Weird Al Yankovic's When I Grow Up

$3.99, iPhone, iPad

Teaches: reading, some logic, timing

CTR Rating: 64%

CTR Review

Based on the printed book "When I Grow Up" by Al Yankovic with illustrations by Wes Hargis, this 18 screen book deals with the age-old question "what will I be when I grow up." In this case, the question is answered by the author, "Weird Al" Yankovic, the famous wisecracking comedian/musician. So there's no surprise that the professions described include foot model and pickle inspector. Note that the app was initially released as a book but has since been enhanced with five story-related games that are silly, but which vary in quality. For example, in Haute Cuisine Hero you're a cook who is supposed to tap an ingredient when it is above a pot of stew. But the zone of dropping isn't clearly marked. Other games include Xtreme Snail Race (tilt the screen to urge a snail toward the finish line) and Gorilla Masseuse (follow directions such as "tap one" and "swipe right" in order to make a gorilla happy). This one takes some practice. Finally Tarantula Shaver lets you try to shave hairy spiders by moving a shaver around the screen. In terms of the eBook, the interactivity is rudimentary at best, with music and animated routines that loop endlessly. The text, better for upper elementary readers, is not read outloud, and there is no scaffolding mechanisms such as word highlighting or definitions. All in all, this is a mediocre app. Created by Bean Creative.