This interactive bedtime app for kids 1 – 4 years old is by the same developer that produced Little Fox Music Box (see review June 28). Like the Little Fox app, the artwork is beautifully done by Heidi Wittlinger, an Oscar nominated artist. Kids click off the lights to put 7 sets of animals to bed.  You can purchase 3 additional animals for $.99 and 3 more are coming soon. The story can easily be changed to 7 different languages (without going into the general settings of your iPad or iPhone). This app is really lovely and it has been successful internationally (according to iTunes Preview). The only issue is that it is too short. The auto version takes 2 – 3 minutes if the kids locate the light switches quickly. Currently this app is FREE but apparently it has been selling for $2.99.

Recommended!

Both of these apps are digital versions (for the iPad, iPhone, & iPod) of David Kirk’s beautiful picture books. They initially sold for $4.99 each but are now FREE. These apps have several features: children can watch the story in 3-D animation, they can read along with the narration, or they can read the story on their own. As they read they can touch the illustrations to reveal special surprise effects. Also included are games, puzzles and pictures to paint.

They are definitely worth downloading – Highly recommended!

This FREE iPad app makes your child the star of an adventure where he/she becomes a Superhero. You begin by entering your child’s face and name to the app. Parents’ faces and a friend’s face are also added. The program allows you to load and edit the faces you need from photos on your iPad. Last, you choose your child’s gender so that the character can be dressed appropriately and the correct pronouns can be used.

Once the characters are ready, the interactive story begins. It can be read to you or on your own. The illustrations, music, and the story are cute.  Each page also has an information button in the upper right hand corner.  When you click it, a number of options become available.  You can save a picture of that page, email it, share it on Facebook, or hit “clues” which shows where the interactivity for that page is located.

I am sure you child will be delighted with this book and want to read it over and over again. However, there are a few minor issues. At one point in the story the squirrel gets hit with a baseball and says, “Oh god, that’s a big acorn!”  I am not sure those are the words that I would have chosen for a kid’s book. Also, the pronouns were not always read correctly.  They were always written correctly but on a few pages she is read as he. Finally, the program inserts your child’s name into the story pages but always reads it as Super U. If you read the story to your child instead of choosing to have it read by the program, you can tweak all of these issues as your read  – unless, of course, your child can read along 🙂

This Disney interactive storybook had been selling for $4.99 but it has been FREE for the last several days.  Designed for kids ages 4 – 6,  it provides kids with an age appropriate read-along experience.  After each page has been read, kids can tap the areas with a yellow glow for interactive features.  There are also fun activities at the end of the story.

Great for little readers!