Davey and Goliath Review

Davey and Goliath is a storybook app based on an episode from a television series produced by the Lutheran Church in the 1950's and 60's. The app itself is a cute retelling of the story, in which Davey's father explains what he means when he says "God willing."

Like many other picture books on the App Store, the app is a StoryChimes app, meaning that its storybook features are a good match for the iPhone's screen. Readers can choose to have the recorded audio "read" the book aloud, and follow along; or more advanced readers can read the story at their own pace. Flipping through pages is easy, and the app lets you leave a bookmark where you left off. However, some parts are a little lacking—adapting the TV episode to book format means that there are some awkward parts, like pages that feature only still screenshots, with no audio or text.

The story itself is simplistic, with a heavy Christian influence: young Davey hears his father use the expression "God willing," and asks what it means. Davey's father goes on to explain that God cares about us and what we do, using a metaphor of the cave guide who found Davey and his dog, Goliath, when they got lost in a cave. The story feels a little abrupt, since it's both out of context of the TV series as a whole and focuses on imparting a lesson rather than the plot itself. Still, it's a nice story, and an interesting way to discuss God, if you identify as a Christian, at least.

Its appeal is probably limited, but if you liked the Davey and Goliath television show "back in the day" or if you just want a Christian storybook for your kids, Davey and Goliath is a cute picture book and the app works just fine. Check it out in the App Store for $0.99.