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Join Harold and the Purple Crayon as the Children’s Classic Comes to the iPad

By | August 22, 2011 | 1 comment
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There may be no children’s classic that is better suited to reinterpretation for the iPad than Harold and the Purple Crayon. This whimsical bedtime story comes to life as a kids’ book app courtesy of Trilogy Studios.

Even the tiniest reader can follow Harold’s imaginative adventure as he draws his way over hill and dale. Whether you are a longtime fan of Harold’s nocturnal wanderings, or are just discovering him for the time, this clever and engaging book app will appeal to children of all ages.

There are several ways to interact with Harold. The “Touch Tale” mode actually lets the reader help Harold draw all of the story’s pictures. If you need a hint, just press the ? icon. Choose “Read to Me” and the drawings will be filled in automatically, which may be more appropriate for very young children. In “Read Alone” mode, the story is presented almost as it would be in the paper version of the book, without interactivity.

Harold and the Purple Crayon for iPad is available for download in the App store for $6.99.

What I liked: The app combines interactive elements without interfering with the story’s well-known narrative, yet there are also moments when the app breaks out of the traditional form, moving the tale forward with animation that gains the reader’s attention without ever sacrificing the tone of the original tale.

What I didn’t like: I was disappointed that all of the interactivity disappeared in read to self mode.

To buy or not to buy: At $6.99, Harold and the Purple Crayon is priced slightly higher than many other children’s book apps. The story is quite lengthy and is proven to be on that kids will want to read again and again, so despite its higher initial selling price the app is still a good value.

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About Emily: Emily is a freelance writer who loves discovering new apps whenever she can pry the iPad away from her children or husband. You can contact her via Twitter: @whatwentwrite

  • http://twitter.com/jillianTBD Jillian Halayka

    I was really looking forward to your review because this is one of my
    very favorite children’s books… I read it as a child and I’ve
    purchased copies for each of my kids.  I’m heading to iTunes now to
    purchase my digital copy!

    Thank you!