The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Review

Common Sense Media says

Fantastic, boundary-pushing interactive book.
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
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is an imaginative, interactive picture book based on an award-winning animated short film. The app book contains several animated clips from the film. The story is a lovely and fantastical one that celebrates the power of books, but be aware that it begins with a big storm that pulls up houses and blows the hero away. There's a whole lot to do in this app, though, besides just viewing the story, including piecing together puzzles, building words with alphabet cereal, and drawing your own pictures on blank book pages.

  • Ease of use4
    The page corner folds down when it's time to turn, arrows show you where and when to swipe in order to interact with the scenes, and tappable hotspots glow to make you aware of them. The only thing that could have made the app easier for kids would have been the highlighting of the text.
  • Violence1
    A tornado sweeps away several houses -- and Morris with them -- in the beginning of the story. It's nothing too violent, but could frighten some younger children.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    There's an ad for the animated short film on which this book is based. The film is also purchasable via iTunes.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    In one scene, several books speak when you tap them, uttering famous lines from their texts. One is the Great Gatsby, and its line mentions "champagne."
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Is it any good?

 

THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE is so good that it borders on mind-blowing. It's one of those apps that shows just how much creativity and added entertainment value can be put into an interactive book app (even one that, ironically, celebrates the power of good old-fashioned paper books). The story -- a man is swept away by a tornado and becomes the librarian of sorts in a world of living books -- is the sort of sweet and magical tale that just might make you tear up at the end (in the good way). The animation is breathtaking. And the opportunities for interactivity are wonderfully diverse and original. You swirl your finger to bring wind onto the page, you change a black-and-white sky to blue, you play a song on a piano, you write your own words on a blank book page -- complete with illustrations if you want. And there's much more than just that. It's a truly brilliant app.

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This review was written by Christopher Healy
Kid, 3 years old
January 4, 2012
AGE
3
 
Fantastic!
My son is 2 1/2 and loves this app. We "read" it as one of his bedtime stories. I have not found another "book" that is as well done, interactive and easy to use as this one. Fantastic!
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Helped me decide (3) | Had useful details (3) | Read my mind (4)
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Educator and Parent of 3 and 6 year old
February 22, 2012
AGE
4
 
Beautifully illustrated, wonderfully animated
This is the best realization of the iPad platform that I've seen: a fully interactive, beautifully produced ebook that is compelling for adults and kids. The storyline is written around the interactivity, but that's okay; the theme of the power of books and their place in the world is a welcome one, regardless of the format.
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This review was written by Christopher Healy
Category:Books
Platforms:iPad
Price:$4.99
Size:335.00 MB
Publisher:Moonbot Studios LA
Version:1.0.1
Release date:May 31, 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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