The House That Went on Strike is a very enjoyable interactive storybook for iPad about an anthropomorphic house and all the included contents that feel disrespected by the family living inside who does not take pride in their home, allowing it to become dirty and ill kept.

To prove a point, the house goes on strike, booting the family until they promise to keep the house orderly.

All the elements of this story are top-notch, as this is a tale I have not specifically heard before. The illustrations are colorful and quite interesting as are the included interactions found on each page.

I also admire that, while each page contains hot spots to tap, their volume level is set so that they do not talk over the provided narration, and although they might not propel the story along, are not random noise or movement makers but animations and sound effects that bring richness to the story.

The narration, that of former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, hits all the right notes, especially for a rhyming story, as this is a style of which I can find sometimes difficult to read out loud, as her pauses and intonations are all very effective, making her work within this book perfectly realized.

Listening to Schroeder speak these words with substance is not surprising as her autobiography is entitled Twenty-four Years of Housework…and the Place Is Still a Mess: My Life in Politics, creating a possible metaphor for “house” in this story as a government body that is often said to be broken, adding a layer adults may enjoy.

Even if this layer is lost on children, they will appreciate the face value of the house demanding pride of ownership, as it is fun and engaging to see and hear just what the walls may say if the walls could actually talk, giving their side of what goes on behind closed doors.

Adults looking for a fun, different interactive storybook may want to check out The House That Went on Strike. It will be unlike other stories downloaded and includes many interactions to discover.

This is the second app from the developers at Jumping Pages. I am interested to see what new apps they may develop in the future.

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