Bartleby's Book of Buttons Vol. 2: The Button at the Bottom of the Sea

Review

Common Sense Media says

Half story, half game. Very fun and uniquely different.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Bartleby's Book of Buttons Vol. 2: The Button at the Bottom of the Sea is an interactive storybook about an adventurer who scours the world to collect mysterious buttons. On each page of the story, there will be multiple buttons and switches that kids need to use in specific ways in order to make things happen on that page. Kids can read the story by themselves or hear it read by a narrator (text is not highlighted as the narrator speaks). The story ends in a cliffhanger and a mention that Volume 3 will be on the way.

  • Ease of use3
    Kids definitely have to think to figure out exactly how to use many of the buttons and switches in the story, but none of the puzzles should prove to be real stumpers.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism2
    This app sequel ends in a cliffhanger with a teaser for Vol. 3.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety3
    Minor privacy concerns. Players can opt in to Apple’s Game Center to track scores and achievements, and for some games, challenge friends. Players can send and receive friend requests using an email address or Game Center nickname, revealing the first and last name associated with each party’s Apple ID and, in the case of email requests, the sender’s email address. With iOS 5, players can opt to have a private or public profile, which can include a photo. With a public profile, your real name is visible to all other players, and Game Center will recommend you to other players using your real name. With a private profile, only your friends can see your real name, and Game Center will not recommend you to other players.
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Is it any good?

 

BARTLEBY'S BOOK OF BUTTONS VOL. 2: THE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA is superior to its predecessor in almost every way (even though Volume 1 was quite good). The story, in which Bartleby journeys to undersea ruins to track down an ancient stone button, allows for tons of cool interactive moments. Kids get to scour a secret map with ultraviolet light, pilot a chopper over rough seas, take pictures of marine life, and more. The best part is figuring out exactly what each button does and making sure to use the buttons in the right order to work through Bartleby's situation at that moment. Toward the end of the story, there are some more challenging moments, where you'll need to use two hands to properly work the buttons. It's a slight disappointment to see the story come to an abrupt halt with a "To Be Continued," but there's definitely enough happening before that point to make this feel like a full experience.

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This review was written by Christopher Healy

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This review was written by Christopher Healy
Category:Books
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$3.99
Size:199.00 MB
Publisher:Monster Costume Inc.
Version:1.0.0
Release date:October 11, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 4.2 or later
This review was written by Christopher Healy

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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