Two, who are all here to learn such topics as the harsh temperatures found at the Poles or why there are six months of darkness or perpetual sun.

I also really have enjoyed the information about the animals found in this book, such as how certain creatures are camouflaged with white to blend into the snow, and then become darker to hide in nature when the snow melts and flora blooms as well as great details on different types of penguins.

The author took a little bit of poetic license in the interest of Seussian rhymes, explaining how polar bear hide is made of hollow hairs, while the definition of hide is the skin under the fur. Yet this information, while a bit askew, does a nice job of showing how these animals stay warm in treacherously cold temperatures in spite of the slight misuse of the word “hide” - not a huge flaw in this science app.

Fans of Dr. Seuss books will appreciate how the original illustrations are always included within these applications using pan and zoom technology to draw the reader’s eye. I also enjoy how the books from The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library often contain mild moving elements as well as items one can move around the page for a nice effect.

Simple animated moments are also included within Ice is Nice, thoughtfully explaining the earth’s orbit around the sun, demonstrating this in a way that will become quite clear to children, possibly more so than just seeing this demonstration in a single drawing.

Also included are a few words found in bold text that after being tapped, a dictionary entry is both seen as well as heard to further explain these complex words - a really nice touch and a way of including the glossary of words sometimes found at the end of these children’s books.

Although one has the choice to read this book to oneself, it has been my great pleasure to listen to the wonderfully conversational narration by John Bell, a narrator who really understands what he is reading, with a pitch perfect cadence, making this accessible and easy to understand. I hope to continue to hear more of his stellar work in the future.

As always with Oceanhouse Media apps, Auto play is available, allowing young readers to simply enjoy these storybooks without having to turn the pages - always a nice touch.

Ice Is Nice!: All About the North and South Poles is a great book choice for children as well as adults who may have been confused about whether it is warm at the South Pole as opposed to the North Pole, or the Arctic Ocean with Antarctica, wonderfully explained in this fun and cute science book for children of all ages.

Millie’s Book of Tricks and Treats, Volume 2 is a delightful universal sequel to the Millie Halloween app from last year.

I hope readers have gotten to know Millie, the little dog who stars in her own series of applications. The Millie's first app, Millie Was Here Book 1: Meet Millie is a free universal app which does a terrific job in showcasing all that the Millie apps have to offer, worth the download for any family with small children and an iPad or iPhone.

Millie’s Book of Treats and Tricks, Volume 2 works much the same as the original Halloween app does, as players can either knock or ring the door bell, triggering the door to swing open and a wheel of fortune being spun, stopping on either a “trick” or “treat.”

Within the doorway, a video can be seen of Millie performing all sorts of cute behaviors which may or may not live up to the tall tales of the included narration in a way that is simply endearing.

Children also have a chance to swipe with a finger to reveal a hidden picture of Millie dressed up in her own Halloween costumes. Do tap around the screen to collect stickers, adding them to one’s collection.

As I have stated before reviewing other Mille apps, one would need a heart of stone not to be smitten by this charming dog whose unassuming ways, juxtaposed with the larger-than-life stories created here, make me smile.

I really enjoy how within these “Trick or Treat” apps, it is so satisfying for children to knock on these doors or ring the doorbell, something my son loves doing, even if we are just dropping off something at a neighbor's house announcing ourselves is not necessary. Because of this, it is nice for him to be able to ring or knock on these doors, complete with sound effects, without bothering anyone.

Each of these houses is also lovingly stylized as a home on the must-visit list for Halloween, with festive details covering every door, from cute blue monsters and cat themes to glowing Jack-o-lanterns. Each of these houses that one visits will be engaging to children as they investigate what tricks or treats may be hiding inside.

It is also worth noting that the content of this app is randomized with every play, so the experience is different each time one goes exploring. Children and adults will love the often bacon-inspired treats which Millie enjoys as well as the tricks which include stunts such as Millie breathing fire like a dragon or becoming a vampire before your eyes, incorporating some mild yet very effective special effects, keeping the Halloween spirit alive while staying child-friendly.

I am also very fond of the fact that this app allows children not just to collect stickers, but allows kids to see what stickers they are still looking for in the form of outlines that need to be filled. Once found, each sticker is also labeled with a name - a fun detail, to be sure.

Parents will also be smitten by the sly sense of humor of this app as well, watching these videos of Millie performing these feats in her own special way, sometimes adding witty anti-climactic moments as well that make me smile.

As with the other Millie apps, this app is styled to be reminiscent of Victorian Carnival Games such as rich wood details seen as the background behind the screen and on the menu, as well as the mechanical claw which is used to move the stickers to their albums. Even the music with a wonderful spooky tone and period-sounding is thoughtfully used.

Most of all, I really appreciate that the developers at Megapops have not only incorporated many language choices within this app but have decided to make this app - Volume 2 - a stand-alone app instead of creating an add-on to the first Trick or Treat application. This way parents will be able to see images from the app as well as read reviews in iTunes. With a few noted exceptions, I prefer apps to be in-app purchase-free, especially in a children's application.

I thought the first Millie’s Tricks or Treats app was so inventive that I kept it on my phone the entire year - high praise, as I am quick to edit the apps left on my phone based because of space issues.

Millie’s Book Of Tricks and Treats, Volume 2 is equally as dynamic, making these apps very easy to recommend.

The Very Itchy Bear is a cute, universal interactive storybook about an unlikely friendship between a bear and a flea. This book, part of a series of Bear storybooks written by Nick Bland and now adapted for iPad, includes very nice narration and fun sound effects.

This is the story of Bear, at first tormented by a biting flea, but later saving this flea’s life when almost eaten by a bird, and concludes with these creatures becoming friends.

I really enjoy the look of this book. The bear and flea are charming, as is the ability to tap to see the bear move about, sometimes scratching his flea bites. Although not a perfect scale in comparison to a full-size bear, I enjoy how the flea appears to be a speck next to the bear. Do tap to see a more close-up view of this insect.

A great use of a musical score really brings life to this cute rhyming story as does the excellent narration by Australian actor, Angus Sampson, bringing great enthusiasm that works wonderfully well alongside this easily excited bear’s facial expressions. Reading this book to oneself is also an option.

I equally enjoy the scenes when, after some silly slapstick humor, Bear and flea float out to sea, with the delightful blue rolling waves and sounds of the sea adding to the overall richness of this story.

I also like the simple message of helping one in need, as Bear saves the flea who had been biting so badly - a nice moment and message about helping others which children will enjoy.

A seek-and-find activity is also included, as five flowers have been hidden among these pages. Do look for them to unlock a chance to build and sail one’s own sail boat.

All in all, this is a delightful adaptation of a previously published title. Do check out in iTunes for the other Bear storybook apps from this series if interested.

Wee Alphas is a very nice alphabet app for young children which hides each letter in a larger animal image, complete with whimsical rhyme, fun upbeat music and mild interaction.

This will be a delightful first app to share with babies or toddlers new to letters. Adults may need to help young users find each hidden letter, and they may need to explain some of the fun rhymes included, such as “Finnegan the Fox writes flippant film critiques,” keeping this app enjoyable for adults who will be spending a lot of time on letter apps such as this.

Part seek-and-find, young children will enjoy how the discovered letter lights up when found tucked with animal images - each bright, colorful and highly stylized with sound effects and animated moments, yet minimal as to not be distracting.

Another nice element is how when each letter is tapped and transforms as the focal point of the page in bold orange, the corresponding letter found in the included text also turns from black to orange - further highlighting the use of these letters within sentences.

The music included is upbeat and enjoyable, as are the interactions provided, often mild movements, but also including some witty interactions adults will smile at, such as moving iPad around to help Ingrid the Impala imagine deep sea diving, to tapping Jose the Jellyfish to see him glow in different colors and hear soothing chimes.

I also like how later in this app, multiple letter animals relate to one another, sometimes sharing the page, allowing “K,” “l,” and “M” to join together to become a singing trio as well as the other musical elements included, such as a break-dancing panda or a yodeling yeti.

Parents will notice that each of these descriptive sentences per each letter does not stand alone, but also rhythms within the larger context of this app as a whole.

Because of this, some of the wit which could be deemed odd for a kids' app, such as a teasing turtle, a raccoon with fat ears, or vulture with “good hair,” is worth noting, although I don’t think this is a major flaw within this app.

A section allowing children to choose a favorite letter to trace, as is included an end page full of the interactive animals found throughout, allowing children to explore these creatures again and again.

It is also nice that one has the choice of listening to included narration or not, as well as silencing the charming, sometimes circus-like and always upbeat music and other included sound effects.

I did have a serious crash on my iPad while enjoying this app, re-installing seems to have done the trick in rectifying this problem, but I hope this issue can be smoothed out soon.

All in all, this is a nice letters app that parents will enjoy spending time with alongside their children.

Pajanimals: Light in the Sky is a fun interactive app based on the beloved Jim Henson show The Pajanimals.

I know the Pajanimals well as this show is is very much enjoyed by my son. There was even a point in time that he needed to watch the Pajanimals to be distracted enough to let me brush his teeth.

Because of this, I was eager to review this new Pajanimals app, now containing computer-generated graphics as well as including the original songs and character voices from the television show.

The Pajanimals are a darling group of anthropomorphic animals, each with its own distinctive personality and often seen getting ready for sleep. Here the gang helps a duck, Squacky, deal with his fear of the dark as he contemplates bedtime.

Children will enjoy interacting with these familiar characters, and I happy to report that this app contains some nice prompts showing children where to tap, as well a button to hear narration which explains how best to explore the included interactive activities. The narration is very pleasing to listen to, as are the songs and voiceovers from the show that my son and I really enjoy.

This app consists of both interactive story segments as well as activities children can enjoy alongside with the Pajanimals such as kicking the soccer ball or playing hide-and-go seek.

I also really like how this app is broken up into story and activity chapters easily accessible to children, allowing them to choose their favorite moments within.

The Pajanimals has always been great for children’s social intelligence as well as relaxing before going to sleep. Although I found some of the moments early on rather stimulating for children, this app ends on a calming note that will help children feel relaxed before bedtime.

I must admit that I feel rather self-conscious being in any way critical of an app based on a Jim Henson production as I have had nothing but warm feelings for all things Henson as long as I can remember.

Having said this, I am not a huge fan of the look of the included 3D graphics - highly computer-generated and although not fuzzy or pixilated, containing a low enough resolution that the characters are devoid of any smooth, rounded edges.

For a lack of a better word, facets are used to make polygons instead of a rounded sphere, creating a look that is for me, old-school and distracting. I also find that the 3D effect is overboard, affecting the proportions of these characters, making their muzzle or beak look too large in relation to their bodies, as does everything within the foreground of this app.

I make note of this because the Pajanimals, being a creation of Jim Henson, were Muppets and the show was shot live action, an aspect that I have thoroughly enjoyed not only in the Pajanimals, but during my own childhood watching Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, as these characters were real, tangible creatures - easy to empathize with and relate to.

I was looking forward to interacting with these Muppet characters, and maybe as a fan, my expectations were too high.

I understand the desire to include interactions within this Pajanimals app, but I can’t help but be disappointed with the use of CGI, as I would have preferred to see hand-drawn animation or a finer resolution computer animation, as the graphics, to me, become a showcase for a particular style that, in my opinion does not fit with the classic, iconic energy of Muppet characters - especially in these days where much less aggressively digital animation is possible.

I am, however, aware that the look of this app is a specific style that although not my taste, is well-realized for the app that the developer was looking to create.

The interactions for the most part work smoothly, but I would have liked to see more hot spots within the songs where one taps in turn to the music. As of now, they are spaced so far apart from one another within the song that is no rhythm to keep for children, and I also found that helping these animals brush their teeth was difficult to articulate.

Even with these notes, I do think both fans of the Pajanimals as well as other children will enjoy this application. The songs are as lovely as they ever were, and adults will appreciate these tender friendships - great for socialization.

This may not be the app I was hoping for in terms of style, but my issues are adult concern that will not affect children’s ability to enjoy this app.

Bambi: Disney Classics is a charming retelling of this classic story that children and their adults will greatly enjoy, complete with vintage illustrations and a lovely Disney musical score.

What I appreciate the most with this version of such a classic story is how very family-friendly it is. Until now, Bambi is not a movie that I have shown to my son as the idea of Bambi’s mother being killed by hunters, along with the forest fire, would be too stressful for my sensitive boy.

I enthusiastically accepted the chance to review this application, but I hid it on an iPad that my son does not have unsupervised access to - unlike the one fully loaded with kid-safe apps that my son has full freedom with, as I did not want him to wander into an application which might cause him needless worry or to sleep badly at night.

I am excited to announce how happy I was to read this application and to find this version of Bambi without any dark material whatsoever.

Many elements are still included from the Bambi that parents remember, such as the cast of friendly animal characters and the episodic coming-of-age moments as Bambi grows from a baby into an older deer able to venture out on his own, making this an utterly relatable tale where one gets to witness such moments as Bambi’s first spoken word and beginning use of language in a most tender way.

I admire how subtly sophisticated the included vintage illustrations are, filling up the page with drawn elements until the image is complete, sometimes also including a pan or zoom to create movement or focus the reader's attention - all elements that will not register with young readers, yet will still seem more engaging than a stagnant page within a story of equal length.

Simple, sweet, animated moments are also included which bring life to this story without ever being over the top or distracting in any way which all ages can’t help but be smitten by.

One has the choice to read this story, create their own recording or listen to professional narration, following along with highlighted text. The included narration is especially good here, nicely articulated to aid young readers at following along without any hint of condescension that I sometimes hear with other narrations which try hard to be easily understand.

It is not uncommon these days to find a few extras attached to a storybook application. This is the case with Bambi as well, here including coloring pages where one gets to fill in a nice selection of colorless drawings from the story with a good selection of colors using a fine pencil point or thicker paintbrush tip, each including four specific sizes. An eraser is also included, but I do wish this tool also included different sizes as well.

One is also given the chance to tap to zoom into these images to work on smaller details, as well as continued taps that move one to other close-up sections of the chosen image. I appreciate the ability to get close - a necessity when it comes to effectively using the paint bush method of coloring, but I do wish that in the zoomed mode, one could simple swipe a finger to navigate the page instead of tapping to be brought around the page. When complete, users are also able to save work to the camera roll on their device as well as email to others.

It does not surprise me that a “memory” style game is also included - a staple among extras. I do enjoy here how the animations used are in keeping with the period look of this application. To play, tap flower buds for them to momentarily open, displaying their petal colors inside. I enjoy the detailed animation that went into the opening of each bud, especially as different styled flowers are used - a nice touch, as is the Disney score players listen to while playing this matching game.

Another extra is dedicated to music - a great choice as the music found in Disney movies is always a draw in and of itself. Three modes are included as one gets to listen, learn and have a chance at free play involving a lovely musical score, tapping flower petals, rain drops and flying birds to add musical elements to the background music.

The Listening section allows children to see the flower buds and other details highlighted when played, while the Learning section allows children to see the highlighting as cues to tap to play along as well as to improvise as they see fit. The Play section lets children experiment making music on their own without any background music. I do think it would be a nice option to include the background music as well within the free-play section.

It is possible that a cynic or a purist could accuse this version of Bambi as sanitized, but I greatly welcome a version of this classic tale that I can share with my son without any violence or scary moments. I am sure other families feel the same. Because of this, I recommend Bambi: Disney Classics whole-heartily for all ages.

Dr. Panda’s Restaurant - Cooking Game for Kids, as the name may suggest, is a wonderful interactive cooking game for kids, including ten recipes to make for eight included hungry animals.

My son and I are thoroughly enjoying Dr. Panda’s Restaurant as this app has so much to offer in cooking fun for children of all ages. This app consists of a two-story restaurant, each containing a two-person table to be filled with the animals who get welcomed by Dr. Panda, now the chef of this restaurant as well as the one who greets these animals before they are sent to their table. Eight animals are included, as are ten recipes to cook.

Tapping a new animal being dropped off by car at the greeting area, nicely dressed in formal wear, will have them sent to an open seat where they will then request a certain dish. I really appreciate how the foods these animals ask for are randomized, adding to the replay value of this terrific kids' app.

A tap of the dish in question will bring players to the kitchen to prepare this food. It is unique and simply wonderful how many steps one may take to make what is to be served - be it cutting, chopping, using the food processor, wok or other tools to cook foods such as corn soup, pizza, apple pie or fruit milkshake.

As an adult, one of my favorite kind of app are the simulated cooking games for adults, such as Cooking Academy. Although I have enjoyed other cooking-centric games for the preschool crowd, I have honestly been to some degree a bit disappointed with the level of realism found among these apps - an adult concern that my four year old has never had.

Because of this, I must say how much of a treat this app is as this game play comes closest to a true cooking simulation while keeping the needs of children in mind, making these activities easy to perform and enjoy without the chance of failure and devoid of scores and timers.

These basic tasks are nice for fine motor skills and can take some time to complete as one may be asked to make relatively advanced foods such as a stir-fry or soup, complete with lots of veggies to prep and multiple steps to take part in before serving these animals their food, as well as feeding these creatures and busing their dishes.

Other details are also included, such as a spider who sometimes visits or a mouse who eats from a small plate left for her.

The details included are also something to talk about, as these animals such as an elephant, hippo, polar bear or raccoon, each dressed for fine dining. The different floors of this restaurant are also delightfully styled, especially the Asian-themed area found on the top floor.

Feel free to salt or pepper dishes table-side. Turn lights on or light the candles to make guests happy, and do tap around the page to find the other activities included - very nice surprises not mentioned in the iTunes description, such as cleaning dirty tables of bits of food and re-setting the table after choosing a new tablecloth, washing dishes and sorting and recycling.

I also appreciate how one sets the table in the Asian restaurant with chopsticks instead of forks - a nice touch that makes me smile.

I do wish one were given the chance to crack the eggs for the scrambled eggs - not just have a chance to mix them already in the pan, and that one had the chance to add the green garnish to the food seen when the eggs are served or add the cross-hatch pie crust included when plating the pie as well.

I also enjoy choosing the fruit to be used in the fruit smoothie and would love to see more creative choices of foods to choose from.

It would also be nice to have the tablecloth choice incorporated into this game as the linens used during game play.

There is also a light that one does not control on the first floor of this eating establishment that I would think one could turn on or off as part of the interactive ambience already offered.

Even with these minor notes, this app is simple marvelous, filling a void that I have felt about cooking games for kids that really let kids cook in a goal-oriented way that teaches about the steps one accomplishes in the kitchen to truly prepare food.

I would love, however, to be able to choose what recipes to practice and what animal to serve - maybe even choose their seat at a specific table in a future update.

This is the second Dr. Panda app, allowing children to role play in a simulated experience.

I eagerly look forward to any new role-playing games TribePlay may come up with, possibly allowing children a building app akin to a children’s workbench, such as Dr. Panda’s Workshop or even the related Dr. Panda’s Mechanic.

Dr. Panda’s Restaurant - Cooking Game for Kids is an app I highly recommend to preschoolers, but don’t be surprised if older siblings and adults partake in some cooking as well.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Play at Home with Daniel is a cute and fun universal interactive application based on the new PBS kids' show of the same name, based on the classic television show, Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.

This app focuses on Daniel Tiger, son of the original character, Daniel Striped Tiger, from The Land of Make-Believe segment from Mister Rogers’s Neighborhood.

I honestly was more of a Sesame Street or The Electric Company kid than a Mister Rogers’s child, but my husband has warm memories of Mister Rogers’s Neighborhood, specifically The Land of Make-Believe, even remembering when Daniel Striped Tiger became a new character and would like to check out this new show when he has a chance.

I am sure that other adults our age will be equally interested in this series and application.

Although we have not had a chance to see an episode as of yet, I can say that this app will delight toddlers as they get to explore Daniel’s house in this brightly colored and engaging application.

Four sections are included, including the chance to play pretend doctor with Daniel. Choose from a variety of doctor’s tools, such as otoscope, tongue depressor or stethoscope. Tap to hear these tools' names and described by Daniel, who interacts accordingly, such as opening his mouth or breathing heavily when examined, including wincing if children give Daniel a shot but also noting that it stings but then goes away. A sticker is also included to give to Daniel after his visit - a nice touch.

One can also visit Daniel’s bathroom, allowing children to help Daniel wash his hands with soap, pop bubbles, or simply turn on the faucet.

Tap Daniel’s toothbrush to help him brush his teeth, but it would have been nice to help Daniel add toothpaste to this brush as well. I also have mixed feelings with Daniel washing his hands for only about six seconds - a shorter length of time than I want my son to wash, but this time does make sense in terms of the pacing of this app, and Daniel does scrub his hands together nicely, which I like.

It is also nice that this app includes both a toilet as well as a potty seat, allowing children to place a stuffed cat on the potty seat but not on the toilet - a message I am sure all parents want to reinforce, but it would be nice hear Daniel tell children to please don't put toys on or in the toilet as well so kids don't miss this point thinking it was an oversight.

Also included is the message to not overstuff paper in the toilet, as children are able to tap the toilet paper for pieces to be added to the toilet. However, it is stopped by Daniel after a few pieces are added, and children are asked to flush before adding more. I am sure children will enjoy the working flusher, allowing children to watch the water levels rise again - a nice touch.

A gentle bedtime scene is also included. Help Daniel go to sleep by exploring his room, making his surroundings more comfortable to sleep in, such as turning off the light, clicking on a lamp, or turning on soothing music if children choose, as well as finding Daniel’s favorite blanket or tapping a book to hear a very short bedtime story. Other choices include tapping a door so that it is left ajar or hearing the soothing words of Daniel’s mother. Do tap the window as well, as this will trigger the sun setting or rising when one would in turn like Daniel to wake.

I really enjoy the details seen when Daniel is noticeably tired, eyes heavy as he is goes to bed - a relatable look many parents will recognize with their own children.

A sticker section is also included offering four backgrounds to choose from, be it a landscape one can detail with characters from this show or other objects, as well as three rooms from Daniel’s home which one can decorate accordingly.

I would like to see, however, an Undo button included within this sticker section. As of now, only an Erase function is included, which clears the page entirely - a function not always needed when one would like to fix a single misplaced sticker.

All in all, Daniel Tiger is a warm and friendly character that young children will enjoy interacting with. We have not see the PBS show as of yet, so I think it is fair to say that children who don’t know of Daniel will also enjoy this app, but parents who remember the original character of Daniel Striped Tiger may be especially smitten with this application.

Dr. Panda’s Hospital - Doctor Game for Kids is a cute and fun universal interactive for children which nicely simulates the experience of taking care of sick anthropomorphic animal patients in a hospital setting.

This app starts out by seeing a medicopter land on the roof of a hospital. Scroll down to see the inside of the animal hospital which includes two floors of patient rooms as well as a waiting area where one meets new animals who need medical attention. After helping a few animals, children will also be able to earn a sticker for their hard work.

Eight creatures are included as are two other mini-games of picking up trash from the waiting and patient rooms as well as organizing Dr. Panda’s medical bag by placing his tools in their rightful areas within this puzzle section.

Children will enjoy playing doctor during these simple but fun exercises which will get children somewhat familiar with basic medical procedures such as looking into one’s ears, adding drops to one’s eyes or ointment to chicken pox.

Children will also enjoy some cute details included within this application, such as being able to change the bed that these animal patients use into fun theme beds children would approve of, such as a princess or car bed, as well as turning on music, starting ceiling fan or opening windows - each detail either making these patients noticeably happy or sad and adding a social element to this app that young children as well as children with special needs will find helpful.

My son really enjoys pretending to be a doctor and has enjoyed this application as well. It is an easy app to recommend to children who like creative play and roll-playing applications.

Broadway Barks is a lovely interactive story, written, narrated and sung by Tony-winning actress Bernadette Peters, based on the previously published children’s book with CD of the same name. Versions for both iPhone as well as iPad are available.

This is a cute and charming story of a dog who no longer has a home and is all alone in the park until he is discovered and given a chance to be seen at Broadway Barks - a charity event in New York City to promote the adoption of animal, ultimately finding a new home.

As one may expect, Peters does a terrific job giving this dog, formerly known as Douglass, a voice both very human but also dog-like in a way that makes me smile, making him an utterly sympathetic character that children and their adults will root for. The illustrations are also quite nice, colorful and quite pleasing to the eye, as are the animated moments and interactive elements marked with glowing orbs show where to tap.

Before reading this book, I did not know of Broadway Barks, the real life event this book is based on, bringing this event as well as the plight of animals waiting to be adopted to the minds of readers in a way that is thoughtful and warm. I also appreciate the level of suspense from this dog’s point of view, becoming nervous when about to go on stage, as well as the moments right after when he believes he will remain unloved and unwanted.

Fortunately, this story ends on a wonderful and warm note, but the early self-deprecating dialogue may be hard for some sensitive children to hear - like my son who would not respond well to the sad plight of dogs, even though ending on a happy note.

Having said this, this would be a great book for all but the most sensitive of children.

This application also includes a very nice song sung by Peters based on this story and includes a montage of images from this tale stylized to look like a movie with the hint of distressed film, also including a backdrop reminiscent of a drive-in movie to create a serene video of sorts that children will find very relaxing.

Showtime is also a section where one can dress the dog, now known by his adopted name, Kramer and animate him with a dance with the drag of a finger.

Auto play is an option. Here instead of turning pages automatically, it makes the pages of this book flow seamlessly like a video of sorts but without the interactions found in the “Read to Me” section.

I also like how this book offers more information about Broadway Barks, Bernadette Peters herself and illustrator Liz Murphy.

Broadway Barks is an easy application to recommend with all the elements of this story working well together to create a musical tale animal lovers of all ages will be smitten by.

Auracle - Fossil is a lovely adaptation of the book of the same name, now including highlighted narration and auto play, as well as allowing readers a chance to read this book on their own, tapping words they may have trouble with to hear them spoken as well. Both iPad as well as iPhone versions are available.

Fossil tells the story of a girl finding a fossil on the beach, and the story of where her mind goes as she imagines this dinosaur alive long ago, as well as the process that this bone must have taken to be transformed into a fossil.

Fossil is beautifully illustrated with striking water colors, as these original illustrations found in the published book work quite well in terms of translating these paintings. Here, the double page spreads from the book are formatted to fit the screens without losing much real-estate, allows readers to see both these pages together without the need to pan and scan, a feature that works in other apps, yet is simply not necessary here.

Written in a lyrical style, this app may be some children’s first introduction to poetry as well as dinosaur fossils. Because of this, I do appreciate how the verses are short and can be found only one per page, making the reading of this poem as easy for young readers as possible.

Not being a straight narrative, younger children may need help interpreting the girl's dinosaur fantasy as well as some of the action found within. Therefore, this may be an app to share with children - something parents will be happy to do as this story is in general well-crafted as it is educational both in terms of dinosaurs as well as of language.

I am glad that Fossil has been developed into an application, giving readers who may not have known about this book by Claire Ewart a chance to read this interesting story, now with some interactive elements as one can touch objects found throughout these ages for them to be labeled, both with text as well as narration - a nice touch, especially when tapping the dinosaurs. I do think the narration, nicely done while reading this story, speaks the specific dinosaur names such as “Ornithocheirus” rather quickly, as does the word which flashes on the screen. It would be nice if these words could be pronounced slower and remained on the screen a bit longer in a future update.

All in all, this is a book that dinosaur families will enjoy, as will children who enjoy poetry - especially children who show interest in both.

Rounds: Franklin Frog is a charming universal app bringing wonderful non-fiction content focused on teaching the life cycle of frogs in a way that will be especially appealing to children of all ages and their adults. Both Read and Play, allowing one to listen to narration while reading along with highlighted text, as well as explore interactions is included, as is a Read to Myself option.

I simply adore Rounds: Franklin Frog, illustrated in a bold style consisting of circles as a whole as well as pieces thereof, as the look of this app is unique and sophisticated yet utterly appealing to children of all ages, as are the soft greens and blues found within, a personal favorite palette of mine.

Rounds: Franklin Frog does a wonderful job of balancing the cute anthropomorphic details and witty narrated lines of dialogue heard when tapping on the frog characters found throughout with some thoughtful facts about these interesting creatures both included as spoken lines of text triggers with a tap, as well as within the narrative itself.

This is the story of Franklin, a young frog who, along with the readers, explores his surroundings as well as hibernates for the winter, finding a mate and beyond - wonderfully narrated, engaging, and relaxing.

The interactions are simply delightful within this app, helping Franklin jump and swim, feeding him bugs with his sticky tongue and later helping Franklin find a mate by tapping and allowing other frogs to hear their mating call - all wonderful details that readers of all ages will appreciate a great deal.

I was taken a back at how moving this children’s story is, as the use of pitch-perfect music and stylized details demonstrates the change of seasons with use of moons floating past the sky, the plants dying away, and the use of snow falling as Franklin is safety tucked away.

Equally poignant was watching Franklin’s mate lay her eggs, watching them develop from frogspawn into tadpoles and later after sprouting legs and arms, developing into a frog after quite a metamorphosis.

Readers should take note that although the text within the pages of this story may have concluded, this app is intensely filled with important animations and interactions, wonderfully polished and beautiful to look at, yet charmingly sleepy in their nature and never over-stimulating.

Do wait for the arrow found at the bottom to become bold and bounce as this signifies that the major animations and interactions have been played out, although one can still enjoy oneself by tapping frogs to hear their added dialogue spoken as well as move them around the page.

I confess that the first time reading this book, I turned the page prematurely, missing out on some important transitions and interactions such as protecting frog eggs from hungry fish, or the full transformation from tadpole to young frog. The pacing of this app can be on the leisurely side - not a flaw at all, as this app does expect a level of concentration waiting out some animations much like one would in nature. Parents may want to familiarize themselves with all that this app has to offer to insure that their children do not turn the pages prematurely.

I also appreciate a great deal how this story plays itself out over three generations of frogs, teaching readers about life cycles as well as being quite interesting in terms of storytelling, but with no concrete ending, parents may find it hard to break their children away from this experience. Possibly an option could be included in the future that lets the three unique generations play out before this app comes to an end, just a thought for a future update.

I have been a huge fan of Nosy Crows and other storybook apps based on classic tales, but I think I enjoy Rounds: Franklin Frog even more. The experience is educational as well simply wonderful in terms of the narration, animated illustrations, interactions and a perfect use of music.

Rounds: Franklin Frog is an app that I highly recommend to both parents as well as teachers. Children will learn a lot about frogs from this application, I know I did. They will also be exposed to a beautiful story that I found at moments quite touching. Parents will be delighted to spend time with their children reading Rounds: Franklin Frog as well as for their children to spend time with this app alone.

I sincerely hope that Nosy Crow develops more non-fiction titles in this style. I could not be more fond of Rounds: Franklin Frog.

ABC ZooBorns is the delightful new app from Peapod Labs, part of a series of apps dedicated to teaching children about the alphabet as well as themes such as food, vehicles, sports, music, household objects, or wild animals.

I really appreciate how for ABC ZooBorns, developers at PeaPod Labs have partnered with ZooBorns.com, a site dedicated to documenting births at zoos around the world to bring photos and video clips of these charming creatures.

My son loves animals, and to him the only thing better than animals are baby animals. Together we have spend time looking at baby animal videos on YouTube, so it is nice to have all this information within an application, making searching for this information a lot less time-consuming and simple to use for my boy.

My son, a fan of these other apps, was excited to hear about ABC ZooBorns, asking me about a list of his favorite animals, all of which are included - much to my son’s excitement. I too enjoy the list of animals included - be it more traditional zoo animals, such as tigers or zebras, but also including some unique choices such as Ural owl, wombat or quokka. We do love to look at these animals as babies, especially those are simply precious to look at such as baby Gorillas or Elephants.

It is wonderful that this app contains a great deal of content even without being online, as each animal included has a series of images as well as very nice narrated animal facts that sometimes correlate with the photo in question, also including more information involving such details as species, as well as a fun interaction for each animal.

ABC ZooBorns as well as the other apps in this series includes a menu page of available baby animals to explore - alphabetically arranged. Tap to select a baby animal to explore further. Do note that each animal type is spelled out at the bottom of the page, allowing one to tap any of these letters to see a series of animals starting with this letter as well, introducing some letter awareness. Make no mistake, though; these apps can be enjoyed by curious children well past the age of learning their ABC’s.

As more and more animal images are explored, the menu page will become filled in from blank areas to small icons created of each animal image showing what users have and have not looked at and saving this information for later - a nice touch.

When taken to a page dedicated to one’s animal choice, note the “Little Explorer” holding a window left of the screen. A tap here will deliver players to the interactive screen where children will drag their finger around the screen to uncover new related photo elements, allowing children to brush a monkey, bathe a hippo, weigh an otter, or help hatch a penguin.

I have enjoyed these as well as other interactive moments, but I find that too often one is asked simply to find the animal not seen until the wiping of the fingers, leaving more room for additional variation. It would also be lovely to hear animal noises during wiping of the screen or after to include another animal elements to this application.

To hear fun animal facts, tap the icon of the “Little Explorer” wearing a safari outfit right of the screen - a terrific inclusion for children, especially those who may be pre-readers, and I really enjoy how each photo of each animal contains its own narrated fact.

To watch an animal video, swipe the page to progress to the next image where one will find a link to a video clip for each sequential photo as well.

We have been a fan of these apps universally, and it is exciting to say that these apps keep getting better and better, now updated to be interactive, as well as include video clips and universally well-shot photographs.

I also find it impressive how much this series of apps has changed, making these apps more interactive and user-friendly for children who need help with reading. I admire PeaPod Labs' commitment to further developing their apps with free updates of added content and not just bug fixes. I would love to see more varied interactions in the future as well animal sounds.

My son and I also enjoy their other all new ABC House - everyday objects that I will also be reviewing in the future. If interested, please look for it in iTunes.

My boy has come to know these apps a great deal and gets excited when another of this series appears on our devices, utterly recognizable as these apps share the same stylized icon including a “Little Explorer” character dressed in a way which demonstrates each of these app’s themes. I do wonder what could be next for this series. Only time will tell.

Mog the Forgetful Cat, part of the beloved Mog series of books about the adventures of a forgetful, sometimes misunderstood cat has now been lovingly adapted to the iPad and includes stellar narration, interactions and music, each wonderfully crafted to bring a great deal of richness to this family classic.

Children will feel for Mog who is having a bad day, getting into trouble and taken for granted by her family in a way relatable to children who also have trying times getting into things they should not. The ending is especially charming and a little silly as readers will understand what is happening more than Mog does, as she saves the day very much by accident to the delight of children.

I truly enjoy everything about this application. The narration provided by an older woman is simply terrific, making my short list of favorite voiceovers within an application.

I also admire that the original art from the book is used, now including new interactive moments that match the same style of illustrations that people have been enjoying for decades.

Fans of this book will notice the decision to break down the pages that contain a montage of drawings and paragraphs of text into their own pages - the right decision aiding young readers - as well as highlighting the charming new interactive moments and hidden sounds found throughout these pages.

It is impressive how the added animations work so seamlessly within this application as the original drawings images from the book are incorporated, also including the fun bits of comedic action now charmingly demonstrated, such a Mog's dream of flying with birds as well as the jumping and running around cats are known for.

Adults will be smitten by these illustrations, now containing a vintage charm reminiscent of the time period of 1970, modernized here for the digital age yet staying true to the original look of this story.

Terrific musical elements are also included into these interactions as well as the story itself, creating cinematic moments all ages will enjoy a great deal.

I also really appreciate the choices offered in terms of how to enjoy this story, be it just listening to the narration or pulling open a tab containing the text to read along, as well as reading this book to oneself or make one's own recording.

A few nice extras are also included, such as playing a game where readers select the correct emotion shown on Mog’s face to match a correlating word. Those whose iPads include a forward-facing camera can also take photos with Mog that they can then share. All iPad users can incorporate their own photos from their iPad as well.

A short bio of author Judith Kerr is also included, introducing readers to early sketches which became the drawings for this storybook - a treat for fans, to be sure.

I have truly enjoyed Mog the Forgetful Cat. It is a perfect transformation from printed medium into an application. I hope the other Mog titles can be developed for iPad as well, possibly even as universal applications, letting iPhone users to also have a chance to meet Mog. I also look forward to the release of The Tiger Who Came to Tea - one of the most popular children's’ books of all times, also being developed by HarperCollins Publishers.

Babel, the King is a very special universal interactive application with wonderful production value and is very-well written.

Meet Babel, a cat said to be “ a megalomaniac cat who dreams of becoming king” - a description that caught my attention, to say the least, when first being given the privilege of reviewing this application.

This story is exceptional, making my mind wander to Don Quixote as this app deals with Babel’s visions of grandeur, fighting with the clouds as well as his quest to become king after finding a birdcage he mistakes for a crown creating an unknowingly combative relationship with the mischievous bird trapped in this cage whom Babel assumes is the sky talking to him.

It is tempting to write in great length and more detail about the storyline of this tale, but it was my great pleasure to read this book the first time, and I don’t want to deny readers this experience.

I am sure that young children will enjoy this tale, but the audience for this book is older than one would expect to fully appreciate this fantastical storybook. Mature issues of trying to rule a kingdom are dealt with such as taxes or the concept of attacking enemies violently, although it may not be what it seems. These issues may go over the head or not be appropriate for young children, including the ugly manipulation by the bird character in general during this marvelous app - making this app possibly best for grade school and up to adults who collect children’s literature.

The illustrations are as marvelous as the story itself - colorful, stylized and beautiful and modern in every way, as well as highly interactive in a way most sophisticated and varied that will appeal to adults as much as it will to children.

I also greatly appreciate the ability to see hints with the tap of a finger, marking the interactivity as well as giving readers the option of opening each page with this information. A menu of pages is also included - a nice touch that comes in handy in this lengthy 20 page story.

Both French and English translations are included, and although I can only comment on the English version of this narration, I can say that it is pitch-perfect and simply wonderful in its own regard, as well as including a thoughtful use of music. I also appreciate the ability to hide the text or silence the narration, allowing one to simply read or listen to this story if one chooses.

The only notes I have is that when exploring the interactive elements, there is an issue with the narration cutting out momentarily - a distracting glitch I hope can be fixed in a future update. I also found the blowing into the iPad or iPhone for certain interactions problematic as I felt as if the blowing got in the way of seeing the interaction at work, an issue I would love to be resolved, possibly with a option to "blow" with a tap instead of fully blowing into the iPad or iPhone, an act that some parents may want their children to avoid with their devices.

Even with this note, Babel is a perfectly realized story wonderfully told with illustrations and animated, interactive elements to be enjoyed by all ages.

I sincerely hope this review does not read as a non-review, but words escape me to describe my fondness for this delightful application. The story itself is both unique as well as reminiscent of timeless literature in a way that will make adults smile and jog their memory of other classic stories that they have come across in their lifetime.