Finn's Paper hat is a charming, original storybook app about a little boy and his newspaper hat. Little Finn has a wild imagination, taking the reader on a trip sailing the seas. Subtle interactivity and animation make the story come alive on every page with unique things to tap and explore. You can tap to create more snow, hear the whale talk or to get Finn's boat to sail across the sea. And on the final page, my favorite, you can drag the sun right out of the sky to reveal a moonlit night, filling it with flickering stars everywhere you tap.

The well-crafted story is told as much through the illustrations as the text, featuring a combination of line drawings and 'newspaper' print. The nearly colorless illustrations have an artistically 'hip' style unique to author/illustrator Chantal Bourgonje, making her tales as enjoyable for parents as for kids. The book is also nicely narrated and has beautiful piano music that plays in the background. The music at the end, in particular, is so relaxing that my little boy even says this book, 'makes me wish it was bedtime'.

The interactivity, while fun, can get a little repetitive, though, especially the sound effects ... it might be nice to have these elements play only once per page. The book also has several 'extras', including instructions (with diagrams) on how to make a newspaper hat. This is a fun way to extend the story and encourage creative play. In addition, there are two coloring pages (with 'tap & fill' style coloring) and a karaoke-style sing-along about making a paper hat. These are nice additions but not features my child found deeply engaging.

The book is also solidly made with easy page turn arrows, a page guide and language choices that include not only Dutch but also five different dialects of English. Overall this is a top notch title with an imaginative story, enchanting music and illustrations that come together to create a perfect digital reading experience.

[iPhone version available separately through iTunes, click HERE.]

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