4.9
Where to Buy

I Got This: An Interactive Story App Review

App Info

Price: Free

Overview

I Got This: An Interactive Story walks users through a first-person account of a teen who developed type 2 diabetes in an interactive e-book format.  The story is told graphic-novel style, with lots of opportunities for interaction. It provides a first-hand look at the illness, its causes and its management.

Features include:

  • Interactive ebook pages
  • Accessible and easy to understand
  • Engaging first-person account
  • Includes practical, accurate information
  • Realistic responses and interpersonal situations

Quality

I Got This is a high-quality app that is very well-designed for its purpose. Each page includes appropriate and engaging interactions that are fun but not essential to the main story. The app will “remember” your place unless it is turned completely off in the device, causing it to start over. The most obvious feature common to ebooks but missing from this app is the ability to go backwards or page forwards in the book.  While developers likely do not want people doing this on the first time through, there are likely to be times when learners would like to find specific parts to check details or reference them, so this feature should be available.

Education

I Got This is a graphic-novel style ebook that students of all ages will find engaging.  It is designed around a main character in early high school, but the information is accessible and important for students in middle school or college, as well.  Each page opens up several dialog boxes with short snippets of reading that directly relates to the storyline.  Tapping on items in the picture can move the story forward or provide background details that flesh the story out somewhat.  For example, the opening scene shows only a beeping alarm clock on a dark screen. Users must tap the clock to “turn on the lights” and wake up the main character.  The breakfast scene in the kitchen portrays the main character conversing with her mother. The main conversation is about being late for school, but tapping the refrigerator shows the main character is thinking about leftover chocolate cake.

The story describes the main character’s life in first person, including her struggles with inordinate tiredness, excessive urination, and thirst.  It also shows how she makes unwise dietary choices and finally faints during a sports practice.  After that incident, her doctor diagnoses her with type 2 diabetes and the story changes into her process of coming to terms with her condition and making the necessary lifestyle changes to manage the illness.  It ends on a positive note when it picks up three months after diagnosis discussing how much better the character feels and how her life has improved.  Spoiler alert: she even gets the boy in the end!  Developers did a good job of making important information accessible and easy to digest.

Entertainment

This app isn’t really intended to be entertaining, but it is intended to be engaging and developers accomplished that goal.  The interactions on each page help considerably; some provide story background, and some are just plain fun.  Also, developers included several creative “special effects” to help make the main character’s condition come to life, so to speak.  For example, she has difficulty concentrating on a conversation with her friend because she needs to use the bathroom, so her eyes constantly stray from the friend’s face to the restroom door.  She is drowsy in math class, so her eyes close gradually, blocking out the view on the screen completely.

Value

This is a free app that presents a vital message and boosts awareness of a growing health concern even for young teens-development of type 2 diabetes.  The app is engaging and interactive, and most kids will be interested enough to go through it at least once.  Great job!

Child Friendliness

This app is child-friendly and very appropriate for the target age group.

  • NO external links
  • NO social media
  • NO in-app purchase
  • NO 3rd party ads
I Got This: An Interactive Story
I Got This: An Interactive Story
I Got This: An Interactive Story is a wonderful example of a high-quality public education ebook that is designed to appeal to the target age group, provides vital health information and does so in an engaging and memorable way.
Quality
Education
Entertainment
Value
Child Friendly
4.9
Where to Buy