Touch and Go has  moved to a new platform and format. It’s now a bi-weekly column published in School Library Journal’s Extra Helping enewsletter. To access our archived columns, visit slj.com under “Blogs and Columns,” and to ensure you don’t miss any of our app reviews, consider adding Touch and Go to your RSS feed. To sign up for automatic delivery of Extra Helping, or any of our other free enewsletters, visit our SLJ Newsletters page.

If you have any questions about Touch and Go or would like to submit apps and/or enhanced books for review, feel free to contact me at dgrabarek@mediasourceinc.com.

Thanks for your continued interest in Touch and Go!

Sincerely,
Daryl Grabarek
Editor, Curriculum Connections and Touch and Go
School Library Journal
160 Varick Street, 11th floor
New York, New York
10013
dgrabarek@mediasourceinc.com

Autographed Imag.N.O.Tron app

Author William Joyce and his creative partner, Brandon Oldenburg, aren’t exactly the kind of guys who play it by the book. Their wildly successful,  Oscar-winning The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore was first a film (“We wanted a calling card to prove we could animate at Moonbot Studios”), then an app, next a print title (Atheneum, 2012), and now, in its “Imag.N.O.Tron” incarnation, an opportunity to experience some “augmented reality.”

While it sounds like an experience that requires ingesting something, it’s a technology. (Pressed to explain it, Oldenburg calls it “alchemy.”) The actual mechanics may be beyond me, but this is how it works.

Start with the print book, an iPad, and the Imag.N.O.Tron app. Turn the app on and position the tablet squarely over an illustrated page. When the app recognizes the image, the magic begins. Characters move; books flutter, fly, and whisper their lines aloud; shadows shift; and two-dimensional images become three-dimensional. Prompted to “look around,” pick up the iPad and watch the animation move into your space (here’s where the camera feature comes into play). Seeing is believing with this one, so take a look at the video demo below.

SLJ editor Daryl Grabarek walks through some of the amazing augmented reality “pages” in this companion app to The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, by William Joyce

After Morris Lessmore the film premiered, Joyce began working on the app. Encouraged to drop that project and write the book, the author noted, “We thought that there shouldn’t be a set of rules…. We feel like we were born in the Middle Ages and woke up in the Renaissance.”

On a recent Saturday morning in New York City, Joyce and Oldenburg demonstrated the Imag.N.O.Tron technology and signed apps. When asked what they had in the works, the duo laughed and talked about a ghost story they’re working on. “We’re trying to make the most terrifying reading experience we can think of.”

Title: Otter on His Own
Subtitle: The Story of a Sea Otter
Author: Doe Boyle
Illustrator: Robert Lawson
Series: Smithsonian Oceanic Collection
Published by: Soundprints, 2002
Developed by: Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
Platform: iOS, requires 3.0 or later
Version: 1.09
Price: $1.99 (introductory price)

PreS-Gr 1-Boyle’s lyrical text, combined with Lawson’s expressive illustrations (Soundprints, 2002) and a few multimedia enhancements, deliver an informative, visually appealing title. It’s summer, and a newborn otter and his mother gently sway amid the kelp by the rocky California shore. She has much to teach him, including how to dive, and how to gather and consume such delicacies as sea urchins, clams, and abalone. As he matures, the marine mammal’s mother leaves him as she searches for food. On one such mission, the curious pup follows her; panic ensues when a great white shark is spotted. All ends well, though, and readers will be rooting for the pup when it’s time for him to venture out on his own.

A comforting piano melody plays upon opening the app and users can choose to listen to or read the story. Words are highlighted along with narration, making it easy to follow along. To pause in the “Read to Me” mode, users must return to the main menu by tapping an arrow on the bottom of the screen. However, in “Auto Play,” users must stop the story, and then restart, a clunky process. Instructions on how to operate the app may be accessed from the main menu.

The soothing sounds of lapping waves and seagull calls and the zooming and gliding back and forth between illustrations enhance this visual and aural experience. The opportunity for emergent readers to learn new vocabulary (by tapping the pictures), and read other otter facts (appended at the end of the story) nicely round out this offering.—Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, Escondido, CA

In this video, the author talks about her inspiration for the story. If you would like a preview of what our reviewer Elisabeth LeBris refers to as the app’s “high production values” take a peek at Curtis’s short tutorial on how to operate Balloons. You’ll get a glimpse at some of those features.

Title: Where Do Balloons Go?
Subtitle: An Uplifting Mystery
Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrated by: Laura Cornell
Developed by: Auryn, Inc.
Platform: iOS, 4.3 or later
Version: 1.0.1
Price: $5.99

PreS-Gr 3-Curtis’s charming picture book (HarperCollins, 2000) about the fate of lost balloons gets the royal treatment from Auryn, Inc. High production values permeate this engaging app, which encourages children to explore and create.

On the home page, viewers are greeted with a melodic tune and several options; they can watch the author’s animated video explanation of how she came to write the story and/or her quick overview of its features, or start the story. Curtis’s tale and Cornell’s whimsical watercolor illustrations are enhanced by tapping, pinching, and swiping, and tilting the screen; these movements activate hidden actions, musical interludes, background voices, sounds, amusing animated vignettes, and interactive objects.

Some of the more spectacular features include the opportunity for users to record their voices (as though affected by helium), to make balloon animals, to write and email postcards, to create characters and produce animated movies in the Balloon Theatre, and to snap and insert a photo of themselves on a balloon. Flexible navigation allows viewers to move easily between the story and the activities.

Additional features include a settings panel, hints, bookmarks, and a highlighted text read by the author with the option to repeat words or lines. The depth and the variety of the activities embedded in the app ensure that viewers have a different experience each time they return. A visual and interactive treat.—Elisabeth LeBris, Sears LTC, Kenilworth, IL

Screen from 'Hush, Little Beachcomber' (Moritz) illus. by Holly McGee

Title: Hush, Little Beachcomber
Author: Dianne Moritz
Illustrator: Holly McGee
Published by: Kane Miller
Developed by: Demibooks Studio
Platform: iOS, requires 4.2 or later
Version: 1.0
Price: $2.99; purchase through iTunes or Demibooks® Storytime

PreS-K-The classic lullaby “Hush, Little Baby” has been updated with multiethnic characters, bright illustrations, and a beach setting in Moritz’s Hush, Little Beachcomber (Kane Miller, 2011). Outside of the lyrics (which are sung), the music, and an occasional sound effect, the digital version adds little to the original format. Only 5 of the 24 pages contain animations, and other than these, there are none of the extras that distinguish an app from an ebook.

The app opens in autoplay mode. Users must advance past the title page and begin listening to the verses to locate the settings icon where they can choose to mute the sound by (counterintuitively) choosing “Sing to me.” Between the arrows that turn the pages are the words “play tune.” If tapped, the traditional tune is heard. Unfortunately for listeners it’s either lyrics or music; the two cannot be heard simultaneously.

In Mortitz’s story, the traditional lullaby has been altered to reflect all the pleasures of a day at the beach: wading and swimming, collecting seashells, making sand pies and seaweed soup, and eating ice cream. As an ebook, Hush, Little Beachcomber delivers, but those looking for an interactive app may be disappointed.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library, Southington, CT

Title: A Garden for Pig
Author: Kathryn K. Thurman
Illustrator: Lindsay Ward
Publisher: Kane Miller
Developed by: Demibooks Studio
Platform: iOS, requires 4.2 or later
Version: 1.0
Price: $3.99; purchase through iTunes, or Demibooks® Storytime

PreS-Gr 1-Pig lives on an apple farm run by Mrs. Pippins. The woman prepares many wonderful variations of the fruit for the creature, but it’s apples day after day. A series of attempts by Pig to enter his owner’s vegetable patch get him into mischief, though ultimately enable the persistent swine to do a bit of his own gardening—and expand his diet.

This app is based on the original print title (Kane Miller, 2010), which was inspired by the author’s pig. On the screen Ward’s mixed media collage artwork retains all of its charm. Recipes peak through the light coat of paint and Pig’s expressions convey all of the emotions of a frustrated animal. Thurman’s text is full of words (“squish,” “crash,” and “tiptoe”) that lend themselves to an expressive narration. That, plus the background music, perfectly complement the country setting and humorous storyline.

This app extends the story experience for youngsters, offering several reading options. Well-developed interactive features invite children to discover hidden movements, informative sidebars, and sounds by touching, tapping, and tipping the screen. However, the pop-up recipes and nonfiction inserts on various topics (composting, etc.) are not narrated and require higher reading and comprehension skills, thus adult assistance. For some children this won’t be an issue, but access to the information in these features may frustrate or confuse independent pre- and emergent readers.—Elisabeth LeBris, Sears School LTC, Kenilworth, IL

Boom Bah!, first published in Australia, represents one of Kane Miller’s first forays into digital and they’ve teamed up Demibooks Studio to produce it. The app is available through iTunes, or through the reader app Demibooks® Storytime.

Screen from 'Boom Bah!' (Cummings) illus. by Nina Rycroft. Demibooks Studio.

Title: Boom Bah!
Author: Phil Cummings
Illustrated by: Nina Rycroft
Narrated by: Connie Ligman
Original Music by: Barry Leitch
Published by: Kane Miller, 2010
Developed by: Demibooks Studio
Platform: iOS, requires 4.2 or later
Version: 1.0
Price: $4.99

PreS-K-Based on the whimsical book of the same title (Kane Miller, 2010), Boom Bah! takes a small animal (mouse) and a small noise (ting) on a cumulative romp through a house and then countryside, growing from one animal and kitchen-improvised music to a band outfitted with a collection of instruments. The story’s beginning features farm animals playing spoons, cups, and lids as they gleefully parade through the pages. When the group discovers a uniformed band, they follow it to the book’s final “Tah-dah!”

The few words per page and watercolor illustrations of animals in action beg for movement and each page introduces one, along with a sound and an animation. A touch to the mouse elicits the tap of a spoon against a cup. On the next screen, viewers see the cat stretching for the small creature and hear a chorus of notes played in rhythm. Some pages produce individual sounds, like that of a tuba, others feature strands of music. Some screens picture static animals on ground that moves; others depict dancing creatures, and still another presents all the animals rolling past the hills. The text does not repeat when touched, but the sounds do. Page turning and other operations are intuitive—no directions needed.

Youngsters will enjoy exploring each screen and find the narration and rhythms pleasing. This is an app that will be appreciated by its audience for its magic and its connections to movement and music.—Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI.

Screen from 'The Book About Moomin, Mymble, and Little My' (Jansson) Spinfy, WSOY, Sort of Books

Title: The Book About Moomin, Mymble and Little My
Author: Tove Jansson
Illustrator: Tove Jansson
English Translation by: Sophie Hannah
Narration by: Samuel West
Developed by: Spinfy, WSOY, and Sort of Books
Platform: iOS, requires 5.0 or later
Version: 1.0.3
Price: $5.99

K- Gr3-Moomin, the beloved character from the Finnish children’s series, is featured in a story first published in 1952. In the tale, Moomintroll (an endearing, hippo-like creature), is on his way home with milk for Moominmamma when he encounters Mymble. Mymble is distraught because her sister has run away. Moomintroll agrees to help his friend look for Little My, and soon the two find themselves on an perilous journey narrowly escaping a rock avalanche, a powerful vacuum cleaner, and the electric Hattifatteners.

Readers may choose between the “Read It Myself” or “Read to Me” mode. Navigation is intuitive; swipe the screen to turn the page. Tapping the letter “T” reveals a text box for readers who want to follow along. The rhyming text and narration (by British actor West), are particularly pleasing. Sound effects such as chirping birds, creaking trees, and the howling wind enhance the telling. Janssonʼs bold red, blue, and purple, die-cut illustrations translate well to the digital version.

Interactive elements are subtle and fit nicely with the whimsical story. Users may tap the screen to set the animation into motion: fish jump, rocks tumble, and birds fly. Tilting the iPad causes objects such a hot air balloon and an umbrella to move across the screen, and a lantern to swing. Children will also enjoy looking for Little My who is hiding on each page.

The superb narration and delightful interactive features enrich this story making it one that children will want to visit again and again.-Cathy Potter, Falmouth Elementary School, Falmouth, ME

Title: Hello to the Moon!
Narrated by: Steve Goulding
Developed by: Matchbook Digital LLC
Platform: iOS, requires 4.0 or later
Version: 1.0
Price: $1.99

PreS-Lush artwork in a variety of media provides the background for this gentle bedtime story. Employing a celestial body to convey the interconnectedness of people around the world, the app opens with a cityscape lit by a beautiful full moon. The audience is then taken on a journey around the globe in 16 screens that depict different lands and peoples with the moon featured prominently in many of the tranquil images. Narrator Steve Goulding’s soothing tones add an additional calming effect to the story, working with the peaceful imagery to great effect.

Navigation is easy as large arrows at the right and left of the screen direct viewers’ page turns. Each screen offers an interactive element, which vcan be accessed by locating the visual clue, such as a blinking light or twinkling star. For the most part, however, their inclusion does not add any additional content or meaning to the story. For instance, on the page that shows a slightly askew photograph of a young girl representing the viewers’ grandmother as a child, the audience is cued to touch the photo by the girl’s blinking eyes. When this is done, a finger appears and straightens the photograph. Unfortunately, as is the case with the majority of the app’s screens, the interactive element can only be engaged once, which is likely to disappoint viewers accustomed to greater replay options. Nonetheless, this is a sweet story with a positive message. —Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH.

Screen from 'American Presidents and First Ladies' (Schulman) Multieducator, Inc.

Title: American Presidents and First Ladies
Author: Marc Schulman
Developed by: Multieducator, Inc.
Platform: iOS, requires 5.0 or later
Version: 1.0
Price: $.99

Gr 5 Up-Every president from George Washington to Barack Obama is featured in this reference quick stop; for those that had them, First Ladies are included as well. A clean interface allows users to sort separate lists of leaders and their wives chronologically or alphabetically. Tap a president and the icons lead users to a brief summary or noteworthy fact or two about the man, early life, events, family, First Lady, cabinet, election, video, trivia, and the full text of each president’s inaugural address. A labeled menu, rather than icons, might have been preferable, since at times the icons are unclear and potentially confusing to the app’s audience.

Viewers will delight in the video segments, which include photos and original audio clips set to a clear narration. Shortcomings include a few incomplete or unexplained entries. For example, a tap on Gerald Ford’s inaugural address icon brings viewers to a screen that simply states no address was given. While other menu options explain why this was so, students would benefit from clarification here.

Unfortunate errors such as naming Benjamin Harrison the 22nd President of the United States (see bio of Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison), the statement that Hillary Rodham Clinton is the mother of a “teen-age daughter,” and inconsistencies in spelling as well as numerous typos will cause users to question the quality and authority of this app, and rightfully so.— Deirdre Reddington, Uniondale High School, Uniondale, NY