
This is the second book in the series about Millie, an ordinary dog with extraordinary capabilities. In book two, Millie is on an adventure, searching for a key that will bring her an endless supply of bacon. This adorable pooch shows up in photographs that are interspersed with lots of fun interactive & animated elements. You can open flaps, pull levers and play with this app much like a traditional pop-up (only better).
The app has great background music, delightful narration and a charming interactive interface that will please adults as much as children. There is also a fun activity with 'hidden' stickers on each page. This makes it a bit less suitable for bedtime reading, though, and at times it distracted my child from the storyline. A setting to turn off the sticker activity might be a nice thing to add, although my little boy loved this feature and remembered where each sticker was hidden when re-reading (they are always in the same spot and aren't too difficult to trigger).
This title is relatively well made for such a complex app and has plentiful settings, including a "bedtime mode" that "turns off loud sound effects, skips over games, and dims the screen a little to create a soothing bedtime experience." Millie and The Lost Key is one of the more original book apps available in the AppStore, with a unique approach to storytelling that involves the reader on many levels. Getting to explore the book as the story is read makes for a very satisfying experience overall. It is clever, funny and deeply engaging.
[A portion of sales of this developer's paid app, Millie and The Lost Key, go to Petfinder.com Foundation - working ensure that every pet has a forever home.]
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
Author/Illustrator:
Mega Pops
Developer:
MegaPops LLC
Length (time):
10 - 15 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: No
Allows Own Narration:
No
Uses Motion: Yes
Age: 3 - 8
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
22 Pages
Millie is a dog that is also a 'legendary explorer' who is on a quest to find "the Lost Key to Endless Bacon". She hears that the key was last seen with the treasure of a pirate ship. Millie starts out on her quest by hopping on a plane to a remote island (possibly Manhattan). She explores until she finds a rainbow with a unicorn (another dog with a single horn) that tells her the key is at the bottom of the 'dark sea of scary stuff'.
Millie decides to row out into the water, fighting off piranhas and parrots. She yodels to lull the 'scary stuff' to sleep and then heads underwater to a mysterious cave. She finds lots of treasure, and the key to limitless bacon! The cave starts shaking as she is swimming off and even the ground is unsteady when she gets back ashore. She hops on a carousel horse and gets away.
When Millie stops for a drink of water, her nemesis 'Kitty' flies in and steals the key. Millie searches and searches, but cannot find Kitty or the sought-after key. But Millie isn't upset. Instead she realizes she had fun on her adventure, which is worth more than 'all the Bacon in the world'. The moral of the story is, "When you stop for water, always take your Bacon Key with you!"
Orientation: Landscape
Format: iPad
Options:
Read to Me, Music On/Off, Volume, Bedtime Mode, Help, Links to: Web, Email, App Store
App Release Date:
2011-08-01
Size: 109.26 MB
Version: 1.0
Lite Version Available: No