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UPDATE 2019: These apps are no longer available; please read our other app reviews.
PicPocket Books has a wide variety of book apps for kids. Each book comes with the following options: “audio narration, automatic page-turning, touch-screen interaction and “learn-to-read” functionality in which words are highlighted as they are read aloud and/or can be touched to be heard.” – PicPocket Books
Make sure to stop by The PicPocket Blog to read about iPads and Kids with Learning Difficulties with children’s author Nina Lim, whose picture book app Super Harry’s Rotten Luck was released for the iPad and iPhone in March.
I received several books from PicPocket to review:
Nora’s Crabby Day App:
“Nora’s Crabby Day,” by Jan and Todd Graveline, tells the story of one very unusual day in a little girl’s life. PicPocket Books is delighted to release this App about Nora, who wakes up crabby and just can’t shake her bad mood. Through a charming rhyming story, eye-popping visuals, and animation, we see her foul mood follow her throughout the day, no matter where she goes and what she tries to do. This app is 1.99 and is available for the iPad.
Our Take: The graphics in this app are chunky and bold. The colors are bright and colorful, too. The story is great because who hasn’t had a day when they wake up on the wrong side of the bed, had a bad day, and just thinking about crawling back to their comfy bed would be great?
Royal Little Pest App:
Prince Hayden is a REAL little prince who is ALWAYS busy doing something. Prince Hayden gets his kicks out of imitating and irritating his older brother and sister. Although Prince Hayden finds his royal siblings’ frustration with his silly antics quite amusing, they don’t join in on the laughter. In this story, Prince Hayden learns that playing with his siblings is WAY more fun than bugging them. This app runs 2.99 and is available for iPad.
Our Take: The illustrations in this book are just adorable. My four-year-old knows all too well about irritating and imitating his big brothers!
Super Harry’s Rotten Luck App:
Have you ever had a day – or a WEEK – of rotten luck? Harry can’t believe how one boy could have so much rotten luck. So he decides to do something about it…with surprising results. Super Harry’s Rotten Luck is a funny and uplifting tale about how your actions can change your luck! This app is only 1.99 and is available for iPhones, iPods, and iPads.
Our Take: I did not care for the illustrations in this book at all, which is important for me. The books follow Harry through his lousy luck over a week, then how he changes his luck the next week. It is a good lesson to teach kids how you can only change a negative into a positive when things don’t go your way.
Choco Gets A Check-Up App:
Choco is a little brown pet bunny who loves to learn and do new things. Today, though, Choco has to do something that makes him a bit nervous. He has to go … to the doctor! This whimsical photo book will ease any child’s fears as they join Choco on a visit to Dr. Poppi in his cabin in the woods. Photo pages of a real check-up and a storyline based on Fry’s Instant Words add meaning and educational value to the beautiful photos of Choco and his friends. This app runs 2.99 and is available for the iPad.
Our Take: This educational app tells about Choco, a bunny who visits the doctor. This one did not hold my four-year-old interest. But if you have a youngster who is afraid or hesitant about the doctor, then this might be a great book to read to help them understand.
Check out my past PicPocket Books: Review: Monster Trucks.
UPDATE 2019: These apps are no longer available; please read our other app reviews.
Thank you for the giveaway!
I love your post for children’s book week. The book apps for kids and the reviews are super helpful, especially for an elementary school librarian like me!
Thanks for sharing!