Stories fueled by kids' imaginations can create wonder and awe. This week's roundup of apps focuses on book apps where kids are putting their imaginations to extraordinary use. Perhaps they will motivate your kids to think big.
Out Fit 7
Bella shares her imaginary adventures with the reader in 'Little Bella's - I Close My Eyes HD.'
Leonard
Ink Robin, best for ages 4-8, $3.99, iPad
Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)
Using dramatic, brightly-colored illustrations on a black background, this book app follows a little boy named Leonard, whose family moves from the densely populated city to the country. Leonard is used to having lots of friends around and is surprised when he can't find other kids nearby . He embarks on a quest to find other kids; but in the meantime, he uses his imagination to keep himself entertained. When he is looking around a nearby stream, he imagines himself underwater with a giant whale. When he climbs a ladder for a better look at the countryside, he imagines himself in outer space. When using binoculars to scan his yard, he imagines all sorts of African animals grazing.
What makes this book app special is the slider mechanism used to reveal Leonard's imagination. Whenever Leonard is imagining, a special thought-bubble icon appears on one end of a slider. When kids move the thought-bubble to the other end of the slider, the illustration magically morphs into Leonard's imagination. These imaginings offer interactions, including squishing fanciful bugs, attracting fish to your finger and sending Leonard flying around outer space.
Leonard eventually focuses his imagination on building a robot, which the readers get to help him design. When Leonard takes his robot to a local park, he is pleasantly surprised to find other imaginative kids there as well.
This charming story is worth reading by itself, but when accompanied by dramatic illustrations, good narration (although the words don't highlight) and clever interactions , this becomes a don't-miss storybook app.
Dragon Brush
Small Planet Digital, best for ages 4-8, $2.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Rating: 4 stars
This Chinese folktale tells the story of Bing-Wen, a poor boy with a big imagination and a love of drawing. With the dirt as his canvas and a stick as his paintbrush, Bing-Wen loves to draw whimsical dragons. When Bing-Wen stops to help an old lady whose cart has toppled over, the woman rewards his kindness by giving him a magical gift: a paintbrush made from Dragon's whiskers. With this brush, Bing-Wen discovers that he can paint in color anywhere, and when he does this, the things he paints become real. The cruel emperor hears of this miraculous gift and mandates that Bing-Wen draw only for him. But being a clever boy, Bing-Wen figures out a way to draw things that will trap the emperor and set Bing-Wen and the town folks free from his oppressive rule.
Readers help Bing-Wen to create art by swiping their fingers over the area where the boy has drawn. When they do, they uncover wondrous drawings that shimmer into being as the imagined things become real. This involvement empowers kids by making them a part of the story. Some of the drawings, like a violent storm, are incredible to watch become real as waves churn, lightning flashes, and raindrops pound down on the screen.
"Dragon Brush" also contains a clever hunting game where pots of magical paint are hidden within the illustrations. The last page of the book is blank and it encourages kids to use the found magical paint pots to create drawings that shimmer.
Kids will also tap and tilt to make other interactions happen on the pages filled with illustrations that are part paper cutouts and part drawings. "Dragon Brush" captivates kids with a fascinating story filled with its unique drawings-become-real mechanic, making it one of the top book apps in iTunes.
Little Bella's - I Close My Eyes HD
Out Fit 7 Ltd., best for ages 3-7, $1.99, iPad (there is an iPhone/iPod version that is not in HD for $.99)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Bella is an adorable red-headed girl who shares her imaginary adventures with the reader. Bella takes you on adventures that have her climbing the tallest tree, running so fast that she can run over water, and swimming in the ocean as a dolphin. Presented as a series of imaginings where Bella closes her eyes, the app switches from Bella telling you her vision with words to seeing them as video of her doing the activity she imagined. The rich animation looks as good as any Saturday morning cartoon, and it is accompanied by a gentle, upbeat soundtrack.
Among our favorite moments: When Bella imagines she is a caterpillar the video shows her changing to a chrysalis and emerging as a butterfly. Also magical are the times when Bella turns into a "slippery, slimy slug" or a "big stomping giant." Expect giggles from your little ones.
Moving the story forward requires a bit too much tapping for the very young, so parents will want to help. An auto-play feature would be a great addition.
Intrepid little Bella's imagination is big indeed, and this animated, watercolor-inspired presentation will help inspire other little kids to dream big.
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Gudmundsen is the editor of Computing With Kids magazine (www.ComputingwithKids.com). Contact her at techcomments@usatoday.com.
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