Where Do Balloons Go?
© 2012 Auryn, Inc.
This innovative, but expensive, eBook + creativity activity explores a question every child has pondered: Where does a balloon go when it escapes into the sky? The 17 screen story is authored and narrated by actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who also provides a video introduction to the concept. The watercolor illustrations are excellent, but some of the pages are cluttered, and your touch doesn't always map well to the action. Some of the page transitions are noteworthy: a propeller icon lets you steer a small propeller around the screen to uncover sounds, and to blow the balloons around. Most pages scroll from left to right, expanding the illustration, and the play. Features include the ability to toggle on/off the voice over, music, and hints. It is also possible to touch and hear the printed words, after the initial narration has finished, increasing the language learning potential for this app. A Balloon Theatre lets children create characters out of balloons, and record dialogue to create a play. An embedded sharing link turns this app into a sophisticated email generator, a feature that would be good to be able to deactivate. This app is higher in aesthetics than in interactive power. While the illustrations are well done, some of the ideas in the story seem too cute to be true.
$5.99, iPad
Teaches: reading, creativity
CTR Rating: 80%