
Readers are in for a treat with this lyrical tale about a little boy named Marco, traveling by train for the first time. As he passes each scene, he wonders to himself about the things he sees ... are there dads working in the high-rise buildings, do the birds talk to each other, and is the scarecrow ever scared himself? At the end, the train pulls into the station as another one is pulling out. Marco sees a little girl in the window of the passing passenger car and wonders, does "her heart beat as fast as mine ..."
Gorgeous illustrations are one of the highlights of this book app, along with lightly animated, interactive elements. These are fun, although not really tailored to the story's plot. Text and narration are nicely crafted and clear, although the font could be quite a bit bigger and ideally updated to a more crisp resolution that highlights to match the voice-over. There are a couple fun extras included with this digital storybook, too. Readers will find four coloring pages and four puzzles, based on images from the book. These games provide a small extension of the story for young readers and are well made.
Overall, this is a beautifully-made app, available in English & Italian. The story ends in a way that feels a bit abrupt in English, almost as if something was lost in translation, but the message is still clear. Great for bedtime or for a focus on poetry, travel or imagination.
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
Author/Illustrator:
Marinella Barigazzi/Ursula Bucher
Developer:
Ware's me srl
Length (time):
4 - 6 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: No
Allows Own Narration:
Yes
Uses Motion: No
Age: 3 - 8
Languages:
English • Italian •
Length (pages):
12 Pages
Marco is riding a train for the first time and peering out the window in excitement and wonder. He imagines what might be going on in each of the scenes he passes ... Are there dads working in that big glass building? Do the birds talk to each other like friends? Does the grass care when the cows eat it? Marco wonders about everything. Do the trees like the wind the train makes as it passes? Does the river have goldfish like the one he has at home? Does the scarecrow ever get scared himself. And are there secret roads underground for the fishermen to travel on? So many questions, but soon the train comes to the end of its route ... as it passes another train Marco sees a little girl in the train on the other track. He thinks, "I wonder if her heart beats as fast as mine ..."
Orientation: Landscape
Format: iPad
Options:
Read, Contents, Options, Credits, Play
App Release Date:
2011-12-09
Size: 30.76 MB
Version: 1.1
Lite Version Available: No