Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood
© 2015 Giants are Small
This interactive symphonic painting raises the bar for mixing an old story with new ideas, in a beautifully illustrated setting. As a result, some will love this app -- and others less so. This modern twist on Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Set in modern-day Los Angeles and narrated by rock star Alice Cooper this app uses a page by page design. In the story, the newly orphaned Peter flies from Russia to Los Angeles, to stay with his aging hippie grandfather who works for a Hollywood movie star. You help Peter catch a wolf who has been chasing ducks in a forbidden garden. The 55 animated scenes have page-turn transitions and sections of story that can't be interrupted. Along the way, you discover six sometimes clunky but innovative mini-games that let you do things like build a robot, drive a helicopter, help ducks dive into the pool. or reveal the meanings of the constellations imagined by Peter. In one especially innovative activity, you use an "anger meter" to control the characters on the screen. The games generally support the narrative. While this app looks good and has a strong story, it's not interactive or child controlled, making this an app that you watch and enjoy.
$5.99, iPad
Teaches: reading, storytelling, music, poetry, language arts, art
CTR Rating: 94%