The iPad has absolutely transformed the way we read books to our children. Aside from the iBookstore, book apps are breathing new life into all types of literature. Green Eggs and Ham — Dr. Seuss ($3.99) is another great example of how books are becoming incredibly interactive on our idevices.
The original text and artwork are completely preserved, so nothing is lost in the electronic version of the book. There are three ways to enjoy the story. You can experience it the traditional way, and read the words to yourself or to your child. You can choose to have the text read aloud to you. Or, you can select the “auto play” option, and have the text read and pages turned automatically. The narration is professionally done, and really does capture the emotion in the text. The “auto play” mode makes it feel like you’re watching a movie. In addition to the narration, each page of the book appears to be animated with slight camera movements, zooming in and out of the illustrations.
Throughout the story, there is light music playing in the background and additional ambient sound effects that help immerse the reader in the story. One of the most significant features is the ability to tap on words and objects to have them spoken out loud. Any object may be tapped for identification. This also helps beginners to learn to pronounce words correctly. Tapping and holding on the screen will cause the entire paragraph to be read again. The app will also remember your place. So, if you quit the app and restart, you can begin again where you left off.
There really is nothing to complain about with this application. Everything works well, and it’s simply a pleasure to use. I have no doubt the iPad will quickly become the preferred method of reading the Dr. Seuss stories.
Download the free Appolicious for iPad app
