
My Ocean Friends is a cute interactive book for very young children. It is not lised under "Books", though, but under "Education". It has lots of activities in it's mere 9 pages. There is a puzzle, several little quizes about elements of the story and a coloring page that is actually quite nice at the end. There is a very fun 'fast grey shark' on page 6 that when tapped, swims off saying "I'm fast". My son loved this one and asked me to watch it several times while he had a huge smile on his face. And if you leave the book alone for too long on any page, the whale falls asleep until tapped again. It's really adorable.
The whale is the narrator and his voice is a bit 'baby-ish' is all I can think to describe it. But it's easy to understand and cute enough in it's own way. He talks very slow, but this is because this book has a dual purpose of being a useful tool for learners of English as a second (or third or more) language. Compass Media is a company that focuses on English learners, and this is, "geared for young children who are learning to read ... (t)he story and characters were designed with children in mind, targeting reading, writing, listening and speaking skills while working to build overall literacy," according to their description in the App Store.
Text lights up as it is read and everything in the underwater environment is tappable. If you tap on a school of fish in the picture, the word "fish" appears and is read. This is true for the hermit crab, sea anemone, octopus and many more. The animations are nice, but to call this 3D really just means it's computer rendered animation, and only the whale is really animated. It's the iPad version of a very nice interactive book, no glasses required.
The only thing I would love to change about this book is the music. It's not that bad, on the first couple loops, but it is way too festive ... If only it could be shut off. Really. But that was my perspective as an adult. This got a thumbs up, way up, from the kid. :)
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
Author/Illustrator:
Unknown
Developer:
Compass Media Co., Ltd.
Length (time):
4 - 20 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: No
Allows Own Narration:
No
Uses Motion: No
Age: 1 - 6
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
9 Pages
My Oceans Friends is a story involving a blue whale who sets off to explore the world he lives in. On his journey, he encounters friends and other ocean creatures as well as a series of fun activities that guide him on his way. Naturally combining interactive activities with an introduction to basic concepts like colors and musical notes, this story is designed to be an enjoyable experience for young children! [Source: AppStore]
Orientation: Portrait
Format: iPad
Options:
"Ebook" [Non-animated version included, narrated]
App Release Date:
2010-12-04
Size: 85.3 MB
Version: 1.1
Lite Version Available: No