They are completely different mediums that do completely different things, and I don’t believe children will ever stop loving a story read to them by a friend, teacher or loved-one.
But children’s book apps do have their place and loads of benefits.
So, I was very excited to explore the Moo, Baa, La, La, La! app of the well-known board book by Sandra Boynton.
Moo, Baa, La, La, La! has always been a favourite in my house. It’s a short board book for younger children, exploring the sounds animals make through a fun rhyming text. It's a fabulous book that millions of children adore, and the app version is a fantastic extension of the much-loved story.
Here are some of the features of the app:
- Options to have the story either read to you or to read it by yourself.
- Interactive elements to press and explore on every page.
- Option to have the text on each page repeated.
- Ability to press any word and have it repeated.
- Volume control on the background music.
The interactive elements of this app are really great. You can press every animal and they make sounds, but they also do interesting and unexpected things (such as multiply or fly off the page).
What I really loved about the app was the ability to press every word, at any time, and have it spoken aloud by the narrator, Keith Boynton. I watched my five-year-old daughter curiously tap each word, pressing and listening and learning as she explored.
I also loved how the app pulls you back in for another go. Once you finish, you can’t help but press the ‘start again’ button to go back and see if you missed an interactive element or to hear the cute little pig snort once more. It invites kids to immerse themselves in the story — to hear it over and over again.
I did struggle a bit to get the volume controls sorted, but I suppose that’s the difference between an app story and a hold-in-your-hands paper book. Sometimes us technically challenged folk will struggle a little!
The Moo, Baa, La, La, La! app is available from a variety of app stores including Apple iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Appstore. You can also purchase Sandra Bonyton app collections with up to five of her board books in app form.
Title: Moo, Baa, La, La, La!
Author/Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Narrator: Keith Boynton
Developer: Loud Crow Interactive, $3.29 - $4.49
Format: Book App
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book, Book App
