Lucy Ladybird Review

Parents of children who enjoy storybook apps may be interested in Lucy Ladybird, a beautifully illustrated tale about a ladybug with no spots. Feeling alienated from the other ladybugs, Lucy goes off by herself, coming in contact with other creatures who are happy to give her a spot of their own. The illustrations are rich with colorful, delightful details including the tactile use of fall leaves in their color-changed glory to make up ladybug bodies as well as other details that make me smile. The different seasons are touched upon here showcasing the warm colors of fall, the icy cool colors seen in winter, and the lush floral displays of spring - wonderful scenes that make this book really stand out for its visual quality.

This story of Lucy collecting spots of different colors is written in a repetitious manner that may help younger children with listening as well as reading comprehension. Although a little predictable for adults, this format is quite classic and creates a timeless feel that adults and children will enjoy. Narration is included, and I enjoy the different voices created by the narrator, adding richness to this storybook. A question mark seen at the top of each page can be tapped to give hints on how to find the included interactions, which I am fond of. The hints are displayed as text to be read - a nice inclusion for adults to share, but visual clues would be more helpful for pre-readers looking to enjoy this app by themselves.

This app also includes the chance to sing along with the song, karaoke style, as adults read the words that are highlighted in time to the song being played - a nice moment for those interested. I also really appreciate that as additional Sing Along mode is included with highlighted words as well as the chance to sing along with the narrator - a better choice for some.

Another section included is a coloring book. Six images from the story are offered, and although I enjoy that an eraser is included as well as appreciate the quality of how the paint looks on the page when one has chosen a color to draw with, only a single paintbrush point is included. I would prefer a selection of line sizes to draw with as well as other functions, without which this area seems a bit like an afterthought. Having said this, my mind does wander to the art of Eric Carle while reading Lucy Ladybird, as well as to the Elmer series of books and even elements from The Rainbow Fish, making it stand together with these classics - high praise to be sure.

My only reservation with recommending this app is the current price tag of $5.99, which I genuinely think is misguided given the features and functions found within other applications that are associated with this hefty, top-tier price tag. I would also like to see the links to the associated site, social media, and to Amazon to facilitate the purchase of the printed copy of this book be hidden away from the children who will be reading this storybook as links like these are not appreciated by most adults within the children’s section of any application.

My last note is that as much as I admire much of Lucy Ladybird, the current size of 483 MB makes this app way too large to keep on our iPad past the review process, and I can see other families feeling that this app takes up too much room on their device as well. Condensing this app would be quite helpful to families who purchase it, to be sure.