At KBR, we loved that very cranky bear in book form (and the very itchy bear, too) - and this iPad version is just as much fun, if not more so, thanks to some super cute music and animations that bring Nick Bland's gorgeous illustrations to even greater light.
It's raining in the Jingle Jangle Jungle. Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep take refuge during the deluge - in a dark cave. But who should be sharing that cave but a very cranky bear! ROAR!
The friends (quite rightly) dash from the cave, back into the rain, where they start scheming about how they can make that bear less cranky, and more willing to invite them back into the cave where it's nice and dry. But can they succeed?
Really effective music, rain and lightning effects and the funniest animal noises you ever did hear (especially that moose!) make for a delightful audio experience, my favourite part being the capability to really easily record yourself (or your child) reading each page aloud. My only audio disappointment would be that the music stops between page loads; this could be easily rectified.
The charming interactive effects are minimal, but this is an ebook, not a game app, and it's annoying when readers expect an entire slew of animations from what is essentially a reading experience. Bland's stunning and heartwarming illustrations are put to perfect use with just the right balance of movie-screen additions.
The Very Cranky Bear is published by We Are Wheelbarrow, and is available on iTunes for A$4.49.