Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose is a universal app – an adaptation of a classic Dr. Seuss title of the same name.

Written in 1948, this story may be less known than stories such as The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, but tells an interesting and fun story that children will enjoy.

Meet Thidwick, a kind moose who allows a bug to ride on his antlers as he crosses a Lake. Unfortunately, this bug and other creatures begin to take advantage of Thidwick, and with multiple animals inhabiting his antlers, Thidwick has trouble saying “No” as this polite moose still feels obliged to be generous to his guests, even at the expense of being separated from his herd, who are fed up with the creatures taking up residency on Thidwick.

It is worth noting that by the end, hunters come to shoot Thidwick to mount his head at the Harvard Club, and Thidwick has a hard time escaping under the weight of all the opportunistic animals who think very little of Thidwick’s needs.

Luckily this story ends on a happy note, for this moose anyways, as Thidwick remembers it is time to shed his antlers, dropping the tremendous load weighing him down.

This tale does conclude in a way that some families today might give pause to, namely that Thidwick’s old horns are mounted to the wall as well as other animals, including some mammals, each stuffed with X’s for eyes.

I really appreciate Oceanhouse Media developing Dr. Seuss books from many decades ago, even if elements may seem harsh for children by today’s standards.

Although this may not be some parents’ first choice for their baby or toddler because of the hunting, the overall quality of this app with the panning and zooming of the Seussian art to create a sense of movement as well as helping readers to focus on specific details, the option to listen to professional narration along with Auto Tune which allows readers to sit back and relax as the pages turn automatically all make this, as well as the other Dr.Seuss apps, great choices for older children who may be less affected by the violence greatly hinted at within the ending.

I really enjoy Dr. Seuss stories, preferring those with whimsical plots instead of the non-narrative tongue-twisters. I really think that Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose is a memorable story that also contains a message of sorts about how caving in to pressure from others may weigh a person down.

I hope Oceanhouse Media continues to develop other Dr. Seuss books into applications. They remain true to the original while including modern elements such as highlighted text and the mild interactive element of being able to tap of an object to have this item labeled, both text and narration.

The overall quality of this app and others like it are simply top-notch and worthy of purchase, not just for the preschool set, but for older children and adults who remember these books from when they were young or those who simply love a well-told story with terrific illustrations.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Toddlers