Gro Book: The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater

Gro Book by Gro Play is a book that may bring some nostalgia to some parents. It's one of those stories where you can choose different what happens in the story at various points and see where it leads you. I not only like these stories because I think they're fun, but also because I like that it leads kids to think about plot and storytelling while experiencing a story on many levels.

Given the multiple paths of the story, I think turning these types of books digital can be advantageous and really take it to the next level, which is why I chose to review Gro Book. Price: $3.99

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Developmental Appropriateness: The story is fun with a reuse, environmental theme, especially given the format. But don't expect a story that has a great moral or memorable message - it's a story that works with the format. It's fine - but I would not say that the format particularly enhances the story itself. It's a little difficult to pinpoint a target age as I think the book is appropriate for a range of ages. I'm going to put it at 7, which is on the older side because I think 6 yos can more fully take advantage of all the different paths of the story. At this age, they can remember paths they chose before, and also now also make connections between some of their choices. Don't get me wrong, a 5 yo or younger will fully enjoy this story as well. Rating: 4/5 (aim for around 6 years).

Balance: There's not too much here in terms of taking advantage of the features offered by tablets. The software of course helps the path choosing, so that you're not keeping your fingers on certain pages and flipping forward to a specific page to see what happens like back in the day. But otherwise, there's just narration and the option to turn it on and off and to take away or add the text. I'm not sure how I feel about the latter. There's certainly something to be said for just listening to a story - but maybe not in ebook format where kids have come to expect some level of interactivity. There's actually a lot of text - so with no interactivity on the pages and no words to follow, kids may get bored. The simplicity is fine, there's just not much that elevates the experience. Rating: 3/5

Sustainability: With so many paths, there's certainly re-read value here. Some of the paths repeat so don't expect a new story each time at every turn, but there's enough different paths to keep you interested at least the first few reads. Rating: 4.5/5

Parental Involvement: Nothing explicit here. It would have been nice to include some questions for parents to ask while they read or after - especially to compare and contrast the different paths. Rating: 3/5

Total: 14.5/5 = 4 stars

*I received this app for free for review purposes


Trend Alert: Check out these other great apps that let you take part in the story:

For those looking for more interactivity and a classic story in a new way: Little Red Riding Hood by Nosy Crow

For those with younger Elmo fans: Elmo the Musical -Storyteller


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Cars in Sandbox: Construction

Cars in Sandbox: Construction was created by Thematica and is for construction truck lovers - dump trucks, loader, trucks, tractors, trucks I'd never heard of like the crawler-mounted excavator, trucks with cool names like the telescopic handler, you name it. Price: $2.99

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 4.2 or later.

Developmental Appropriateness: This is a creative app in that it makes the trucks pretty functional and realistic in what their tasks are. So for each truck, kids have to move them with their finger or tilt the device to achieve a task fitting of that truck - so like putting objects in a dump truck to dump them into a bin. There aren't much verbal instructions but in each task there are cute pictures posted on the walls that show you what should be done, which encourages exploring, without leaving you totally in the dark. A younger kid may not notice these pictures, but once they do, they'll get the hang of it. Some of them are easier to figure out than others - but overall a good exercise in problem solving. Also, at times it takes some good motor skills to get the truck to do what you want, so younger kids may get a little frustrated. I wish there was more info offered about the trucks. I guess learning by doing is answer enough, but some of the trucks are kinda similar - at least to me who's not very well versed in construction trucks, so a brief little explanation with facts and figures would be nice. Rating: 4/5 (aim for around 6 years).

Balance: There are some fun additional features like if you tap on the door it opens (only to reveal no driver! Would be nice if kids could create their own avatar and continue the role playing as the driver) and the horn sounds. But sometimes, these features get in the way of trying to make the truck move. And it's sometimes hard to get the truck in the exact position you want, so a gas/brake feature would be nice for more accurate movement. Rating: 4/5

Sustainability: Overall, this is an engaging task for truck lovers. Some sustainability issues may that that while some tasks may be hard for younger kids, older kids may get bored because there is only one task per truck. You also earn various number of stars per truck task which is good, but I wonder if there could be levels, the harder, the more stars - or a progression of some sort. Rating: 4/5

Parental Involvement: Parents may need to help kids figure out what to do at first, but otherwise, this is a kids only game. Rating: 3/5

Total: 15 out of 20 stars = 4 stars

Disclosure: I received this app for free for review purposes.

Math Doodles

Math Doodles was created by Carsten Studios Inc., by Dan Carstens, an early math hater who later found ways to make math fun. This is a unique perspective for a math app designer! Math is one of the subjects where you often hear kids and even adults saying, "I hate math," or "Math is just not something I'm good at." This is more true in America than most other countries. So any way we can make math thought of as less of a dread is great. Does Math Doodles accomplish this? Price: $2.99

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 5.0 or later.


Developmental Appropriateness: Math Doodles presents three games: Sums Stackers, Connect Sums, and Unknown Square. They are all variations on getting the dice (or whatever representation you choose) to add up to a target sum (9=4+5=3+3+3=8+1, etc). This helps to increase fluency and flexibility in thinking about these otherwise simple, but perhaps boring, math problems. Sum Stackers and Unknown Square a bit more logical thinking as they have an extra layer of problem solving involved (See video). So overall, I think that Math Doodles can attract kids who may not love math, but love puzzles and want to solve things. This is definitely a great way to get them to do some math, all disguised as a puzzle. For kids who are struggling with math, they will probably need some help getting started and to help focus them on the game elements so that they don't get frustrated with the math. So while I don't think that Math Doodles will make everyone love math, it will attract a larger audience than a more straight forward math game. Rating: 4/5 (aim for around 6 years).

Balance: The art work definitely has a doodle-like feel. It's all pretty straight forward. Offering all the different representations is a nice touch without being distracting, but some will be easier representations than others. I wonder if there could be a hint mode for when players get stuck. Rating: 4/5


Sustainability: The different modes of play (race, solve, etc). are good variations. A high scores list would be a great addition to help keep kids going. There's also an easy and difficult setting. Having all three games be about adding might get repetitive, what about other operations? Rating: 3.5/5


Parental Involvement: This is definitely a game parents could play too. There's no multiplayer mode though. Parents and teachers should definitely make sure to relate these math skills back to the classroom. Rating: 3.5/5


Total: 15 out of 20 - 4 stars




Disclosure: I received this app for free for review purposes.

RondomTali London

RondomTali London was created by RondomTali Travel CC. The goal of this app is to help parents talk to their kids about an upcoming vacation - in this case, to London. It shows famous landmarks and people and also a sports activity, which is fitting for the upcoming Olympics (but is London otherwise known for it's sports?). Kinda a neat idea - Price: $0.99.

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Developmental Appropriateness: I really had no idea what to expect from this app, but I did think this was a very timely app, given the Olympics. Kids follow Tali on her trip to four destinations. On each page, it shows you the landmark, like Big Ben and the Buckingham Palace, labels it, and there are some interactive elements like you can "tickle" Big Ben or see fireworks around the London Eye. The most relevant interactive feature is kids can put the appropriate hat on characters on the Buckingham Palace page - like the tall black hats on the guards. But upon closer look, it's not all exactly accurate like the crown goes on Tali instead of the queen and there's a unicorn and lion, who gets a crown as well. There's also a sports page where it shows a bunch of different sport icons, labels it, and then it does a quick demonstration of that sport. And that's about it. So I guess although I didn't know what to expect, I guess I expected more. I don't think this has all that much content or really makes you excited to go to London. There's no fun facts or reasons for why kids might want to see these places. I guess it's still a good conversation starter for parents to use, but parents will definitely have to fill in a lot of the blanks. Rating: 3/5 (aim for around 6 years).


Balance: As you probably already picked up, many of the interactive features are not relevant to visiting London. Parents may even have to tell their kids that they will not be seeing a lion in front of the palace! For the purpose of this app, I really don't see why it was necessary to include a unicorn or a ticklish Big Ben. I think it should set realistic expectations for the upcoming trip. Rating: 2.5/5


Sustainability: Again, there's not much here to keep kids coming back at all. And, this is only specific to London (looks like they will be releasing other cities). Rating: 2.5/5


Parental Involvement: Although I see parents using this with their child, and having conversations about their upcoming trip, it's not because the app offers any role to the parent. There are no prompts or suggested activities and topics. Actually, I think parents need to be involved because the app doesn't offer enough info on its own. Rating: 3/5


Total: 11 out of 20 - 2 stars


Disclosure: I received this app for free for review purposes.

Mirta - The Super Fly

Mirta - The Super Fly was developed by Next Stage. It is an e-book about Mirta, the Fly's mission to travel the world, but first she must overcome an obstacle - the window. Ha. It's offered in both English and Spanish - audio AND text. Price - Free!

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 3.0 or later

Developmental Appropriateness: The themes of the story are appropriate - determination, having a goal, and "flexible thinking." I'm putting that in quotes because that's what the author talks about in the book. Not to give it all away, but the story ends with a question, "What was Mirta lacking?" Answer: Flexible Thinking. So here is where I think the app is great and at the same time not great - is that possible? I think it's great that it's presenting this comprehension question. Hopefully, it makes kids think about the story and learn from it. What I didn't think was great was the the explanation was so technical and not kid-friendly - I don't even think it was parent-friendly! It's educator or expert language. Sure, the answer is presented under "Author's note" but it is read aloud as if part of the story, and without it, there is no ending to the book. So I think it kinda loses the kid  - and at the most crucial part! Rating: 3/5 (aim for around 6 years).


Balance: The interactivity is all about the sound effects. You can tap on the picture to hear the sound effects that are already heard in the narration. I actually wouldn't mind to see a little variation - or it could at least capitalize on some plot points like Mirta smacking into the window continuously. Seeing or making that into a different interactive element would highlight the story. The graphics/pictures are all presented in this kinda muted style. Finally, the focus is on listening to the story, so the text may be a bit small and there is no text highlighting. Rating: 3/5


Sustainability: The story has some subtle humor that I think kids will like. However, it kinda seems like it lacks an ending. Rating: 3/5


Parental Involvement: Again, I like the comprehension question - this book almost requires parents to elaborate on the ending with their child. Rating: 4/5


Total - 13 out of 20 - 3 stars

Smart Flashcards - Addition 1

Smart Flashcards - Addition 1 was created by Lexpaper. There are a lot of flashcard apps out there. And to be honest, too many. Educational apps have much more potential than to simply be flashcards. Sure digitized flashcards are much more mobile and easy to make and even personalize, but do they really add that much to learning than regular ol' flashcards made on index cards? But what makes these flashcards more interesting is that it provides "help" on how to solve each problem. What kind of help? Price: Free.

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad.Requires iOS 5.0 or later.


Developmental Appropriateness: This app provides 100 simple addition problems. You just scroll through them at your own pace, slowly memorizing them. Ok - that's the basics. Now onto the more interesting part. If you need help on 9+5, you tap on the card and it shows you the answer, 14 and also a number line where it starts at 9 and then moves up 5 one-by-one, until it gets to 14. I applaud the developers that they took this app to the next step, showing some kind of strategy and support. But, I still have to say, I'm a little disappointed. I wish it offered more. It only showed one kind and level of strategy - count-on. Beginners would not be ready for it - they are likely still using count-all where they would start from 1. More advanced learners might be using 10's or deriving the answer with something like, "I know that 10+5 is 15 and 9 is one less than 10, so the answer is 14." Also, for young kids, verbal prompts along with the illustration would be really helpful. As is, it felt a bit limited. Rating: 3.5/5 (aim for 6 years)


Balance: The cards are very simple and clear. Again, the subtlety of the movements of the "help" may be lost on kids, who may not pay as much attention without verbal cues. Rating: 4/5


Sustainability: This is probably not something kids would choose to do on their own - they are flashcards. Rating: 2/5


Parental Involvement: Parents don't have much of a role here other than to enforce practicing with these flashcards. Rating: 3/5


Total: 12.5 out of 20 = 3 stars

Magic Doodles

Magic Doodles was created by G S Phinest and is a drawing app that brings your drawing to life. So if you like drawing say, rockets, this app will let you draw the rocket AND launch it. Price: $1.99

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 3.2 or later.

Developmental Appropriateness: Ok, before you think, "Another drawing app" (and I admit, I did), this one is actually kinda cool and worth checking out. It takes kids imagination to another place by encouraging them to think about action or an event - something that can become a video/animation rather than a static image. This app provides an idea or prompt, such as "What's hatching out of the egg?", or "Draw a knight and dragon." with some parts drawn already. You draw the rest and then it animates it. So the egg will hatch and whatever you've drawn will grow or the knight will slay the dragon. The down sides are that it doesn't read the prompts, so younger kids may not know what to the prompts are. Also, the area that will animate may sometimes be limited and not capture your whole drawing. Rating: 4/5 (aim for around 6 years)


Balance: The overall design and interface is fairly simple. Again, adding in narration of the prompts and maybe some indication of the animation area would be helpful. Rating: 4/5


Sustainability: There are 26 prompts so there's plenty to try out. I wish there was a free play page with some simple tools for animating things, so kids can explore their own ideas. Rating: 4/5


Parental Involvement: Parents may find this cool, but overall, kids will probably play on their own. Younger kids will need some help. Rating: 3/5


Rating: 15 out of 20: 4 stars.


Disclaimer: I received this app for free for review purposes.

iSammy

iSammy was created by Merx Global LLC for 4 to 8 year-olds and is an e-Book about Sammy the Suitcase. This e-Book differs from others in that it leaves a word blank on each page that you and child can fill in and record, taking the involvement with the story to a different place than if just reading a story. It also provides a boy or girl mode, which basically changes whether the boy or girl character in the story becomes a bigger character and more easily identified with. Kinda interesting, right? Price - Free (For now at least)

Device Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 3.2.2 or later.

Developmental Appropriateness: The story is about a suitcase that has travelled with a family on many trips but is then left in the attic, passed over for newer suitcases, but then finds a new purpose. So it allows for many opportunities for conversation - traveling, different types of vacations, feelings, etc. The fill in the blank feature really does amplify these opportunities. Parents have to help their child figure out what words are appropriate to finish the sentence and in so doing, could spark conversations of their own experiences. I also like the idea of having the boy or girl option to help your child identify better with the character in the book. Children can learn a little bit about how to take their own perspective - for example, a girl choosing the girl option could think about their own favorite toy or a girl choosing the boy option could learn about taking the perspective of others and think about what a boy's favorite toy would be as opposed to her own. 


But let me point out that this app really does have to be used with a parent. They will need help filling in the blank. More importantly, the app does not read to you, so someone who can read will need to be present. It would be nice if there was the option for it to be read, especially after everything has been filled out so folks can hear the complete story. In terms of usability, again, I think it requires an adult to help record the words and erase if they want to redo. Although I appreciate that this app almost forces a parent to be present, I'm sure parents would also appreciate the option for their child to independently use the app. Rating: 4/5 (aim for around 6 years).

Balance: There is a lot going on here. There is a squirrel and a moose on every page that repeats your recordings in a funny voice. Otherwise, they have nothing to do with the story. There are also a lot of hotspots on each page, none of which really forward the story. Some make sense in that they show the functionality of the objects in the room (e.g. tapping on a light and it turns on), and others are purely just for fun (e.g., tapping on the suitcase makes it jump up). Several even just repeat throughout the pages, so it's not even anything new. In fact, there are so many hotspots that they often get in the way of turning the pages. I seriously found it quite frustrating to turn the pages - and maybe this was not just because of the hotspots. Perhaps, luckily, we have a parent present to help focus the child back on the story, but I think that all these other hotspots can take away from the co-reading conversation. Rating: 2/5


Sustainability: I at first thought this would be great in terms of sustainability, because you can erase the recordings and add in new words all the time. But then a closer look at the types of blank words left me thinking that it's really not all that flexible. Some of the blanks require pretty specific answers, and different answers don't really change the story all that much. I feel the story itself was written to help provide prompts for conversation, so as a story on it's own, it may not become a favorite, unless maybe you're a family that travels a lot and has lots of travel stories. Rating: 3.5/5


Parental Involvement: What I like most about this app is its approach to getting parents involved. Recording the words is a fun way to incorporate technology and also serve as prompts for conversation. Rating: 5/5


Total: 14.5 out of 20 - 3 stars


Disclosure - I received this app for free for review purposes.

Quibble Kids

Quibble Kids was created by Chess Pie Media and is a picture-matching game that includes puzzles ranging from basic skills like matching up all the apples to harder skills like multiplication number facts and the inverse rule. Can a single app cover such a wide age range and topics?
Price: $1.99


Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 3.1 or later

Developmental Appropriateness: This review was hard to write because the suggested age range is 2-12. The nice thing about this app is that you can set what puzzles to play, so a 12 year-old doesn't have to match up simple pictures and a 2 year-old is not staring blankly at multiplication problems. So let's start with the younger kids. The basic idea is that with each puzzle, you have 4 cubes with pictures on each side. You have to match up the related sides on each cube by either using your finger to turn each cube or setting it so it turns automatically and you tap on it when you see the side/picture you want. I think 2 or maybe even 3 years is too young for this app. These are purposeful movements (especially turning the cube with your finger) and decisions. Some of the picture matching would be hard for them too, like fishing lures - not sure how many 2- year- olds know what a fishing lure is. Also, each round has four puzzles (one for each side of the cube), but each game is 10 minutes long before your score gets recorded. Ten minutes of straight play without a goal seems long for a younger child. Yes, you can pause it, and come back, but it would be nice to have that "I finished" feeling. Maybe there should be an option to set the duration of the game, especially for the younger children. Also, there's no submit button - so you once you have three of the cubes lined up, you can just rotate the 4th one until it hits the right side, even if by chance - and it will "solve" the puzzle. The hints aren't so helpful either - at least not as much for the easier puzzles. It's not helpful at all in the beginning - you need to have at least 2 matched up and then the hint with show you which cubes you have matched. So if you have nothing matched and you hit hint, you've wasted a hint and it's -5 points for each hint! I think a child who is having problems matching up apples needs more verbal prompts like, "What's on the picture? Find the others!" or "You've find 2 apples, now find 2 more!" Simply lighting up the cubes is too subtle a hint.

Where this app gets interesting is with the older kids. An important note here is that to access the other types of puzzles or just more puzzles, you have to buy more puzzle packages. The original app comes with the picture-match puzzles and a preview of other puzzles for math, math jr (more advanced), name that animal, and word match. (Disclaimer - I did not buy the other puzzle packs.) Puzzles like "name that animal" where you match up facts about an animal to figure out what animal it is (i.e. "I live in a den", or "I can fly") can be challenging and fun at the same time. Ten minutes on these puzzles would go by faster - but I'd still recommend an option to set the time. The hints on this level would be more helpful.

There seems to be a gap in the level of puzzles. There are the easy picture match ones, and some easy math ones, but then you have to be a reader for the animal and word match. Some 5- 6-year-olds may be bored with the easy ones, but not yet ready to play the harder ones. Overall, I like this app for older kids (7+), but factoring in the full target age range... Rating: 3/5 (I would aim for starting at around 4 years with the picture puzzles).

Balance: The overall look and feel of this app seems a little mixed - not quite designed for a young child, not quite designed for an adult. I would say the look of it is more for an adult (and there is an adult version of this game - not sure what it looks like), but then the music and little kid encouragement feedback is for young kids. But in terms of the features themselves, it's pretty simple. As mentioned already, they could add a couple more features to help the younger kids, especially with the hints. Rating: 3.5/5

Sustainability: The additional puzzle packs are a plus (although you do have to spend more money). I think older kids would enjoy the variety and different puzzles that are offered. I'm not as sure for the younger kids, especially with the gap in skill level. The high scores list is good for the slightly older kids, but again, you have to play 10 minute games to have your score count. Rating: 3.5/5

Parental Involvement: This is a one player game that parents might even want to play themselves. Parents could be involved in the harder puzzles like the name the animal, which may even spark conversations about the zoo or other experiences. The younger kids will need help, which the game assumes since there are instruction notes to the parents. Rating: 3.5/5

Total: 13.5 out of 20 = 3 stars

Disclaimer: I received this app for free for review purposes.

DoReMi: 1-2-3

DoReMi: 1-2-3 was developed by Creativity Inc. to encourage kids to engage in music and to learn to play songs by hear. With the cutbacks to music programs in schools, it's important to find other ways to expose kids to learning more about music. But, as a product of a "Tiger Mom", I started piano lessons at a young age and know that learning to play music by hear can be difficult. Can an app really teach you to play music by ear? Price: $1.99


Device Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Developmental Appropriateness: There are two modes to this app - one is a free play where you can make up and play your own songs. You can choose a background, the icons that are your "players" (i.e. stars or cows to represent your notes), and what sound you want them to make, ranging from a more traditional do-re-mi to animal sounds or to saying numbers or even colors. There's a record function so you can treasure your fantastic melodic (or not so melodic) creations. This mode is great - it encourages creativity and music composition. Kids will surely be amused by the different sounds it can make. 

The second mode is where you learn a song "by ear." It breaks each simple song like "Jingle Bells" into several parts, a few notes at a time. Within each part, it takes you through a progression where you repeat the pattern, then it increases the difficulty by changing from do-re-mi to an animal sound or something else, and then finally, the objects that represent each note turn around so you cannot see who is playing. It also goes back down the levels if you are getting it wrong, which is a nice scaffolding feature. I can see how this many be training one to play by ear, but I'm not sure how successfully it teaches one to play the song. First, it does not take rhythm into account - you just have to play the notes in the right order. Second, there is no exposure to actual notes, which may not be important to playing by ear, but is important to learning how to play an instrument in general. Third, the animal or other noises are hard to hear pitch wise. For a beginner or untrained ear of any age, transferring the pitches from a clear do-re-mi to silly noises like moo moo moo is hard! Finally, you never play the song in its entirety straight through. Breaking up the song into parts when learning it is a good idea, but I didn't feel I got a sense of what song I was learning during each part - especially since you don't have to follow the rhythm. The last part is to play the whole song, but it's still broken up into each part. I would think that to show that you have learned the song, you would play the whole song straight through. Further, the songs are very familiar songs which I'm sure some kids will want to sing along to, which you can't when it's so broken up. I really like the idea of this mode, but I'm not sure how many kids will successfully learn these songs - especially outside of this app. Rating: 3/5 (aim for around 6 years and up).


Balance: In the free play mode, there are interactive elements in the background that are not related to the music. I don't think it was necessary but I don't mind it since it's free play and it's all meant to be fun. For the learning mode, I would take out the non-music related sounds that the notes can make. They make learning the pitches hard. I assume they are there to add an entertainment element - having those sounds in the free play mode seems like a good idea and enough for the app as a whole. Rating; 3.5/5


Sustainability: I think kids will come back to the free play mode again and again. As for the learning mode, there are currently only five songs - looks like they will be adding more. It be great if there were more levels for each song. Right now, seems like there are two levels playing the whole song, the last level being that the icons for the notes are turned around so that you are "playing by ear." As I mentioned, it would be nice if the next level would be playing the song straight through without prompting. And then even further levels that change the pace or maybe adds different instruments. Rating: 4/5


Parental Involvement: Interestingly, this app links to "Fingerprint" which is a platform that allows parents to be involved. I did not try this part out, but the app can send the parents messages as their kid completes a section or whole song. Parents can also send their kids voice messages to encourage their progress. I like that the developers thought about how to involve parents. However, I'm not sure this type of involvement fits all or even most parents. You tell me! Many parents turn off the wi-fi function on their devices when letting their child play with it. As for the app itself, the recording feature in the free play mode is nice as kids can play back their songs and share with others. It'd be nice if the learning mode had a recording feature as will at the completion of each song. Rating: 4/5


Total: 14.5 out of 20 - 3 stars

Sparky the Shark

Sparky the Shark: A Frighteningly Funny Adventure was created by Biscuit Interactive. It's an original story about being yourself. Price: $3.99


Device Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 3.2 or later

Developmental Appropriateness: The story is very cute and the illustrations are attractive. It uses many story telling devices that are appropriate and engaging to young kids such as humor, a bit of repetition in terms of rhythm of the story, and character development. Given the social pressures kids face in school and the recent attention to issues like bullying, this story is timely. I do wish that someone at the end apologized for being so scared and judging based on appearance so that kids can hear about not just accepting themselves, but not to judge others as well.


As for the "e-book" aspects, the story can be read to you or by you and there are some lightly animated hotspots on each page. The text does not highlight and appears at the very bottom of each page - I guess so you focus on the pictures. I don't know if it was my device (used it on an older iPhone) or what, but I found it to be highly glitchy which affected my overall experience. But it doesn't seem like I'm the only one - I saw some other reviews that cited glitchy usage. First, the narration does not work very well. It got very choppy. Next, I kept being taken back to the previous page even though I was tapping no where near the back arrow icon. Finally, just overall, it seemed to be very freezy. I actually had to watch the demo video to make sure I didn't miss anything. While most of these issues can be fixed, I do suggest adding in some features to highlight the text as well as illustrations. 


** The developers will be releasing an updated version where the device requirements will be with later versions of iOS. The update will resolve the glitches I mentioned. The current version should work fine with later versions of iOS.


Finally, there is a game that you can access outside of the book reading that allows you to dress up Sharky and then take a picture of your creation. This is a great, appropriate addition that is actually relevant tot he story. Rating: 3.5/5 (aim for around 6 years)


Balance: While I applaud the developers for not going crazy with irrelevant hotspots, and keeping them pretty simple, it seems like many of these hotspots should just be automatic light animation to the page rather than "hidden hotspots."  Many of them are just simple motions like Sharky nodding his head or the boat gently rocking that don't seem to be very exciting as hotspots. Also, many of them just repeat through the pages. If you're gonna use hotspots, make them count. Also, why do so many developers make them "hidden?" Do hidden hotspots really make it that much more fun than obvious hotspots (I don't know of any actual research on this)? Seems like the fun is in what the hotspots actually do rather than in finding where they are (unless finding them is part of the plot). I would rather kids focus on the story than on trying to find every single hotspot. Rating: 3/5


Sustainability: A good story is worth reading again. I am no literary expert, but I like this story. And the disguise game is fun - it would be cool be able to use what is created in the game in the story, just as an added incentive to go back tot he story. Rating: 5/5


Parental Involvement: This seems like a story parents would enjoy reading with their child. The message is clear, but still gives room for parents to elaborate on the meaning. Parents should be present to help  keep their child focused on the text/story through the hidden hotspots and possible glitches. Rating 4/5


Total: 15.5 out of 20: 4 stars

Shape-O ABC's

Shape-O ABC's was created by Bellamon and has been positively featured on many app blogs. The app combines shapes, words, colors and sounds into one puzzle activity. It contains over 100 beautiful puzzles. Price - $1.99
Device Requirements: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad; Requires iOS 3.0 or later




Developmental Appropriateness: The goal of these puzzles is for children to match shapes to form an image and to learn the name of those images. There are three settings for the words and letters, and then also for the puzzle. For the words and letters, the easy setting is where the word already appears at the bottom of the screen. For medium, you have to match the letters to form the word, and for hard, you have to arrange the letters to spell the word. This seems appropriate and can target a range of learners from those just learning the names of objects to those just learning their letters and to those who are learning to spell. For the puzzles, the easy setting limits the puzzle to 20 pieces, medium to 30, and hard to over 30. Some of these puzzles, though they are all beautiful, seem complicated for the younger children, even when limited to 20 or 30 pieces. Traditional puzzles for very young children only have several pieces. However, puzzles in this app may be easier in that the pieces come set at the angle/rotation it needs to be to fit the space and you also only need to drag the piece to the general area of the space. Still, younger children may need a little help with the puzzle, especially with the smaller pieces.
            A couple of suggestions that may help the younger children - Research has shown that young children have a hard time seeing one thing in two ways. In other words, they might have a hard time thinking about the puzzle as all the various pieces (triangles, arcs, lines, etc.) and then also as the whole (i.e. a cat). When the puzzle is completed, it does not connect the pieces to make the image obvious. Perhaps connecting the puzzles pieces together and then maybe even animating them (i.e. making the cat come together and walk across the screen) would make the image more obvious and probably more rewarding (i.e "Oh look! I made a cat!). Also, after the completion of the puzzle, there is a voiceover that says and spells the word. It would be helpful to highlight the letters as they are said and or to highlight the syllables as they are said. This would help a child learning to recognize letters and to read to track the letters and letter-sounds. Rating: 3/5 (depending on the setting, aim for 3-6 years of age)

Balance: This features in this app are pretty straightforward. However, at least on the iPhone, the puzzle pieces and letters are presented a few at a time as  you complete the puzzle. Having the letters presented mixed in with all the puzzle pieces (remember there are a lot), may take away from the spelling or letter-recognition task. It may be better to present all the puzzle pieces and then all the letter pieces. Rating: 4/5

Sustainability: There are over 100 puzzles. For one who really likes puzzles, these are some beautiful puzzles. You can also change the colors of the puzzles. Otherwise, there are no other incentive features. Rating: 3.5/5

Parental Involvement: Parents will enjoy the images and could help guide their child with the puzzle and reinforce the letters and letter-sounds of the labels. Rating 3/5


Total: 13.5 out of 20

Bartleby's Book of Buttons Vol. 2: The Button at the Bottom of the Sea

Bartleby's Book of Buttons was created by Monster Costume Inc, and is the second in a series of Bartleby e-books. It has been named one of Apple's 2011 Best App: #1 Book App iPhone, #3 Book App iPad and has received the Children's Technology Award and Kirkus Star. So of course I had to check it out. Price: $2.99
Device Requirements: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad; Requires iOS 4.2 or later





Developmental Appropriateness: I am quickly learning that most apps do not give a target age. Apple labels this app as 4+, meaning that there is no objectionable material, and it is suitable for children 4 and older.

It terms of content, this app is really a game more than a book. If you were expecting a book to encourage reading by a beginning reader, this may not be it. The text is fairly small and there is no highlighter, making it difficult to follow the text. In terms of reading instruction, children are usually encouraged to follow the text they are reading with their fingers. The size and font of the text here makes that hard. There are even times when the text is being "typed" and the voiceover does not read at the same speed as the typing which makes it hard for a new reader to match the words they hear to the words to the words they see. There is an option to turn the voiceover off, in which case a parent or older person will have to read aloud.

As for the game elements, each page has a puzzle or task that needs to be completed in unique ways before moving onto the next page. In this sense, what kid wouldn't like figuring out what to do and what motions are needed to solve the task? However, some of the tasks require good motor skills - some tasks require one hand to hold down a button while the other hand spins a gear or to tilt the iPhone or iPad to complete a puzzle (this was kinda hard!). A younger child, 4- or 5-year-old, may not know what to do or may get frustrated because they do not have the gentle touch or coordination required to complete the task. An older child, 7 or older, may possess the skills needed, but may also find the tasks boring once they've figured it out. Rating: 3.5/5 (aim for around 6 years of age).

Balance: Given the design of this e-book, the user could easily get caught up in figuring out what to do instead of paying attention to the plot. A plus is that the plot is like a mystery, and it engages the user to try and solve it. Furthermore, the tasks are related to the plot and one cannot move onto the next page until the task is completed. However, one can complete the task without reading or hearing the text in its entirety, or at all. Rating: 4/5

Sustainability: The most frequent comments about Vol.2 is that it is too short and that it is frustrating that it ends with a "To be continued." Seems like the creators use a strategy similar to Harry Potter or Twilight to stretch out the ending to make more money. While this strategy may help sustain interest in the series, it may not keep children coming back to Vol.2 as they are now focused on finding out what happens in Vol.3. Vol.2 does have an incentive feature where you can collect stickers as you move through the tasks. You can then print out the sticker collection. Rating: 4/5


Parental Involvement: Books of any kind are a great way for parents to be involved. For parents with younger kids, this would be a good opportunity for parents to focus their child's attention on the text and then help their child to figure out the tasks. Parents may find themselves surprised by how entertained they are by this app given the novel interactive ways to solve the tasks. For parents with older kids, the tasks are a great way for parents to relate the task back to the text and to elaborate on the plot points. Rating: 4/5

Total: 15.5 out of 20 = 4 stars