How I Became a Pirate
© 2014 Oceanhouse Media
This latest (July 2014) Oceanhouse Media app enhances a strong story from the digitized picture book of the same title (by Melinda Long) with excellent text scaffolding features that include responsive touch-and-hear text and illustrations. As with other OHM titles, the words "fly out" of the text block when they are touched, excellent for helping emerging readers build meaning from the illustrations by concretely linking them to the text. It is also possible to record and store your own narration. The funny fantasy story is easy to like ... it's about a young boy's visit to the beach that is interrupted by a visit from a pirate ship. He discovers a bit about life onboard a pirate ship, and his digging skills become very useful when it comes to finding hidden treasure. The illustrations clear, with animations that are minimal. If you're looking for lots of hot spots, you won't find it in this app. Instead, the story keeps you wanting to turn the page.
$3.99, iPad 80.4 MB
Teaches: reading, comprehension
CTR Rating: 94%