McElligot’s Pool - Dr. Seuss
February 26, 2013
By: Carisa Kluver
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User Rating:
Rating: Not Yet Rated!
McElligot’s Pool - Dr. Seuss
February 26, 2013
By: Carisa Kluver
The Digital Media Diet
Dr. Seuss's very first book goes digital ...
This title, from Oceanhouse Media, was published by Dr. Seuss's in print in 1947. It follows the imaginative story of a boy named Marco who is fishing in a rather sad, small pond, called "McElligot's Pool". Marco is convinced that he might actually catch something, picturing a vast underground river that flows below the town. This river leads to a deeper pool full of fanciful and exotic fish that only Dr. Seuss could envision, like a Dog fish or circus fish or one that skis down underwater slopes. Geisel was always a lover of make-believe, and this title shows off his whimsical storytelling with a subtle message reminding adults to be careful not to crush a child's imagination.
McElligot's Pool also has top-notch features from Oceanhouse Media in app form. Enhancements are primarily educational and focused on word recognition, although lots of interesting sound effects are also connect the images with word meanings for young listeners. Great narration with highlighting word-by-word reinforces the text and if a child taps on any word, they can hear it spoken again. If you tap on an image in the illustrations, the word will appear with accompanying audio. And as a bonus, if that image is present in the text of the story, the word will highlight again, too.
This title has less detailed and colorful illustrations than many of Seuss's more popular & polished works, but will still be a treat for any fan. In digital form, most Dr. Seuss OmBooks also aren't animated in any way, but many pages begin by panning over Seuss' classic original artwork, zooming in and out to show off each chunk of text in a nicely paced design. Extra features include the ability to record your own narration as well as excellent navigation with a nice visual 'thumbnail' page guide. Ample settings allow adults to set the book up with or without audio and interactive elements.
Overall, this Seuss tale is still appealing ... even a half century. It is made even more accessible to a new generation with digital enhancements well-suited for a modern audience. The messages within this story (and most Seuss titles) are subtle, making for rich converstation with young people or even extension activities in a classroom setting. In print and digital, Dr. Seuss is tops with young and old alike, precisely because his books make learning to read (and reading to learn) FUN! Recommended!
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
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Author/Illustrator:
Dr. Seuss
Developer:
Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
Length (time):
12 - 15 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: Yes
Allows Own Narration:
No
Uses Motion: No
Age: 3 - 8
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
30 Pages
Story Synopsis - McElligot’s Pool - Dr. Seuss
From Wikipedia:
McElligot's Pool, by Dr. Seuss, is a tale of a boy named Marco who is ridiculed for fishing in a small, polluted pool. In typical Seussian fashion, when confronted with the limitations of his situation, the young boy imagines ways in which he could catch any number of any kind of fish in the small pool.
Orientation: Landscape
Format: Universal
Options:
Read to Me, Read Myself, AutoPlay, Record, Page Guide, News On/Off, Sound Effects/Interactions On/Off, Home, Links to: AppStore, FB, Twitter, Email, Web, Privacy Policy
App Release Date:
2013-01-09
Size: 42.46 MB
Version: 2.1
Lite Version Available: No
McElligot’s Pool - Dr. Seuss
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