The Chalk Box Story, an interactive storybook for kids based on the classic tale by "Corduroy" autho for iPad

The Chalk Box Story, an interactive storybook for kids based on the classic...

December 8, 2012

Exceptional digital translation of a classic story ...

Don Freeman wrote the classic children's story, Corduroy in 1968. This book, about a box of anthropomorphized chalk, creating a picture together, was written in 1976. It teaches about colors while telling a poignant tale. At first there is just sky & sea, then an island and a little boy ... but he is sad, so the chalk come together to draw a boat to rescue him. Stories like this have captured a certain magic about childhood and storytelling for generations, but in digital, the effect is truly perfected.

Each piece of chalk pops up to be tapped by young readers, who can then fill in the areas of the page for that color with their fingers. It isn't a free-form drawing experience, but instead creates the image for each part of the story in a way that will still delight little ones. Text is easy to read and paced nicely, alongside the images, as well as highlighting word-for-word with the narration. Simple settings allow for easy navigation, although there is no page guide. The story can be reset from the title page to start over with the interactive 'painting' feature.

Overall, this is a lovely digital translation with the simplicity of the original story preserved beautifully in an interactive and lightly animated app. A small extra page, with animated characters from the book is also a treat, but the real magic is in the story itself, timeless and thoughtfully crafted from beginning to end. Recommended.

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

$2.99