This week in children's apps features I Need My Monster, a story about a boy who wants his bedroom monster back. Also this week is interactive songbook Cat Doorman's Little Red Wagon and the newest Dr. Seuss app, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. There's also a new Little Critter app, Just Going to the Dentist, and Five Little Monkeys Play Hide and Seek.
Title: I Need My Monster
Publisher: Y.P.L. Yedioth Publishing
Release date: December 16, 2012
Price: $3.99
Background: One night, when Ethan checks under the bed for his monster, he finds a note instead: "Gone fishing. Back in a week. -Gabe" What will Ethan do? He needs a monster under his bed. How is he supposed to get to sleep if his monster is gone?
Features: Players help Ethan uncover the perfect monster from among all other scary substitute monsters that appear in his room; word highlighting; professional narration; option to add the child's name to the bedroom wall; memory card game
Title: Cat Doorman's Little Red Wagon
Publisher: Night & Day Studios
Release date: January 23, 2013
Price: $2.99
Background: Based upon the folk tune, Little Red Wagon is both a musical songbook and an adventure game full of opened-ended play. Upon launching the app, kids will be prompted to choose which musical version of the song they’d like to hear: guitar, piano, or the full band. Once selected, kids can follow the highlighted lyrics and accompanying musical notes that continuously run along the bottom of the screen. The game begins as one guides the girl and her red wagon to a Dairy, Bakery, Garden, and Orchard to gather supplies for a picnic.
Features: Hundreds of hand-painted illustrations, more than a dozen songs.
Title: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
Publisher: Oceanhouse Media
Release date: January 22, 2013
Price: $3.99
Background: "And he took off his hat - and it didn't do any good. Another hat sat on Bartholomew's head." In The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, Dr. Seuss spins a humorous tale of a young boy's desperate attempt to remove his own hat to honor his King. If only the hat would obey Bartholomew's wishes.
Features: Record your own voice, share voice tracks with others, page selector, retina main menu, three modes of play.
Title: Just Going to the Dentist
Publisher: Oceanhouse Media
Release date: January 16, 2013
Price: $0.99
Background: Little Critter is off to the dentist's office. He gets a thorough checkup and cleaning, complete with dental x-rays. When Dr. Ghum finds a cavity, Little Critter bravely gets a filling. The visit is painless and Little Critter's good nature reassures young readers that going to the dentist is not that bad after all.
Features: Record your own voice, share voice tracks with others, page selector, retina main menu, three modes of play.
Title: Five Little Monkeys Play Hide and Seek
Publisher: Oceanhouse Media
Release date: January 16, 2013
Price: $1.99
Background: Mama's out dancing and Lulu is in charge of the Five Little Monkeys. It's bedtime for the rambunctious monkeys, but they persuade Lulu to play hide-and-seek.
Features: Record your own voice, share voice tracks with others, page selector, retina main menu, three modes of play.
