• Editor Rating

  • Rated 4 stars
  • Recommended

  • Insects Aside
  • Reviewed by:
  • Published on:
  • Last modified: November 19, 2019
  • Quality
    Editor: 80%
  • Education
    Editor: 80%
  • Entertainment
    Editor: 80%
  • Value
    Editor: 80%
  • Child-Friendly
    Editor: 100%

Review Summary:

Insects Aside is the first book in a new series, Weenie Dog & Mustard. Meet two best friends who care for the world’s only vegetarian hot dog tree. Weekly as the hot dogs ripen the friends must pick the hot dogs and fend off the insects. Read along to see what happens when one of the friends chooses to do something they think is more important.

Join Weenie Dog & Mustard as they learn an important lesson in friendship. A great story and important book app features are included in this app.

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Overview

Insects Aside is the first book in a new series, Weenie Dog & Mustard. Meet two best friends who care for the world’s only vegetarian hot dog tree. Weekly as the hot dogs ripen the friends must pick the hot dogs and fend off the insects. Read along to see what happens when one of the friends chooses to do something they think is more important.

Features include:

  • Read to Me
  • Read to Myself
  • Discussion questions

 

Quality

The hand-drawn illustrations used for the adorable characters and great scenes give this book a cartoon-like feel. Silly sounds have been assigned to the interactive objects. The music does a nice job adding to the entertaining atmosphere.

The storyline has a purpose and the reader can choose to enjoy the story with the narrated option or not. Narration of the story is great, but at times is drowned out by the background music. Lowering the volume of the background music, without lowering the sound effects, would make the story a bit more enjoyable.

Multiple navigation methods are included in the app. Our favorite navigational features such as page arrows, a home button and page index are available on each page.

Part way into the story, the reader is able to draw a very basic picture which is then used in various places throughout the remainder of the story. While I really like this feature and it needs to stay very basic so as to not distract the reader for long, it could use a few improvements, such as an eraser and allow the use of the entire sheet of paper or indicate where the true edges are; otherwise, the drawing is cropped.

One other design element I’d like to see changed is the design and placement of the text boxes. The text is easy to read, but the location and design of the box obscures the scene.

Education

Insects Aside does offer a narration option; however, text is not highlighted as read and the narration cannot be repeated by touching the text.

The discussion questions at the end of the story provide parents and educators a good way to extend the learning objectives. Multiple lessons can be taken from the story; one of friendship or one of how things seen on TV may not be the reality for example.

Entertainment

This app has a great storyline that provide readers with important lessons to think about. The light animations are enough and can be repeated. They do not distract from the story, but instead give what could be a serious story a lighter tone.

Value

An introductory price of $0.99 makes Insects Aside a great family app to download.

Child Friendly

The easy-to-use design of the app will appeal to young readers. It will be one that they can use on their own or with an adult.

Being the app does not contain social media, external links and such, it is an app that you will feel good about your kids using on their own.

Insects Aside is the first book in a new series, Weenie Dog & Mustard. Meet two best friends who care for the world’s only vegetarian hot dog tree. Weekly as the hot dogs ripen the friends must pick the hot dogs and fend off the insects. Read along to see what happens when one of the friends chooses to do something they think is more important.

Editor rating
Rated 4 stars