A haunting and heartwarming original story ...

A little girl named Dasha is the heroine of this story app, created by Tatyana Mironova. Dasha is braver than all the people in her village, or at least her actions are brave because she doubts that the scary creatures in the forest really exist. When she volunteers to venture out into the night to find out who is stealing the villager's grain, she is laughed at ... at first.

Over the course of a dozen pages, however, Dasha proves herself to be both brave and smart. Her extraordinary adventures introduce her (and young readers) to wolves, witches, giants and more. In the end Dasha discovers ways to help each of the feared (and misunderstood) creatures, making friends along the way. The themes in this book make it a good story for anytime, although it is probably more suited to Halloween than bedtime reading.

Several challenges are presented in the course of reading the book, including options that change the course of the plot. This choose-your-own-adventure quality is a big hit with kids and gives this title great replay value. This story app is also solidly made, with light animation and interactivity tailored to the narrative. There are a few activities, like painting the witch's face, that could use additional hints or a help menu (since children can get stuck and there is no way to skip the games that take place between scenes in the book). It would also be nice to see a page guide added for easier navigation.

The audio track includes hauntingly beautiful music (on a short loop) and lovely narration with different voices for each character in the village (note: narration does not highlight word-for-word). The illustrations are crisp and colorful, showing off a unique world that brings the text alive. Overall this is a truly original and delightful book app with a story that teaches children to look beyond appearances to see the true value in everyone. Recommended.

Note to readers: This review was expedited by the developer for a fee. The content of the rating/review is the same, but timing of publication has been prioritized.

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