The first Biscuit story ... find out how this pup got his name!

This is an adorable book based on a print 'early reader' series, popular over the last decade. This is the first title in the series, published in 2005 as "Meet Biscuit" by Harper Collins and then republished as a paperback with the title, "Hello Biscuit" by Scholastic in 2009 & 2010. In this introductory book, we get to meet the little puppy and his mistress on the day the two meet each other. The little girl soon realizes her new friend needs a name, but she can't concentrate with all the distraction ... someone keeps getting into the dog biscuits!

Text highlights as narrated in this short title perfect for young learner readers. There is light interactivity to play with though, as well as a hidden object on every page. You can tap on the chalk board to see the different names the little girl is trying out in one cute scene, although most of the other animations triggered are just slight movements of the characters. This animation is polished for the most part, although a few scenes have rather 'stiff' movements for the little girl. Yet that puppy only gets cuter when he 'wriggles' around on nearly every page.

Children will love the challenge to find Biscuit's ball, hidden on each page, however this feature can distract from reading comprehension. There is also a nice selection of extras to extend this short title's value. These include: three coloring pages, a memory game, three sticker book scenes with lots of images from the book and three very simple 6-piece puzzles. These extras are basic but well made.

Overall, this is an adorable storybook app. Little biscuit and friends are sweet characters in this lovingly illustrated series. These books are well-written, with a reading level perfect for Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Toddlers and preschoolers will also enjoy this title with narration. Recommended.

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