Twinkle Twinkle Review

Twinkle Twinkle is a very special universal interactive storybook perfect for bedtime. Options include narration, auto play and reading this book to oneself as well as a wonderful video to watch. A "Count the Stars" section also included, giving the reader a change to tap twenty stars arranged in rows to hear numbers 1-20 be counted as these stars are also highlighted as well.

The storybook of Twinkle Twinkle is lovely tale about an unlikely friendship between an owl and a star in the night’s sky who play together until the sun is ready to come up and it is time for them to go to bed. It is charming how this young owl wants to stay and play, much like my boy who sometimes fights his bedtime as well, and how the star gently re-enforces their need for sleep.

Two versions of this story exist, a story mode where this tale is expressed in both narration and words that become highlighted when read and also includes some mild interactions when these characters are touched. Although not as tappable as other storybooks available, I think the level of interaction is perfect for this sleepy bedtime story.

I am not always a fan of computer-generated animations, but I really like the way this app looks. Taking place in a forest, the sky used here is beautiful and with a subtle sunset just beginning to peek over the horizon in early moments as well as trees, clouds and a moon - all to be seen in nice detail.

The main characters of owl and star convey emotions nicely and look quite real within the style of this app and I love tapping these creatures to see them move, as even slight eye movements work well to create a richness within this story. There is a subtle use of shadows used here, bringing dimension to these characters that looks utterly realistic and lovingly stylized but not trendy in any way the way 3D can sometimes be.

My favorite section of this application is the included video. I hesitate to use the term “music video,” worrying that this could be in some way pejorative, yet in many ways this term fits. Here, the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” is sung over what amounts to the story’s visuals playing in auto play. Best viewed after being familiar with the story, watching this narrative play out without the direct re-telling of the story creates a very cinematic experience.

I am smitten with such moments as watching the star talk without hearing and direct dialogue and listening to this classic song being played in the background with my imagination and memory filling in the rest. The imagery used here, although the same as in the book, creates moments that seem more meaningful and almost poetic, specifically when the touch of owl and star hands and made all the more interesting as neither character really has hands - a moment I wished were played out a few seconds longer. Their playful dancing and flying through the night-time clouds is yet another beautiful image. This tale in the reading mode has a nice storyline about the owl not feeling confident in his ability to fly high in the upper atmosphere. These moments of uncertainty being pantomimed within video mode are images that will stay with me for a long time.

I also appreciate that the video mode allows “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to be sung by either a child or adult male. I don't always perfer children’s voices used in apps as other kids may have a hard time understanding the imperfect speech of children’s narration, but I love the children’s voice option there. Combined with the visuals and music used creates a wonderful experience - our new favorite app before bed. Typically we listen to the story and then to the video. My son has a lot of fun tapping the characters within this story and then the video has a nice calming influence on him, perfect before bed. I love this app as well, and I am glad that these images of friends having tender fun together are the last images seen before he is asleep.