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Updated by Katherine Page Burdick on Oct 10, 2017
Headline for Kathy's List of the Best Interactive Book Apps
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Kathy's List of the Best Interactive Book Apps

These are my favorite IOS Book apps. They are very creative, model good grammar, and most offer interaction that moves the story along.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

The award-winning short film is now an interactive narrative experience. William Joyce's "The
Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore", blurs the line between picture books, augmented
reality and animated film. "Morris Lessmore" is a story of people who devote their lives to books
and books who return the favor. There are different kinds of interaction on every page. Buy a new
version of the print book and add augmented reality to the experience.
Grade 3-4 independent read
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fantastic-flying-books-mr./id438052647?mt=8

Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App!

Record your own voice and your phrases get inserted into the story so the reader does in fact run
the app. Great fun, like Mad Libs for a totally automated book. There are three levels of difficulty
making it great fun for all elementary students.
Buy $5.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dont-let-pigeon-run-this-app!/id459749670?mt=8

The Monster at the End of This Book...starring Grover!

A book app filled with pure delight.The interactions in the is book will have even adults laughing out loud. Very clever, a must for for every
book app library. Check out the sequel: Another Monster at the End of This Book...Starring Grover & Elmo!
Grade 1-2 independent read
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monster-at-end-this-book...starring/id409467802?mt=8

Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are

Be Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are . In this graphic novel a group of
friends help bolster one another's self-esteem in the face of teasing, bullying, and self-doubt.
Look for more in the series.
Grade 5 and above independent reading
Buy $2.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/middle-school-confidential/id428588931?mt=8

Mr. Sandman

This is very engaging, beautifully illustrated highly interactive bedtime book.
Readers must interact with the art in order to get to the next page.
NOTE It is not obvious that the text scrolls.
Grade 3 independent reading
Buy $3.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mr.-sandman/id511273529?mt=8

Night Zookeeper Drawing

Children must roar loudly and make creative drawings in order to move the story along. The story is narrated but the instructions are not like other ebooks so it is recommended that this ebook is best read in tandem with a good reader. Fabulous app that promotes creativity.
Grades 2-4 lower with help
Buy FREE

Axel's Chain Reaction

A creative tinkerer, Axel Jansen struggles to connect with his classmates and get them to see past the fidgety, distracted, clumsy boy they think he is. Inspired by the work of Kinetic artists, the third-grader decides to build a moving insect to show everyone at school what he’s capable of.

Axel believes he can help by creating a beautiful sensory experience out of this mess —if they give him the chance…

Four Little Corners

A story about inclusion and problem-solving. With this book it is more the story line than the
interactivity that makes the story great. The circles are playing with the square but when it is time to go home the square won't fit through the round door. First, they try to get the square to change
who it is. You must read it for the interactive solution.
grade 1-2 independent read
Buy $2.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/four-little-corners/id598573155?mt=8

Pedlar Lady

A two color story inspired by the age-old tale of a man who becomes rich through a dream,
describes the journey of a poor pedlar woman who, guided by the shifting line between the real and the unreal, discovers a surprising and wonderful treasure. Letters fall, pages shift perspective, and glass clinks all by moving the iPad. This app has challenging vocabulary and a complex plot
making it a read aloud with younger children.
Grade 5 and up independent read
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pedlar-lady/id380527812?mt=8

The Voyage of Ulysses

Description *Kirkus Reviews STAR - Editor's Choice Award 2013 Children's Technology Review - 2013 BolognaRagazziDigital Award Finalist - 2012 Cybil Awards Finalist. You’ll find Ulysses waiting for you under the walls of the city of Troy, ready to launch the last attack together before
finally setting sail for Ithaca! The voyage is long and full of surprises, including storms, magic spells, sirens, giants, heroes, and beautiful women…
But there’s no way he can make it without you. You’ll have to take him by the hand and help him overcome various obstacles.
Grade 6 and above independent read
Buy $3.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-voyage-of-ulysses/id538571921?mt=8

War Horse Interactive Edition

Description The ultimate edition of the story that inspired an internationally successful stage
play and celebrated motion picture by Steven Spielberg. War Horse,
by children's author Michael Morpurgo. It is now enriched for iPad by a musical performance,
audiobook, interactive timeline and expert interviews.
Grade 9 and above independent read
Buy $6.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/war-horse-interactive-edition/id557865146?mt=8

Pines to Vines - The Forest Biome

Description Pines to Vines is a state of the art, elementary science book based on the forest biome. It has 5 reading levels within the text, movies and images at point of use, and built-in assessment. Developed in collaboration with Oregon State University's Department of Forestry and a team of
educators, this standards based, core curriculum aligned digital book includes
both interactive enhancements and universal design accessibility features.
Grade 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 independent read
Buy $18.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pines-to-vines-forest-biome/id617723197?mt=8

Alice for the iPad

The traditional story using the accelerometer to move objects within the beautiful illustrations.
Grade 6 and above independent reading
Buy $8.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alice-for-the-ipad/id354537426?mt=8

PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit

A beautifully illustrated fully intercative version of the traditional tale. Does have actions that just entertain and do not move the story along.
Grade 3-4 independent read
Buy $3.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/popout!-tale-peter-rabbit/id397864713?mt=8

iPoe - The Interactive and Illustrated Edgar Allan Poe Collection

There is no narration but there are music and sound effects and many of the pages have art that moves when the iPad
is shifted. Makes a sophisticated read a little more entertaining.
There is a volume 2 with some of Poe's other short stories and poems.
Grade 8 and above independent read.

Buy $3.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ipoe-interactive-illustrated/id507407813?mt=8

Bobo Explores Light

••• Apple Design Award 2012 Winner •••
Discover an app that takes fundamental scientific concepts for school-age children and injects them with humor, astonishment and whimsy.
There is no text narration meaning children need to be readers. There are movies and images with narration.
Grade 4 and above independent read
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bobo-explores-light/id463809859?mt=8

IN MY DREAM

This is a cool take on the game of shifter where you slidethe head left or right to get a different head, same with the body and the feet
though this one has text that changes to match the pictures and you are shifting a third of the scene. What is great is that there is narration.
Grade 2 independent reading
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/in-my-dream/id482593584?mt=8

Cinderella by Nosy Crow

Another great Nosy Crow app loaded with appropriate interaction, great font size and a modern retelling of a traditional tale. The devices
accelerometer changes the perspective of the pages. There is even a mirror that uses the devices camera to put the reader into the mirror.
Look for other Nosy Crow book apps.
Grade 2-3 independent reading
Buy $5.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cinderella-by-nosy-crow/id457366947?mt=8

Numberlys

Numberlys presents a fanciful depiction of the origins of the alphabet. A fantastic story to build vocabulary. The world only has numbers
so there can be no color. They need letters to bring color to the world.
Grade 4 and above independent read
BUY $5.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/numberlys/id491546935?mt=8

Three Little Pigs and the Secrets of a Popup Book

In this traditional telling of this tale you can work the wheels and pull the tabs just like a print
interactive book but touch a tab on the page and you get an x-ray view of how the
cardboard equivalent works.
Grade 3 independent read
Buy $3.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/three-little-pigs-secrets/id407384876?mt=8

Ultimate Dinopedia: Complete Dinosaur Reference
  • New York Times Top 10 Best Children's Books on the iPad * 2011 MOBI Award Winner * Time.com Realistic dinosaur reference app. Very graphic art of dinosaurs eating other dinosaurs and small print.

Grade 5 and above independent reading

Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ultimate-dinopedia-complete/id407565149?mt=8

Nancy Drew: Shadow Ranch HD

Nancy Drew like you have never read her before. A full interactive story with points where
the reader must make decisions plus there are games to play.
Grade 4 and above independent reading
But $2.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nancy-drew-shadow-ranch-hd/id416282670?mt=8

Sound Uncovered

If you like this app also look for Color Uncovered. This interactive app lets readers play with sound, tone and scale as well as loud and soft in many different contexts.
Grade 5 and above independent
Buy FREE

Spatter & Spark Pro

Spatter and Spark has relevant interactivity that reinforces and moves the story along. Engaging
animation will delight young readers.
Grade 2 independent reading
Buy $3.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spatter-spark-pro/id635692019?mt=8

Al Gore - Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis

A fully interactive text with movies, charts, graphs diagrams that can be manipulated - even a
power windmill site where users blow into the microphone to see how much power
the windmills can generate.
Grade 7 independent reading
Buy $4.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/al-gore-our-choice-plan-to/id432753658?mt=8