A classic comes to life in this QBook!

Hairy Maclary is a cute terrier mutt who stars in a series of popular books by New Zealand author, Lynley Dodd. This title is the first in the series, published in print in 1983. The story is told in rhyming verse and has a very simple plot, about Hairy Maclary and his doggie friends on a 'trot' around town. While the story is simple, the combination of expressive words, delightful illustrations and polished narration in this app edition, nears digital perfection.

Light animation makes the animals come to life, along with a tiny bit of interactivity in the form of sound effects, mostly barking. The enhancements are fun, but simple enough to make this a great bedtime title. The digital versions of the Hairy Maclary series are developed using QBook™, a digital picture book format designed by Kiwa Media. I have reviewed other books using this format, and it guarantees a well-made book reading experience.

It has easy page turning and two wonderful features for young readers, Touch-to-Hear and Touch-to-Spell. Not only are the words highlighted as the book is narrated, but a young reader can also tap on any word to hear it spoken and double tap to hear the word spelled. Most QBooks have a 'coloring' book feature, too. Each page becomes a line drawing that kids can color and you can even save your coloring pages into the book app to personalize it. If your child likes iPad coloring pages, these books are a great choice since they double as a packed coloring app. This title also includes the ability to record your own narration and a version of the story told in AUSLAN sign-language. 

Overall, this is a wonderful book and a must-download for any digital library. It is a classic story, engaging and enjoyable for both kids and their parents, with lots of great details in the illustrations that dog lovers, in particular, will appreciate. The educational enhancements are also superb, making this an app perfect for young readers or even pre-readers. Recommended!

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