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Triceratops Gets Lost - Smithsonian's Prehistoric Pals

October 5, 2011

By: Carisa Kluver

The Digital Media Diet

Triceratops Gets Lost is a nicely illustrated title in Oceanhouse Media's Smithsonian Collection - a series based on popular non-fiction print titles about the natural world. The print version of this title was released in 2004 along with an audio CD. As an OM book this title sparkles, giving enormous value over its print counterpart, including narrated text that highlights as read.

This book series fills a great need for digital book apps with non-fiction educational content. The books selected so far have been well vetted as print titles, making it easy as parents & educators to select these digital books with confidence.

Each title in this series takes the original print images and pans over them in a nice, semi-animated style. There is also a nice array of sound effects, like cricket sounds and birds chirping, paired nicely with great narration. The sound effects also help the story come alive without overshadowing the voice-over.

Overall, this is a solidly made book with nice enhancements. If you tap anywhere on the page, words appear that represent the different images (e.g. 'ferns', 'forest', 'Triceratops'). If that word also happens to be part of that page's text, the word is highlighted within the text of the story, helping young readers make important connections between the written and spoken word. Paired with Oceanhouse Media's "OM" template, non-fiction titles get a clear educational boost when print goes digital.

The only things I would suggest for improvements would be a page guide and a way to turn the sound off for the interactive elements (words) in the 'read myself' setting. Links outside the app are also present, although they are at least tucked away in settings found only on the title page. This title is also not very long, making it a good choice for bedtime reading.

As a way to foster a child's love of a dinosaurs, this app gets high marks. It is well developed, based on scientific information and even has a few pages at the end with additional information about dinosaurs and the prehistoric era. These books are also beautifully presented with light enhancements that make the print titles come alive.

All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.

 







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Triceratops Gets Lost - Smithsonian's Prehistoric Pals

October 5, 2011

By: Carisa Kluver

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Author/Illustrator:
Smithsonian Institution

Developer:
Oceanhouse Media, Inc.

Length (time):
6 - 8 Minutes

Based on non-digital book: Yes

Allows Own Narration:
No

Uses Motion: No

Age: 4 - 10 +

Languages:
English •

Length (pages):
30 Pages

 

Story Synopsis - Triceratops Gets Lost - Smithsonian's Prehistoric Pals

The story begins in a valley filled with prehistoric animals and plants. A herd of Triceratops grazes in the distance. One of the herd hears a sound and goes to investigate. There are two Pachycephalosaurs fighting while the Triceratops eats ferns peacefully with his razor sharp beak. Suddenly the animal realizes the rest of the herd has moved on and he is all alone.

As he tries to find the rest of his herd, Triceratops sees many other animals, including flying Quetzalcoatlus that are heading for a stream. He sees Parasaurolophus near the bank but no sign of his own herd. As he is getting sleepy, there is a big commotion as a noisy set of footsteps approaches. It's Tyrannosaurs Rex!

When the big Dino notices Triceratops, he gets ready to fight. But then all of a sudden the rest of the Triceratops herd shows up - scaring off the big predator. Now the herd is safe and can graze again.

 

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Orientation: Landscape

Format: Universal

Options:

Read to Me, Read Myself, AutoPlay, Links to: Facebook, Twitter, Email, Web, AppStore

App Release Date:
2011-09-02

 






Size: 18.7 MB

Version: 1.08

Lite Version Available: No

 

 

Triceratops Gets Lost - Smithsonian's Prehistoric Pals

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