I feel privileged to have been introduced to this series and been given the chance to review this specific app, Anancie and the Drum of Common Sense. This tale of the same name is a classic West African story about Anancie, a half-man, half-spider character who collects common sense from children in the end distributing common sense to all the land in a way most satisfying.

The delivery of this story is brilliant in its simplicity. This video recording is of Tuup, a master storyteller, who tells this story looking directly into the camera as he talks. There is no music, sound effects or interactions in this main part of this application, allowing my son to focus on the tale at hand, who was captivated with this man’s wonderful performance.

Storytelling is an art form, and for those gifted in this skill, the delivery can be quite mesmerizing. From the first few words of this story, I don’t think my four year old son, very cranky at the time, took his eyes off my iPhone.

My boy really enjoys the idea of a half-man, half-spider and the imagery of this creature trying to climb a tree – an important detail of this story. As a parent, I really liked the simple lessons taught as Tuup explains the common sense children express as he puts these rules into a drum that he tries to carry up this tree. There is also a moment in this story where Anancie gets frustrated by his own children, not realizing they were trying to help – moments both parents and children alike can relate to.

The length of this story is about 10 minutes, a great length of time for my son to be asked to sit and listen to a story from start to finish, and this expert storyteller does a great job of keeping the energy high throughout this tale.

There are a few other sections of this app with related materials.

Map Game is a very nice section that includes a series of tiles that combine illustrations and audio from moments of this story that need to be re-arranged from start to finish, testing children on the memory, comprehension and understanding of story structure.

Listen and Repeat allows children to listen to moments from this story and repeat what they can remember in their own words as they make their own recording.

Tell Your Story Game lets kids and adults record their own story and email to friends and family.

Bets Bits are short excerpts highlighting favorite moments from this story, a nice section to view when families don’t have 10 minutes for the whole story.

There are so many highly stimulating, interactive applications available that I always find it nice to share wonderful apps that simply contain great stories that kids and their adults can sit back and listen to. Anancie and the Drum of Common Sense, as well as the other apps from this series, would be excellent titles for families who love traditional storytelling.

I also think this app would be great for special needs kids who may need to practice being comfortable around others who make direct eye contact.

This app would also be great in a school setting as it demonstrates not only an excellent delivery of this thoughtful, classic story with important messages, but would make a terrific choice for teaching comprehension and dramatic structure as well as diversity. This traditional West African tale would be a very nice selection for classrooms that may be looking for more multicultural activities.

I have become very excited about this series of apps as I am a fan of traditional storytelling in general, and I love seeing this ancient tradition kept alive with the use of such modern devices.

[ The Traditional Storyteller – Anancie and the Drum of Common Sense Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

I am very excited to be introducing this app to readers as this app features Michael Mills’s Nine Minute animated adaptation of this tragic Shakespearean play.

Michael Mills is a British-born animator, director and producer – possibly best known for his Oscar-nominated animated shorts – ‘Evolution’ and ‘History of the World in Three Minutes flat.’

I do love his take on Macbeth. The animation style is sly and sophisticated, and with a tongue-in-cheek and will impress all ages.

Not only is this animated short included, but a terrific section, The Self Guide is also included with an impressive amount of information, both specifically about Macbeth as well as about life during this period of time in general.

There is so many great sections to explore, such as the main characters from this play and the complete text of Macbeth as well as the other works of Shakespeare. The Life and Times of Shakespeare and historical information about Scotland are included as well as information about theaters of this time period and a fascinating section on The Symbolic and the Supernatural.

Each of these topics is further broken down into sub-categories – some of my favorites being the discoveries and Inventions touching upon the scientific concepts of Copernicus and Galileo, the great Renaissance man – Leonardo da Vinci, and the importance of Gutenberg’s printing press, comparing it very wisely to today’s internet.

I think it is also great how the other works of Shakespeare are mentioned, such as the Sonnets, Poems, Folios and Quartos, as well as a section dedicated to famous Shakespearean quotes.

Other interesting information, like how the use of children instead of women as actors is touched upon, and I really enjoy how the superstition of the title Macbeth – never uttered while this play is under production – is also incorporated into this very rich encyclopedia of all things Shakespeare.

An impressive three hours of content is included that older grade school kids as well as adults will find very fun and informative. I appreciate how the included text can be narrated by Mills as his narration is wonderful, also allowing children who may be reluctant readers to gain a lot from this app by listening to it alone.

An interactive timeline and world map are also thoughtfully included that students of all ages will enjoy. Do tap on the animations as well, as some fun hidden hotspots are included, triggering some wildly witty animations.

It is great that an interactive mode also exists where one can watch the video and tap icons placed at the bottom of the page that will bring one to the corresponding informational section of this app, allowing one to gain further insight while watching the included animation.

This is very helpful in learning more about the various subjects within this app, but I did have some issues with getting back into the story after I perused the added info.

it would be nice if some sort of button was able to be tapped that would bring viewers back to the area of the video they were watching last. I also felt that the Self Guide of information took some getting used to in terms of its basic navigation -issues not too terrible but which could possibly be smoothed out in a future update.

I enjoy the additional clips of Michael Mills himself found within this app as well, exploring details further or giving instructions on how to best enjoy this app, but I found these clips to be of lower resolution, noticeable but not in a way that took away from the enjoyment of his presence, although the images of Mills himself are quite small, especially on the iPhone.

I also noticed that a few pages from the Self Guide did not have the included narration one would expect from this fully narrated app – an issue I hope can be worked out in the future.

Even with these minor notes, Thumbnail Theater: Macbeth is an app that I greatly enjoyed, both on its own merits and also because apps for older children are not as common as I would like in iTunes. I highly recommend this app to any student who is reading Shakespeare as well as to adults who would like to know more about this time period in general.

I am thrilled to learn that this app is first in a series like it, I will be on the lookout for more of these Thumbnail Theatre apps in the future as this one was terrific.

[ Thumbnail Theater: Macbeth Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

This app for iPad contains 20 creatures, each colorfully illustrated with lots of details that fans will enjoy. Without narration, this is an encyclopedic app that will require reading skills of either the app user or an adult to help read this text out loud.

I am impressed with the content of this app, nicely re-telling the stories that have made these scary subjects part of pop culture.

It is nice that readers tap to hear the noises these creatures make, as well as quizzing themselves on the correct size of these subjects, allowing readers to scale both adult male and monster images to see how correct they can get in terms of relative size in this interesting interactive application.

Where in the World is another interactive section allowing one to pinpoint sightings of these monsters with surprising accuracy – thanks to Google maps.

A gallery of images that demonstrates the story being told includes a monster close-up, also allowing one to create a coloring page as well as the use of the AirPrint. Some fun Did You Know? facts are also available.

There are a few ways to arrange the icons that each represents a character from this app, either in a grid or spread into a circle, randomly across the screen or in a pile. From here, one can move these images around the screen, further sorting if one is interested, creating a nice trading card feel that I appreciate. One can also re-size these icons, with small, medium and large choices if one so desires.

These beasts can also be grouped in a number of ways, such as their origins around the globe or type of creature, such as Mythological Monsters, Modern Monsters, Ancient Legends and Folklore and Movie Monsters. One can also rate these characters, splitting up and organizing these monsters this way as well.

The organizing by sub-categories is a good idea, but it is unfortunate that the an important aspect of crypto zoology was left out of the “Modern Monsters” section as these creatures such as Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster or the Jersey Devil are interesting and important because their differentiation between fact or fiction has never been truly proven or disproven.

Developers may also want to change the chupacabra’s category from Ancient Legends and Folklore to Modern Monsters, as this blood-thirsty creature is described as a “modern menace of the Americas,” having first been described in 1995. Japan’s Oni, Western Europe’s Kraken and the Native American Thunderbird should possibly be best moved from mythology to Ancient Legends and Folklore as well.

I have also found that tapping on these monster icons in the interest of exploring these creatures further is sometimes unresponsive – something that I hope can be worked out in a future update.

Even with these issues, I have really enjoyed reading about these creatures. This is an app that I would have enjoyed this app a great deal in grade school and middle school, as this app will be a hit with fans of this subject matter.

It may be worth pointing out that some of the stories re-told about certain characters, such as the Reptoid Alien are rather disturbing if taken literally. I mean this is a good way, of course, in terms of the children who will naturally gravitate toward this application, but this app may be too intense for younger children, so my son will have to be older before I can share this app with him.

If interested, apps focused on vampires and dragons are also available from this developer, please check out iTunes for more information.

[ Monsters & Mutants Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

Two modes are included, each interactive, one with included narration and one meant to be read on one’s own.

My son has really taken to this delightful story about Bizzy Bear, a cuddly and relatable bear who is looking to be very helpful as he visits a farm, asking players for help as he partakes in such chores as feeding the pigs, helping sheep back into their pen or collecting eggs from hen houses.

Each page has a main interaction or two that is nicely explained by the narration or text found at the top of the page. Do tap Bizzy Bear to hear the multiple lines of dialogue offered as well as the other objects and characters found throughout these pages, and experiment with dragging Bizzy Bear around with a tap and drag for fun.

In looking at the comments left on iTunes, I have noticed that others do not feel that this app is as intuitive as the other apps developed by Nosy Crow – specifically The Three Little Pigs and Cinderella.

I have not found this to be the case for my son who has had no issues with the use of this application. It is true that without an autoplay section, the pages do not turn automatically, allowing children to play out these interactions fully before turning the page – an aspect that never tripped up my son as he happily explored these pages for all that they offer. They nicely include the use of the blue dots found also within their previous apps that mark characters that have something to say when tapped. When my son is finished with these pages, he simply taps the blue arrow found at the bottom right corner twice to turn the page.

The narrative for this book is not as involved as the classic story applications that Nosy Crow is known for, but works well for telling this simple story that young children will enjoy. Not being as intricate as the other apps, this simple story lends itself well to the open-ended and exploratory nature that this app offers, as my son fed, fed and over-fed these pigs until he felt satisfied enough to move on, not having to worry too much about remembering a specific plot underway.

I did, however, find that riding the horse was not easy to manipulate, as players need to figure out that one swipes behind the horse as if he is propelling him vs. dragging him where one may want him to go. An arrow demonstrating this in the future would be helpful.

After some practice, I could move this horse back and forth, turning directions, slowing down and speeding up but was not able to stop or slow down long enough to tap the bunnies found in the background of this page, which are highlighted with blue dots and looking for a tap – a disappointment for us in this otherwise very enjoyable application.

Fans of Nosy Crow will also notice that the style of illustrations found within this app is different from the previous digital tales. I enjoy the bright and bold color choices as well as Bizzy himself and all the other animals that kids will love. To me, these illustrations include nuances of Richard Scarry’s Busy Town characters which I appreciate, while maintaining a look all their own.

My son has really enjoyed Bizzy’s trip to the farm and has asked me if there will be more Bizzy apps soon – high praise from a kid with an abundance of applications to choose from. This is not a lengthy story but just right for toddlers and preschoolers, although longer stories in the future would be nice too.

Seeing how my son really enjoys Bizzy Bear, a bear who is thoughtful and kind to animals, I will be looking for some published books from this series also from Nosy Crow.

I am impressed that Nosy Crow is an independent publisher/developer of both printed books and applications. I hope to see more of their work in the future.

[ Bizzy Bear on the Farm Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

The visual style of the Numberleys is quite stunning, greatly reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s 1926 German Expressionism film, Metropolis, with a use of black and white imagery that will stay with my son for a long time. In cinematic terms that don’t quite correspond to an animated film, the look of low-key lighting is most striking, as is the masterful positioning of what would be the camera and the use of graphic, industrial cutaways in addition to the perfect use of a musical score in this thoughtful, atmospheric sci-fi storybook.

This story takes place in a bleak, colorless land of only numbers. An orderly world devoid of whimsy or joy, a group of numbers looking to better their society take it upon themselves to create letters out of already existing number shapes to bring beauty to their world.

It may have been a mistake to tell my son that this was a new app from the same developers of The Fantastic Flying Books, as I think my son was expecting highly interactive moments peppered throughout this story, which is not really the case here, as this is primarily a video to watch until one comes across the section of mini-game-like activities in which these new letters are crafted.

It did not take long, however, for my son to get used to simply watching this interesting origin of the alphabet, and I really enjoyed looking at his eyes are they grew wide in response to the use of the images of impressive architectural structures and industrial machines also found in Metropolis and touched upon here with wondrous effect. The mood within this tale may be dark, but not scary or to intense for my sensitive son.

I greatly appreciate the included narration, complete with German accent, which made me smile but surely went over the head of my 4 year old. I admire the choice to have a decidedly quirky tone to this narration as a more drab style would have made this story too heavy and completely change the tone of this tale to something else very different.

There are a few moments where one can tap red lights found in this app, mainly as part of a machine one gets to momentary interact with, exploring further the industrial elements of this application, but these moments are few and far between – only an issue if one has a preconceived notion of what to expect from this interactive app.

There are times, however, that after tapping an interactive area of this app, it is unclear when to turn the page as the interactive can be infinite – usually something that I like in an interaction, but here, which can cause confusion.

I have also noticed that when the video is intercut with narration and a title card of written text, although a lovely nod to silent films, can seem jarring, especially when it comes to the soundtrack being used.

As this story progresses, readers will reach the section of this app that will allow them to help these number characters to alter numbers into letters.

It is impressive how varied these interactions are, with a creative use of industrial machines, as well as the witty use of words that introduces the letters such as “Form would follow function, they would make the future fun.”

Letters are spun to stretch numbers into letter shapes, trampolines are used to jump onto numbers, squashing or separating them into letters, even deflecting numbers to hit fragile gears that fill form letters when broken.

Many of these interactions work well, but others are more at a level of a challenging mini-game in terms of difficulty, and it can be hard to understand what is being asked of the player or simply too difficult to accomplish – much to the frustration of my son, who wanted to interact with this this story, only to feel at some points overly challenged.

It can also be difficult to know when to turn the page here, as a few times the best way to complete the letter in question is to tap the paging turn arrow which triggers the conclusion of this interaction, as to not prolong some of these mini-games for what seems like indefinitely as players try to trouble-shoot what is going wrong.

Unfortunately, narration is not included as players must read the directions offered for these letter interactions to themselves, as the visual clues are often not enough to explain game play on their own, making this a difficult app to fully enjoy for non-readers. I would love to see narration of these directions also included as an option in the future.

After these letters are created, fully-colored elements are seen for the first time, evoking moments of Technicolor that become quite moving.

Because some of these letters can be too time-consuming to complete, my son thought this app in general was too long – something that may not surprise developers as they include an intermission that can one can sit through or bypass with a page turn.

I would love to see in the future a separate section being a simple video only, allowing one to watch these letters being born with a shortened overall time to complete each letter.

All in all, I can recommend this app based on its amazing sense of style. Metropolis is a favorite movie of mine, and this is a wonderful tribute to a perfectly realized film. I am happy to expose my son to this style of cinematic experience unlike anything else he has seen to date.

I do believe that some of the skill- or luck-based letter mini-games could be made simpler, as this story about the birth of letters will appeal to young children who will not be capable of some of these interactions – issues I hope that can be worked out in the future. Although of interest to children, even story-loving adults who are familiar with German Expressionism will find this application of interest.

I have been very impressed with the look and storytelling and other cinematic elements found within both of Moonbot Studios epic storybook applications. I look forward to seeing what else they may develop.

[ Numberleys Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

This story, based on a book of the same name, is about a little duck with big dreams of dancing on Broadway. Unfortunately, his duck friends are not very encouraging, but this duck has a great, “yes, you can” attitude that parents will hope will rub off on their children as this duck makes his way to New York City with the aid of a trucker, Big Betty, a terrific, supportive character that also subtly tackles gender issues as a woman trucker is not what many children would think of first when it comes to truck drivers. This is an inspirational story with a great, positive theme children will benefit from being introduced to.

I also appreciate that this duck does not only have a dream of dancing on Broadway, but we see his hard work as he dances his way to the city, making a name for himself, as the jaded side of me often silently scoffs at other well-meaning stories about lofty goals that leave out the hard work one needs to make these dreams possible.

It is also a nice moment when Big Betty and duck go their separate ways – duck now relying on himself to make the last leg of this trip. Although short, this is a great title that is sure to become a family favorite for all.

This book can be enjoyed as a storybook including narration or not. The included narration is superb and a real pleasure to listen to. It is also nice that the words spoken are underlined in yellow when read – a style I enjoy, possibly more that the standard highlighting of the words themselves.

While the narrated book includes a thoughtful use of sound effects and music, the book while read to oneself remains silent except for the sounds of the pages being turned, making this experience much like reading a traditional printed book, and included the thoughtful inclusion of a magnifying glass feature, enlarging the text and changing the font to make the words easier to read, is a very nice touch that I appreciate.

A video of this story is also included, with some lovely animated effects. This video will appeal to all, but it is especially nice how the images here have have articulated elements – moving pictures lovingly stylized but not fully animated in the conventional sense, something that may be especially appealing to some parents who may avoid some book videos as they can be to reminiscent of simply watching TV.

The illustrations found throughout this story, in both storybook and video sections, are at top form for any printed or digital storybook, with a lush color palette of warm, rich colors that make this app stand out among the sea of other story apps available on iTunes.

From what I understand, this published book is sold with an included cd of corresponding songs, one of which is included here, allowing children to listen or sing along. This song is cute and charming for parents as well as children, with certain details are included for the enjoyment of adults pertaining to New York City that made me smile. Other music can purchased from iTunes as well, details included within this application.

Until now, I was unaware of this book or the other stories from The Secret Garden, and I am thrilled that this book has been turned into an iPad application. This is the first of a series of apps to be released, and after taking a look at The Secret Garden’s web site, I am impressed by the selection of books available to buy with included CD or as an MP3. From what I have seen, each of these titles looks amazing with fantastic cover art utterly unique to themselves. I hope more of these stories found within this site are developers in to applications as well.

The intro to this book for the Secret Garden was impressive as well, involving a lush, tropical garden and including an impressive sense of depth, enviable 3D effect and wonderful, greatly effective music. This short intro really put The Secret Garden on the map for me, and I will be watching closely, waiting for new apps to be released. My only note would be to consider making these apps universal applications to reach a wider audience of both iPhone and iPad users.

A Duck in New York City should be on the radar of any family who enjoys a well-done story. This app contains no interactions, which my son did not miss as he enjoyed this story very much, as do I. It has been my pleasure to introduce readers to this storybook and soon-to-be series of apps. It is also worth noting that this story is written by a Canadian folk singer/song writer, Connie Kaldor who also narrated this story, and her narration is perfectly realized in every way. I hope to read and hear more of her stories in the future.

[ A Duck in New York City Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

Like the other titles in this series by UK author and illustrator, Jon Higham, this story consists of Elly and gang helping a new friend who needs to find his way back home.

One has the option of listening to included narration or reading this book by oneself. Both options here are delightful, as the narration by Rose Higham is lovely as usual, including the creation of different voices used for each of these characters, each cute and charming.

Although the included narration will be a favorite element to other children, reading these books out loud to my son has long been my family’s favorite way to spend app time that we really enjoy. These simple books flow really well, are easy to read and will make lovely first readers when my son is ready.

Here, a new character to this series is introduced, Lumi, a lost polar bear who is in need of help in finding his way back to the North Pole. Elly is at a loss as to what to do, so she asks her friends to lend a hand, helping Lumi make his way home, as well as gathering food and building shelter until he is able to make this trip.

Typically, adult humans are not found among these stories that revolve around Elly the reindeer, her animal friends, and her human friend Aapo. I think that it is a nice to include Aapo’s uncle, an explorer who is able to help Lumi go back home, as sometimes adults need to help children with problems that they may face. I am also very fond of how cooperation in general is a theme among these titles as Elly often needs to ask for help from her friends – great lessons for children to learn.

My son loves this story, as he does the other Elly apps. The mild drama of a lost creature in need of a helping hand is very captivating to my son, as his favorite game at the park is saving me – his “baby” – from alligators or hot lava, and now I am sure he will create a game where he needs to help me – as an animal that needs to find its way back home too.

The details from the airplane with skies to the building of an igloo to keep Lumi cool and comfortable were of great interest to my son, but what really fascinated him was the talk of the “magic lights” – a moment especially well narrated as well.

Like the other Elly books, hotspots are found in the corners of these pages, nicely marking where to tap, making it easy for the youngest children to explore these included sound effects. Although my son has access to the most interactive apps available, these lovely storybooks are still quite dear to his heart, also loving these simple additional sounds found throughout, tapping each one as I read these pages.

For the first time, an animated element has also been included, bringing the Northern Lights to this story as they magically appear in the sky for Elly and friends to see as they bid their new friend Lumi good night a long way away in the North Pole, and my son had a real moment watching the aurora borealis flicker across the last page of this story, making this a perfect bedtime story that gently introduces the idea the the world is bigger than one’s backyard.

My son’s face beamed throughout as I read this story to him. At the end, he asked my to read it again – high praise as he typically requests a variety of apps instead of a repeat performance the way he does with this darling polar bear story.

I am really happy that this series of Elly apps has included so many titles, allowing my son to get to know these creatures as they demonstrate true kindness and friendship. As a parent, I would be happy for my son to emulate these relationships. I hope more Elly books are to come.

[ Elly Book 10 Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

This is a nice story where Biscuit and the girl deliver gifts of all shapes and sizes to neighbors, family and friends. From giving home-made gingerbread to relatives or birdseed to birds, this is a simple and sweet story about giving, and I like that less tangible gifts are given as well, such as sharing a story or even a kiss from Biscuit to the girl at the end which is considered the best Christmas gift of all.

This application includes some mild interactions where tapping creates some subtle but effective animations, allowing these characters to move. Narration is an option, as is Autoplay, and when this story is read by the narrator, the text is highlighted when read. Of course, this app can be read out loud as well.

Kids will also enjoy searching for Biscuit’s bone that has been partially hidden in each page – a fun seek-and-find type of game to play as one reads this storybook.

A coloring book, sticker book and memory game are also included that kids will enjoy, but I wish there was a way of muting the sound effects found as one colors or arranges the stickers as these sounds can be loud and possibly distracting.

The youngest of children through preschool will enjoy this story about Biscuit, as they have for over a decade now. The illustrations are lovely, as is Biscuit himself, making this app a nice choice for fans of these books, young dog lovers or for children who simply enjoy a nice story.

[ Biscuit Gives a Gift Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

Arthur Christmas is the delightful story about how Santa delivers presents to all the world’s children. This story is a fun one that seems original among the other Christmas stories out there and I really enjoy how in this tale, the job of Santa and the elves make use of technology to get things done in a timely manner, as well as including some very classic elements.

It is nice that one gets to meet Santa’s children, Steve and Arthur, who each have very different personalities, with Arthur taking it upon himself to deliver a forgotten present to a child on Christmas.

Arthur’s adventure while making this delivery is really fun to watch and takes him to places that adults as well as children will be engaged by, as this story takes some fun tangents that I did not expect and had a lot of fun with.

From what I have seen of this film, as we have not yet seen this movie in the theater, this app borrows images directly from this film, giving this application a a wonderfully stylized, colorful and very vivid computer animated look that I really enjoy. I like how each page has an image from this film illustrating it, but the included story goes into details way beyond the included illustration, allowing children to use their imaginations while listening to this story.

I also enjoy how the actors within this film are also included during the reading of these characters’ dialogue. Narration is included within this app, as is auto play, but one can turn off these features and read this book to oneself as well. At the end of this book, some interactive scenes are also included in which kids can become part of this story.

I know that oftentimes before bed, my son will ask to see a full length film such as this for which we have no time. It is nice that with this app as well as with the other iStorytime apps based on other children’s favorite movies, one can allow children to experience these stories in app form in much less time.

This is a fun and lively app that kids and adults will enjoy. This application does touch upon a lot of plot points but still maintains itself as a good narrative in its own right, and I have enjoyed this story with my son.

Arthur Christmas Movie Storybook has encouraged me to go see this movie, and I am happy that my son can revisit this creative and interesting Christmas story whenever he wishes.

For those interested, other apps based on popular kids movies such as films from the Shrek and Kung Fu Panda franchises, as well as a storybook based on the children’s film Megamind and others also available from these developers. Please check iTunes for more details.

[ Arthur Christmas Movie Storybook Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]

For those who may not know, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library is a non-fiction series for children that teaches different subjects of interest to kids, such as dinosaurs or sea life, always staring the Cat in the Hat and human counterparts – siblings Sally and Dick, as well as Thing One and Thing Two. My son loves these new adventures with the gang from the classic Cat in the Hat books, as do I.

Here, There’s No Place Like Space tackles the topic of outer space, introducing the planets in the solar system, with vivid descriptions of each one, a fun mnemonic to help kids remember each of their names and correct order, as well as fun facts about the sun, moon, constellations and other related information.

Like other Oceanhouse Media apps, this universal app includes narration, also allowing one can read this book to oneself. This app, like many others from this developer, does a great job of incorporating the traditional illustrations found in the classic books, with the use of “The Ken Burns Effect’ as these drawings are panned and zoomed across to create effect.

Some of these single pages have been expanded to create a screen full-screen spread, but the text is the same as found in the printed book, delivered paragraph by paragraph, aiding in threading of these rhymes.

Interesting interactions can also be explored here – a new element found among Oceanhouse Media apps and a nice inclusion to their new The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series of applications.

Move individual images such as the gang’s spaceship and the planets floating among these pages around the screen, which then fall back into their alignment and can also be moved around the screen as a whole – a nice touch to emphasize their order in the solar system. The ability to create constellations with a tap is also included as well, a personal favorite interaction.

Simple animated movements can also be found such as the planets revolving around the sun – an image, together combined with the relaxing, vaguely science fictionish music found throughout, create a moment that is surprisingly moving.

I like use of Thing One and Thing Two who are somewhat hidden among these pages, encouraging kids to find them and tap, as doing so makes these creatures hold up a sign containing a fun fact or science-related question – an element also found in the published book, made nicely interactive within this application.

I also appreciate how the published book contains a glossary of words touched upon in this story. Here, these words are highlighted and can be tapped to hear and see these glossary words explained. Like the other Oceanhouse Media apps, individual words or full paragraphs can also be tapped to be narrated, as well as any of the objects within the page, as these items will be labeled and spoken when tapped without competing with the narrator reading the text, always a nice touch.

It is worth noting that this application is based on the updated version of There’s No Place Like Space omitting Pluto, which was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006. Because of this, the page pertaining to Pluto and the mnemonic have been removed and changed from my older copy of There’s No Place Like Space to correspond with the re-classification.

I am thrilled that my favorite voice talent, John Bell, is back to narrate this application.

There’s No Place Like Space, although a creative, fun and educational book, is not written by Seuss himself, although it is written in a Seuss-like style. I enjoy this book, as does my son, but my husband and I did comment to ourselves that the text is not as well-written as the classic books by Seuss.

I think the narration by John Bell brings so very much to this application. Having narrated other of Oceanhouse Media’s Dr. Seuss apps before, Bell understands the cadence, rhyme and whimsy found in Dr. Seuss prose, as is able to infuse his narration with a Seussian flair that does not exist as much in the words found on the page as it does within Bell’s brilliant delivery. I hope to continue to hear more of his great talent in other applications.

My son and I and I have really enjoyed this application. Although recommended for ages five to eight, I can’t see why younger children four or possibly younger would not enjoy this app as well. I am very happy to hear that this is only the first app in The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library as I enjoy sharing non-fiction books with my son as well.

I eagerly await to see which book in this series will be adapted next, having enjoyed the extra features not comply found within a Oceanhouse Media app. Having said this, I think the price tag of $5.99 is high compared to other apps at this price point, and a lower price would be more in line with what parents are typically looking to spend per application.

[ There’s No Place Like Space Review is a post from: GiggleApps ]