Category: Social »

I am delighted to inform readers that a new app in the ABC series by Peapod Labs has been released - ABC Farm.

This series has a long list of titles, from ABC Music to ABC Food, that each teach children about different themed objects with the use of photos, videos, interactions and narrated fun facts, also incorporating the use of the alphabet to organize these words into a menu for easy access to favorite words.

This new app, ABC Farm, includes a wonderful new element, as this app is now bi-lingual as Spanish can be heard with the tap of a button - not only the word of focus spoken in either Spanish or English, but the narrated information section as well, which includes the text one can also read along with.

I think this is a wonderful inclusion, as this app can now be enjoyed by both English and Spanish speaking children, but also children new to learning either of these languages.

ABC Farm like the others in this series, opens up with a menu page of each of the 26 letters and their corresponding words. To use, simply tap on a word of interest to be brought to a section that includes a terrific use of multi media and interactivity.

The top left of the screen includes a window that when tapped will bring children to the interactive section of this app, as they swipe a finger across the screen to see related changes, such as helping out at an orchard removing apples from trees, building a well or opening a beehive. Excellent before and after pictures are used as part of this interaction which have a lot of fun with.

More photos are seen as the main image of these pages. Do scroll between these page to see all the related images - always professional in terms of quality, bright, colorful and rich with details.

If one has internet access while exploring this app, also note the windows found amoung these other pages that contain educational videos as well, which themselves contain a great wealth of information. I really appreciate how each of these pages also contains thoughtfully written facts delivered as narrated text, exploring these topics in a way that is sophisticated yet accessible by children.

Users will also note the word of focus is spelled out at the bottom of the screen with letters, each helped by a “little explorer” which can also be tapped to explore other words that start with the same corresponding letter.

As parents know, there are a multitude of apps in iTunes that relate to farms, oftentimes relating the same basic information. Because of this, I am especially happy to announce the unique words included within ABC Farm, such as “udder,” “incubator,” “ irrigation,” or “silo.”

Although I expected as much from PeaPod Labs as I know the creative words used in other apps, I was greatly impressed with the use of Spanish in this app, as I thought it would be a nice idea to include a few Spanish words. I was not expecting the additional facts, narrative prompts and menu to be fully integrated with Spanish as well.

It is obvious how much work has gone into this app, and although I have always thought adults and older children would get a great deal from these apps, this Spanish addition makes this a great app for English or Spanish learners of any age.

I have been familiar with this series of apps for some time now, and I am greatly impressed by how this series has expanded its content to include narration with the included facts as well as interactions - options not available for their first apps. I also admire Peapod Labs for having great updates that add more content sometimes greatly, not just “mild bug fixes” common among other apps.

I am eager to see if there will be other apps within this series, as they are uniformly educational, thorough and fun.

Tizzy Driving Adventure is a charming universal driving simulator for young app users.

I do love role-playing apps in general, as they can foster a great deal of creativity in children. Tizzy Driving Adventure is the digital equivalent to the driving toy that kids love where one can pretend to drive while turning an attached steering wheel. Here, too, after choosing from a boy or girl character, the user while driving and steering has the point-of-view of looking out the front window and onto the street.

This app opens up to a map seen on the main page showing the route one will take while driving around the map, as eight mini-games are included that children drive to such as helping pick strawberries, watching ducks crossing the street or washing the car that one is driving.

These mini-games are played in sequence, but I admire that each time played, these activities are randomly found on the map, making this experience different each time children re-visit this app.

To start driving, children are prompted to turn the ignition key and then propel this easy-to-drive car, steering with the tilting of their device. Although the gas and brake pedals are not included, one can change the songs played on the radio as well as tap to sound the horn and explore the turning signals, emergency blinkers and window wipers.

When each of these mini-games is complete and the child has circled the map (including sleeping during rest stops at night, shown between every two activities), the player arrives home, and the number of stars collected along the way is shown as stars in the sky - a nice way of keeping track of the child’s progress.

This is certainly a Sunday drive for toddlers, as there are no added distractions that one needs to note while driving. Although the tipping of the device will steer the car - preferably into the stars seen floating as one drives, it is not possible to drive off the road as one watches the 3D perspective change, making this app a simplified version of other driving games.

As with other Tizzy apps, Tizzy Driving Adventure is colorful, bright and simply lovely to share with the youngest app users.

I enjoy this relaxing, sleepy pace of Tizzy Driving Adventure, great as a child’s first digital driver. This is important to know as children much older or more experienced with apps may be underwhelmed by Tizzy Driving Adventure - an app just right for toddlers and early preschool-aged children.

Dandelion is an interactive universal app with a wonderful sense of style, developed as an app with a message about bullying.

There is a lot that I enjoy about this app, recently chosen as an application of special interest in the books category by iTunes.

The most striking element of this app is the sense of style, shown not quite in black and white, as more of a sepia-tone look is included, adding the slightly warmer shades of subtle desaturated browns - an interesting choice - which allows areas of the screen to pop softly, adding a vintage, almost timeless look to this app that is also quite modern-looking as seen on the screen of one’s device.

Likewise, the illustrations and simple, animated moments are gorgeous to look at as are the intriguing characters, especially that of the main character Benjamin, drawn without a face and who seems to glow from the backlit device. These images are beautiful and will stay with readers for a long time, especially the ability to blow fluff off a dandelion - lovely to explore, to be sure.

Very good narration is also included if one wishes, and I enjoy how this app and the page turns are styled to look like one is looking through a view finder, including a 3D effect that one can see when moving one’s device, as well as an artful use of mild distressing which adds a bit of texture as well.

This is the story about how Benjamin is being bullied by boys from The School for The Misguided - what to me is presumably a reformatory of sorts, “A place for Ne’er Do Wells and Bullies.” However, it is unclear to me if this is the school that he attends or has to pass by on the way to his own school.

As only one school is noted in this story, I will assume that Benjamin attends The School for The Misguided, and this is an element that I have a hard time getting past. How could this child be thrown into such an institution where he will obviously be eaten alive, as he is less than half the size of the other students and a sensitive soul who would not fare well in this environment?

It is worth noting that Benjamin is not just being teased, he is being physically harmed, needing to tend to wounds. Because of all this, while blowing on dandelions, he begins to make wishes for the school to disappear, which never happens, but he learns from these dandelions how to let go of his fears and and gain confidence.

I find many of the elements of this app quite moving, such as the included music and imagery.

I do find the actual story, written in rhyme, to be underwhelming. yet if one wants to take away from this tale a sense of confidence and a lack of being afraid, this I welcome them to do so.

For me, it may have worked better if the main character were dealing with a different sort of bully, more subtle in the approach, such as an outsider girl dealing with “mean girls,” who could possibly rise above the mental daggers thrown her way, but if one is being physically harmed by dangerous teens with one foot in jail, confidence will go only so far.

I have no doubt that the chance to blow the dandelion fluff as well as the mythology of Benjamin making his wishes will be moving to anyone reading or listening to this story, but with the setup included here, more than inner confidence is needed to deal with the situation as it has been written, leading me to struggle to understand the message of this application.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for iPad is Random House Digital’s app based on the classic children’s book of the same name.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a favorite story of mine, and I do enjoy how this app includes a very nice picture book section with excellent narration as well as wonderfully rich and stylized illustrations containing mild yet effective interactions and moody, atmospheric music. These slightly animated illustrations are also found within the unabridged version of this book - a nice touch.

I enjoy the storybook section, as although adapted from the longer version, this storybook includes many of the details and nuances found in the original book, making this section not overly simplistic - a very nice primer for children new to these Oz titles.

The narration is top-notch, and I enjoy following along with the highlighted text. I do find the elements of narration, illustrations and music to be perfectly realized, but it is to my great disappointment that not all of the 24 chapters of this story are illustrated, including the scene when Dorothy first encounters the poppies - a favorite moment of mine from childhood, as well as a missed opportunity to show these flowers in their grand colors with their sedating abilities.

Likewise, within the adapted version, I found the telling of the second half of the journey - after Dorothy misses her ride home on the hot air balloon and the gang needs to go in search of the Good Witch of the South - to be rushed in its re-telling. It also does not include chapter 20, The Dainty China Country - my true favorite chapter of the story as a child, where Dorothy and the others venture into a world of fragile characters made of china - another missed opportunity to have users break these china characters with a tap. I also would have wished this adapted version to go into better details about the Hammer-Head characters also met among these chapters - briefly mentioned without being named.

Although I did find the lack of an illustration for every chapter in this book to be a disappointment, as the unabridged section is also without these same illustrations, I am quite enamored with the pictures that are included - wonderful artwork that adds a sophistication to this story which I enjoy, maintaining the darker tone from the original story for a slightly older child - something that is sometimes sanitized in other re-tellings. Also nice is the inclusion of the forward written by author L. Frank Baum as well as a map to show the four different lands of Oz, a nice touch.

Although I would certainly prefer for each of these chapters to be represented by illustrations, this app is still quite enjoyable, especially to listen to the shorter storybook being read, and for this reason, even with the nagging omissions included, this is an app that I can recommend, especially to those who are not Oz purists who would certainly be disappointed by the lack of illustrations per each chapter and the overly abridged second half of this epic tale.

Birds & Bees Connection: Girls Part 1 is a cute and educational app designed for moms to share with their pre-teen daughters about the upcoming changes girls will face during puberty.

Intuitive to use, this application opens up to a main menu page that lists such topics as getting taller, developing breasts, sweat and body odor, hair, acne, puberty and emotional changes.

This app is nicely narrated by a girl reading the questions, answered by an adult female narrator. I do love the voice of the woman answering the questions, warm and motherly, while offering straightforward advice for young people, reminiscent to me of how I imagine Judy Blume to sound like and I was impressed by her delivery.

This app includes very basic information for young children new to this kind of information, also including pop-up windows with other fun facts as well as questions for mom such as "Does mom remember her first bra?" By and large, I enjoy the content and agree with the information provided, including a mildly animated moment of a baby actively nursing - a moment I especially appreciate.

There are a few mild points that I wish were elaborated on such as how a popup window offers the advice of keeping a deodorant in one's backpack, but making sure one’s underarms are clean before applying. This may be difficult in public, and I don’t see the harm in a girl ducking into a bathroom stall to apply deodorant if she is feeling sweaty, even without first washing.

I do, however, really appreciate how this app re-enforces never sharing a razor with anyone, including friends or siblings. I also think it is good advice for girls to try to just shave their lower legs as many don’t need to shave above the knees, but this also varies from person to person. I do have my personal doubts that shaving upper legs will actually make the hair grow darker and more course as this app states, although the use of warm water and shaving slowly are good tips for girls to follow.

Likewise, I am not in full agreement with the section discussing acne, as this app focuses on dirt and grease trapped in the pores of your skin as a reason for acne, which may be true for some, but the issues of clogged pores and inflammation have other causes as well and are only briefly touched upon here.

I worry that this section will lead to over washing, especially a concern with the recommendation to use a washcloth and to vigorously scrub as shown in the animated illustrations of this section, complete with squeaking sound effects. I also doubt that a washcloth can rid the face of “germs and bacteria” as this app states any better than using one’s hands or cotton pads, and can also make things worse as washcloths can be a place for bacteria to breed.

It is worth noting that although hormones, puberty and the different emotions one may experience at this time are touched upon here, this app is mainly a good starting point about the changes girls will be going through. Likewise, this app does not offer specific information on periods, feminine hygiene products, any information on “where babies come from,” sexuality, pregnancy or diseases - topics that parents will still need to have with their children at a later date.

Although I do not know the content for the later installments of this app - part 2 and part 3, I will be curious to see which of these more advanced topics may also be covered.

Even if my advice to a daughter may be different from exactly what is offered within this app, I think this is an engaging way for mothers to start these kinds of conversations with their children, and I am happy to say that the illustrative style is fun and colorful, great for young tween girls whom this app is aimed at.

Oddly, this app mentions interactive illustrations which I am at a loss to discover, as this app plays pretty straightforwardly with arrows one can tap to turn pages, yet without any elements I could find that are truly interactive.

This is not a flaw as I do not think that this app needs any distractions to search for as girls and their moms share this time together. I do wish, however, that the iTunes description had less of a focus on interactivity as this promise may lead to disappointment.

Having made these notes, Birds & Bees Girls Part 1 is still an app that I recommend. I do hope parents will share this app with their children so they can add their own personal bits of wisdom as well, possibly opening the door for the more personal conversations to come.

The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater is a gem of an app, an interactive storybook which allows children to make choices that will affect the direction this tale takes, as this is the story of Sophie, a sweater who experiences many different lives with a varied group of people as they re-use and re-cycle her into other garments, craft ideas or other objects which illustrate how to use her material.

I did enjoy a great deal the Choose Your Own Adventure or Which Way books as a child, and I have begun to read these titles to my son as well. I do love this app as I think it brings an intuitiveness to these kinds of books, as my son can get confused as to why I am asking him questions while reading him these types of stories.

Children first meet Sophie in a shop and is then bought by an individual, one in a long line of people who will have an influence on Sophie’s life as they wear, share, and re-purpose her.

I admire how the majority of these characters are very much real people who work with Sophie in ways that are practical to their lives, reminding me of independent movies such as Twenty Bucks or even Crash, as although this story is kept light and fun, the plots revolve around an object that works its way through multiple subplots, as well as the intertwining of some of the characters that children will notice in different ways throughout these story lines. This is a subtle way of making the world seem smaller as well as the theme of no-waste and re-using of materials.

The first decision one needs to make is who first walks through the doors of the shop to buy Sophie. Choices include Fiona, a mother or “punky Meg” styled with the sides of her head shakes and piercings. I especially enjoy Meg’s character - a personality that is not often seen in children’s apps, who creates a studded vest that she makes out of Sophie, who at first is weary of this transformation but enjoys her new look.

There is a multitude of whimsical tangents that include other characters worthy of an ensemble cast as well as a few anthropomorphic animals. I did not mind the presence of a magician - not really an everyman but still a working man of sorts, but I had mixed feelings about the prince and princess found in a castle, possessing bad attitudes and feeling entitled enough to try to fake illnesses, also using Sophie to create a rope to “escape” their situation of a boring royal commitment. Although I kind of enjoy the fantasy that has brought Sophie to the castle, these characters pull me away from the realism of the other people met, from the homeless people thankful for clothing to wear to the small child fashioning Sophie into doll clothing or other creative objects. It is however possible that readers are not supposed to like these specific characters - an interesting choice.

Even with this note, I wholeheartedly recommend The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater. All the elements are top form, from the excellent optional narration to colorful and stylized illustrations to the 24 different options that one can choose from - great for re-reading.

It is worth noting that past the decision making, there is little to no other interactions to be found. I am actually happy for this choice on the part of the developers as I am now finding many apps that are littered with hot spots more distracting than helpful, and I am very glad this app does not fall into this pitfall in any way.

I also admire how this app can be so educational in terms of the environmental theme of conservation and re-use, getting the message home in a way that is not preachy.

I have never been one to throw away anything remotely re-useable, as there are charitable donation sites around our city that we take advantage of, so I was moved when it came time to possibly choose tossing Sophie into the trash - a choice that I had a hard time making, but did for testing purposes. I hope this message follows children with them as they too make choices like the ones seen in this book.

The only thing I would love to see in addition would be a menu of pages, not only to this story, but also highlighting the areas where decisions are made, making it easy for children to go back and change their mind as well as to seek out the different possibilities also included within this story.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this app by Gro Play. I sincerely hope that more apps with this same ability to select different outcomes will be developed in the future.

Sofia the First: Story Theatre is a delightful, interactive app based on the children’s animated series on Disney Junior.

We are not familiar with Sofia the First in our home so I did not have any expectations about this book. I am happy to say that I am very pleasantly surprised with what this app has to offer.

The plot of this story is both very traditional but also has a modern sensibility to it as this tale opens up with Sofia’s mom marrying into a royal family. In this blended family, at first Sofia feels very out of place by becoming newly royal as well as not being treated very well by her new siblings - especially her step-sister.

I enjoy how well the characters for this tale are written, in first person from Sofia’s point of view as well as the very effective animated moments one can find by tapping on the included illustrations delivered with a lot of polish, effectively pantomiming both the actions as well as emotions being described - often silently and never in a way that is remotely distracting.

I also enjoy the tie-in with the fairies from Sleeping Beauty as well as Cinderella, which did not seem forced in any way.

Although I did have to raise an eyebrow when Cinderella explains how she should have given her own step-sisters a second chance, I admire how the concept of forgiveness is included as well as the step-sister explaining her motivation for being mean in the form of an apology that children can also learn from, creating a moment I did not expect.

Some details involving magic are included that one would expect from a story involving a fantasy such as this, this is a relatable tale that young girls - especially those from blended families - can relate to.

I throughout this app have appreciate how music and sound effects are included in this story yet can be muted separately from the narration - a nice touch. Auto play is also an option, as is the ability to read this book by oneself. I do think, however, that one should be able to turn back a page if so desired - not possible at this time.

One can use the menu to find a previous page if needed, but the ability to swipe or arrow tap to forward the pages should work in reverse as well.

A puppet show is also included allowing one to choose characters, background props and music. Move these characters around the screen recording the sounds and movements of these elements in action for a nice effect.

I have seen a few puppet shows such as this, and I am happy with the ease in which one can have a character or prop enter and leave the scene - gameplay one can take for granted until interacting with an app that makes this basic function difficult - fortunately not an issue here.

It is worth noting that this section, styled as if using paper puppets, does not allow one to resize or have these puppets turn to each other to engage in dialogue, but consists of cutely drawn images both polished and low tech in the way one would expect paper puppets to be for a very nice effect.

My son is not much into princesses so it is doubtful that Sofia the First will be a show we gravitate towards, but I do recommend this app to families who have princess children, and I from what I have seen that this TV series is worth checking out as well - especially as Sofia does not have the terrible sense of entitlement often seen in other princess stories.

Just Going to the Dentist - Little Critter is an adaptation of the title of the same name - part of the Little Critter series of storybooks now available in application form.

As the name may imply, this is the story of the Little Critter’s trip to the dentist. In this world, Little Critter is an anthropomorphic animal - a little boy who has been found to be relatable to by children for many years.

While reading about this trip to the dentist, I enjoy how some of this visit mirrors the experience my son has had while going to the dentist as well, such as the waiting room filled with toys and books, making my son desire to go to his bi-yearly appointment.

I am also glad to see Little Critter go back to the exam room to have his checkup on his own - something my son is now expected to do, which at first was stressful for both him and for myself.

Adults may note how some of the details included, such as the use of a spit sink or the archaic-looking x-ray machine might seem dated by many of today's standards, but this is by far an adult concern and I am happy that Little Critter is wearing a protective apron before the image is taken.

It is important to mention that in this story, a cavity is found on the x-ray, which needs to be filled. A syringe is seen right before Little Critter is being numbed for the drilling that can be heard faintly as an ambient sound.

Parents may have mixed feelings about this detail of the app, some believing that cavities and needles may be too scary for children in preparation for their first visit. Others, especially those with a history of cavities in older siblings or other family members, may feel the need to bring up the topic of cavities as Little Critter is a champ through this process - a good role model who does not fuss during the procedure, yet discusses the odd sensation of numbness - possibly helping children to be aware yet not afraid.

I do think that telling Little Critter that he will not feel anything during this procedure is a bit disingenuous as the needle is felt even if the drilling is not. Therefore, I do wish that the poke was mentioned if this book feels the need to include the filling of a cavity. This explanation, however, may make for wordiness in a way that these titles are not known for.

Personally, I could do without the lollypop offered after the filing - even if it is labeled “sugar-free,” but this is a book worth discussing because parents, I am sure, may want a book which brings up the topic of dentists and even cavities to prepare their children.

Like other books developed by Oceanhouse Media, Just Going to the Dentist includes narration, a mode allowing one to read this book by oneself, as well as Auto play, allowing one to enjoy this book being read by the delightful child voice actor as with the pages turn automatically in Auto Play.

Do tap on the illustrations as object are labeled with narration and text, adding more details to what can be found in an dentists office, such as x-rays or a light box, but I did wish this app would go into even further details instead of labeling many items as just "dentist equipment"

New to this app is the ability to record one’s own voice, download this recording onto any device, as well as sharing personal narrations with others who have access to this app as well.

The text is also highlighted when read - always a nice touch, as is the ability to tap a word to hear it spoken individually.

As is the case of the other Little Critter apps, one can find Spiders and Frogs hidden among these pages, seen as well in the original printed versions that now are included as a simple and sweet added hidden picture mini-game. These original illustrations are also shown with zooming and panning of these pages to draw the reader's eye.

Although this story may not suit the needs of all families who are looking for a story about visiting the dentist, other parents may appreciate how Little Critter handled himself during this visit as a way to prepare their children.

Sleep Well My Pet! is a simple and sweet collection of sleeping animals, relaxing to children, hopefully helpful in lulling them into slumber as well.

Easy to use, one can watch a slide show or scroll through these sleepy, charming images of animals such as dog, panda, pig or lion - all with their eyes closed as they rest. Non-mammal animals are included such as flamingos or green frog which are interesting as well as peaceful images.

Parents are also able to select or de-select images to focus on dogs or cats if they wish or to avoid an animal if they see fit.

One has a few musical choices to accompany this app, my favorite being the classical music piece Clair de Lune as well as an unnamed selection using the tankdrum instrument.

The images included here are lovely and are sure to be enjoyed by children of all ages, but I did notice as an adult that some of these photos, although nicely detailed, do have areas with a shallow depth of field which can create focus problems as well as an audio loop point that I found distracting - issues that I think would pass over the heads of the children this app is geared toward.

Even with this note, this app is a nice idea and may be effective in calming babies and other young children at bedtime or before their naps.

I do think, however, that the current price of this app at $3.99 is a little high compared to the content of other apps at this price point.

Having said this, Sleep Well My Pet! is a nice idea and may be effective in calming babies and other young children at bedtime or before their naps. Adults will also enjoy reading the included text with some insight as to how the idea for this app came about as well as some interesting information about the sleep habits of animals - a nice touch.

Sharing with Duckie Deck is a delightful role-playing app for toddlers which re-enforces how to be nice and share with others.

Five areas are included, each including a simple mini-game to drive home different points about sharing.

One area includes three children, each of whom would enjoy two separate toys - both included within three toy selections. Drag and drop a desired toy to a child, give each what he wants - but only one toy per child in order not to leave a child toyless.

Another section allows children to decorate cakes with decorations that will then be broken up into three equal pieces. Plate cake equally at each place to feed three children.

Likewise, another area allows children to cut and serve food in equal parts to share among four hungry kids. Here, one is not forced to plate evenly as one can give children more than their fair share, leaving a plate bare and a child sad. Can children learn to evenly split up the food among the friends equally to avoid long faces? This is a very nice section that uses social cues to teach fairness.

A favorite section of mine is to sit with other children and play with toys, sometimes sharing these toys with each other. I admire how this app allows some of the children to not want to give up their toy for a swap - excellent at teaching these social cues of shaking their head and refusing in a way that is realistic yet language-neutral and easily understood by children of any language. I am happy that this app allows for children who may not want to share as well as getting used to the idea that “no” may be an answer they hear from others.

A memory game is included where one creates pairs by turning over cards. Matches produce items of interest, flowers are dropped to the bottom of the screen that players pick up with a drag and then give them equally to the children characters seen right of the screen.

There is also a drawing section where one learns step by step how to draw an image such as a cactus or dinosaur, broken down into pieces traced on the screen and then colored in - a nice exercise - but the lack of a sharing theme threw me, although a well-written Parents section explains how to use this section in a way more social. Still, I would love there to be more of a context such as a child asking for a drawing to be made, and giving it to him at completion.

Badges are also earned which contain fun facts that can be shared via social media - an odd inclusion as this app is geared toward toddlers or those with special needs, who don’t need the added distraction.

Even with these notes, there is a lot that I enjoy about this app. Bright and colorful, with fun and upbeat music, the look of this app is quite pleasing as are the intuitive mini-games. I admire the inclusion of children of different races and ethnicities as well as a well-written parents' section that guides adults on how to best use this application.

I can see Sharing with Duckie Deck being a huge hit with toddlers and those with special needs who may need help learning how to share with others as well as older siblings who will be engaged by how inviting this app looks.

I have enjoyed my time with Sharing with Duckie Deck, and I do hope that more apps like this will be developed to help children with social IQ in the future.

Otzi - App for Kids - Play & Learn is an interesting universal app which introduces children to Otzi the Iceman, a mummified man found frozen in a glacier in the Otztal Alps, near the border of Austria and Italy.

This interactive app is nicely intuitive with different sections to choose from such as how Otzi was found in the ice, allowing children to swipe with a finger to help find his body as well as including a close-up of Otzi in a museum setting, also nicely showing what he presumably looked like when alive, which I found quite interesting.

The protective clothing he wore is also touched upon here, as users can dress Otzi as well as read about the clothing offered, such as the material used.

Be aware that close-up images of this mummified man are included after discovering him in the ice as well as in a tattoo section which allows children to use a magnifier to see the tattoos and other details of Otzi’s body. I think the educational value of this app is great, but I must admit I was momentarily taken aback by the close-up viewing of this ancient dead body, making this possibly not an app for all families. I would not, however, hesitate to show this app to my son when he is a little older, knowing that I will need to further explain what he is looking at and the causes of Otzi’s death a very, very, long time ago.

An “Insights” section is included which discusses possessions Otzi would have found important, such as a birch bark container to transport embers to light new fires with ease, as well as his dagger, used often in a multitude of ways, or even the use of a fungus found on birch - the birch polypore that can be used as first-aid to stop bleeding as well as an antibiotic - a detail from Otzi’s world that I found most fascinating. Also of interest is the “cold cell” used to further preserve Otzi.

Those with a camera on their device can also take a photo of a face that will be added to the illustrated body of an iceman such as Otzi, offering both a frozen icy backdrop as well as a more temperate landscape. It is worth noting that this app while using my iPad 1 without a camera crashed when I tried to use this photo function, an issue that I hope can be worked out in the future, possibly removing this section from devices that will not support picture taking instead of the app closing abruptly.

Developed in collaboration with the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, this app contains a nice amount of information with German, Italian and English languages offered, as well as being able to mute wonderfully atmospheric music and sound effects if one so chooses.

As this app is without narration, children will need to be able to read this text themselves or with the help of an adult - not as issue as this app is geared toward children 7-10 years old. Even with this age range given, I do think younger children as well can get a lot from this app if they are ready to view the mummified remains of Otzi.

I have enjoyed this app about Otzi, and without this application, it is doubtful that children would have such a close up view of this Iceman, also giving children topics that they can research further themselves.

Snow Queen by the developers at Timecode is a very nice adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story of the same name - a lengthy tale traditionally told over seven stories.

I am impressed by how this app also is broken into seven stories to create a thorough version of this classic story - nice to see as many times the Snow Queen is abridged, and oftentimes without the back story of how the magic mirror, which makes all things beautiful look ugly, is produced here by a goblin. It is this mirror, when broken, also negatively affects the people who get imbedded by these shards, making them see and feel as though everything around them is ugly as well.

This is a favorite story of mine as a child, as the idea of being manipulated this way by parts of a broken mirror affected me a great deal, and I am glad to have access to a version that is not shortened or watered down for children, as this version can also be enjoyed by adults, including Andersen fans who have certain expectations from adaptations of his work.

Effective narration is included which I have enjoyed listening to. Although the text is read a little quickly, I don’t believe that this narration is hard to understand or to follow as the sentences are highlighted - a nice touch that differs from the word-for-word highlighting that some books include.

Illustrations are also included - hand-painted and lush with details. It is worth noting that although a smaller illustration is included on the top of each page of text, a beautiful, full page illustration is found after ever page or two, making this not primarily a picture book but a very nice version of this story for an older child who can sit and listen for a good length of time.

Interactions are activites also included adding some fun yet minimal sounds and animations to the illustrations. I appreciate how a hint button is included showing where to tap to find hotspots or how to interact in different ways that children will enjoy, but are not the main selling point of this application.

Parents of older grade school children will be happy to introduce the Show Queen via this application, be it listening to the narration, reading this book out loud themselves, or by children reading this tale to themselves.

I do wish, however, that a table of contents were available in case a family does not have time to complete all seven stories, and it is unfortunate that if this app is closed, the space where readers left off is not saved. Because of this, it is good to know that this app, if left running on the iPad, will open to the page currently being read.

Although I recommend this app now as very nice storytelling, complete with beautiful artwork and lovely background music, being able to bookmark a page as well as a table of contents would be worthwhile inclusions for a future update.

I am delighted to introduce readers to a new universal role-playing app, Wombi Treasures which allows children and adults to travel the world and go on expeditions looking for relics from the past.

This terrific app opens up to a world map complete with X’s marking spots of interest. I enjoy how this app takes a global approach with sections that may include North America, Central or South America, Europe, Africa, or Asia.

I have been uniformly impressed with the look and style of the Wombi apps, and Wombi Treasure is no exception, as this app is lovingly reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark, with a period, distressed map and vintage airplane and pilot wearing period bomber jacket and scarf circa 1930’s.

A tap on one of these X’s brings players into the P.O.V. of specialized period equipment used for digging up treasure. At left of the screen is a view of the exact area where one is looking to excavate. Drag a finger across the center screen moving around until the view finder lines up with the area one is looking for, adding a nice level of difficulty to this terrific app.

It is also worth noting that a red button can be pressed to mark the spot for digging with a red X making it easier to find the correct spot, as help is sometimes welcome when searching more desolate areas such as the deserts of Egypt.

After finding the correct spot to dig in, one will be brought to a new screen that may not look like much at first. Here is where the work comes in, as one uses archeologists' tools to uncover treasures such as a mattock to break through rocks, a hand broom to brush away sand, a trowel to dig up loose earth and a sifter as well as a pair of gloves to pick up objects by hand.

Do try various tools to see if one can make any headway. If not, players will know by an audio hint and continue to find the correct tool for the job.

The uncovering of treasures can be time-consuming in real life, and this is touched upon here as a fair amount of time is needed to chip away at, dig, sweep or sift earth looking for any signs of something hidden below, adding to the suspense my son experiences while exploring this app.

The magic of first seeing a treasure take shape - first dark and hard to see as it is slowly becomes uncovered and sometimes needing to go through two distinct layers such as ice, rock, or sand - never loses its newness. It is good to know that the placement of these dig sites are both plentiful as well as random, so no game will be the same, keeping the newness alive as my son plays Wombi Treasure again and again.

Adults will smile at the treasures uncovered and based on real artifacts such as the iconic King Tut’s coffin, Roman gold coins, Native American spearheads, Norse artifacts or a Ming vase found under plywood boards and presumably hidden so that they would not be destroyed during China’s Cultural Revolution.

When the five sites have been dug and the treasures have been collected, this game ends on a high note, with the adventurous pilot Scouty showing off what he has found in a museum exhibit.

As is mentioned in the parents' section of this app, Wombi Treasures can be used as a springboard for children’s interests in history and archeology, but there will be some parents and many children who will not understand the significance of what has been found.

I am not looking to change the style of these Wombi Apps, language-neutral and with few explanations necessary, but I would love an option to be able to tap the pieces after being sent to the museum to be told what the artifact is as this information may be needed if parents and children want to search further about these points in history.

Even with this note, Wombi Treasures is the new family favorite app in our house. My son loves both to search for the area in which to dig as well as to use various tools to excavate, and I always get a kick out of seeing what treasures has been chosen to be included.

I can’t recommend Wombi Treasures strong enough, reminding me a great deal of another recent Wombi app, Wombi Detective.

Wombi is a Swedish developer that knows how to make wonderfully realized role-playing games for children that really draw in kids as well as adults.

I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Doctor Cat is a cute children’s app allowing users to use different medicines to treat animals.

This app is bright and colorful, with a simple and sweet narrative about a cat finding a lost doctor's bag and using its contents to treat creatures in need.

Do note the cloud at the top of each animal page which is pulled down to find the tools one uses to treat the sick. Although I don’t think the contents of the medical bag would necessarily be found by children who stumbled across this app themselves, the placement of these objects is explained in the parents' section, and once shown, children will have no problem accessing and using these tools to help the animals feel better.

Right hand taps to page turning arrows allow this story to progress, but children are able to choose the animals directly from a menu page styled like a map or maze, showing the cat making his rounds to each patient. Feel free to follow the path or choose any animal favorites one may desire. Other Simple hotspots along the way that add some other interactive details without too much distraction.

Narration is included which is clear and well-spoken, and I appreciate how children use both their empathy as well as rudimentary first aid knowledge to choose the appropriate remedy for each animal.

I can seen this app being used as a gentle reminder to be easy and helpful when taking medicine, yet I can’t help but notice that many of the drugs given, even on an OTC level, are not typically approved for children at the young age this app is geared for, and I would not want my young child asking me for drugs as treatments for simple colds or other viruses.

Having said this, I do think this app is charming, allowing children to take steps to make hurt or sick animals feel better - which children will really enjoy. My son loves to play animal doctor with his stuffed animals, and although I would never expect this app to take the place of this creative play, I like how he can still do this kind of pretending when we are out and about without all the plastic medical tools he has collected over the years.

There is an undeniable level of quality in Dr. Cat, a role-playing app that children are sure to enjoy a great deal, making this app great for toddlers' social intelligence and simple cognitive skills.

StoryBox 2 is a second installment of the digital magazine StoryBox, based on the award winning children’s magazine of the same name and based in the UK.

Because my son has begun to enjoy published children’s magazines at this point, I am always interested in reviewing their digital equivalents.

StoryBox 2 consists of five different sections: a short story as well as two non-fiction sections, an area of games and activities and a second chapter to Polo - a serial cartoon without words.

I do enjoy the Storytime selection, A Night At School, about anthropomorphic animals spending the night at school to avoid a wolf who had been spotted near by, as this story includes an appropriate amount of suspense relatable to my son who I am sure would have a range of emotions regarding the idea of spending the night at school.

There is a very nice moment when the animal children meet the wolf for the first time, realizing that this animal is old and means them no harm - a moment that I think children will keep with them for some time.

Based in the UK, the narrator, to an American ear, has an accent as well as speaks a little quickly but should not be too much of a problem for children to listen to. It is also worth noting that one can record one's own narration - always a good option to have.

I was also quite impressed with the information explained in the Wonder with the Wizkid area of this app, as children learn alongside a curious alien child, allowing children to tap this character’s speech bubbles as Wizkid asks all kinds of questions - here about why humans have five fingers.

I especially like how more in depth the information gets as children then turn the page, tapping to read and hear more about this subject, comparing human hands to those of other animals such as cats, monkeys or fish.

This section also includes some Fun Facts about evolution, and I admire how it is explained that although scientists don’t know why exactly humans have five fingers, there is much that we do know about the subject. I want my son to begin to understand that for some questions, there are no good answers, and that this can nevertheless be ok.

Animal World is another very nice non-fiction section that discusses the world of stags, adult male deer.

There is a lot of information for children to absorb both by reading as well as listening, and I learned some interesting facts about these animals here as well. The illustrations included are wonderful, highly detailed and attractive, but it would have also been nice to see some actual stag photos.

Pull-up window tabs are also included that cover such information as where do stags live, what do they eat and what size do they grow to, but I wish more information were included than “They are a lot bigger than you” to describe the rough drawing of the scale between a child and stag, which could have been more fully explored.

Fun and Games is an interactive area of this app that contains traditional activities such as a Dot-to-Dot, coloring or spot-the-difference pages. My favorite pages from this section involve the tapping to count different vegetables during snack time and a puzzle exercise where one drags puzzle elements which fit into the image of the larger page consisting of a maze that is then completed with the drag of a finger. I do wish an eraser were offered as a tool to aid children as they complete the dot-to-dot and maze activity, and it would also be great if one could tap for hints or simply see the completed Find the Difference page as children may not complete this section without help.

Polo is the serial comic of StoryBox. Without words, this story is dreamlike, picking up from the end of the first chapter where Polo, a dog character, travels up into space from his bedroom window. This adventure continues into a new venue promised for the next installment. I do love the gentle storytelling of Polo, but I do wish each chapter were a little longer as I simply would love more.

Do note that one can tap these comic book-inspired panels, enlarging them to full screen as one wishes as well as recording one’s own stories based on what is seen. Although I don’t often make my own recordings when narration is included, I see great benefit to being able to have children record their own stories - here told without words and wonderful for their creativity. This music included here is also perfectly relaxing, making this section especially desirable at bedtime.

Although I don’t think that a few of the activities such as a single coloring or Dot-To-Dot pages are what make this app stand out from others in iTunes, I truly enjoyed learning about the topics of human hands and stags as well as the other included stories, making this an easy application to recommend.

This is the second in a series of StoryBox applications. If interested, please read my first StoryBox review on GiggleApps as well.