You Are Stardust
© 2012 Owlkids Books
Based on the book of the same name by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim, this app takes on a big topic: the universe. The illustrations are beautiful and can be controlled by moving your screen, giving the entire experience a an animated, 3D feel. The goal is to help children "develop a relationship with the world around them" by making connections between themselves and nature. OK... does it work? Sort of. The story tells such things as a person sheds the most hair in early autumn, just as leaves fall from trees, and that the water we drink is the same water that filled dinosaurs’ puddles. The 3D illustrations are beautiful, although interactivity is limited; and there are both read-to-me and read-on-my-own options. It is hard to figure out how to turn pages (you have to swipe across the bottom of the screen) and there's a nice build-your-own-diorama activity with animation and sound effects, read-to-me and read-on-my-own options, and an original score by Paul Aucoin. From an artistic point of view, this app is worth consideration. The theme might be a bit heavy for younger children, however. The app was created in partnership with Think Thirty Three.
$4.99, iPad
Teaches: science, history
CTR Rating: 80%