Paddington Bear

Review

Common Sense Media says

Lovable bear always delights, but more interactivity needed.
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 Paddington Bear, the adorable blue-coated and red-hatted bear from Darkest Peru, now has one of his stories told on a storybook app. Touch the glittering stars on the illustrated pages and some subtle animation elements occur. At $5.99, the price (at the time of this review) is more than many storybook apps, and there's not a lot of extra features here. Kids can take their photo in an online frame with Paddington, and they can record themselves telling the story.

  • Ease of use4
    Very easy to use. There are three options on the main screen ("Read," "Record," and "Photos"), as well as three reading options ("Read to me," "Read on my own," or "My recording"). 
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism2
    HarperCollins promotes another book in a sort of peek-at-the-page icon at the top of the main screen. Tap that and you'll see that and other storybook apps published by HarperCollins. There's also a "Touch to Win!" tab for a competition by the National Portrait Gallery, in which kids can try to win a family afternoon tea at the gallery restaurant by creating a Paddington Portrait.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Some privacy concerns. Photos with Paddington taken via the app can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and email, or entered into a National Portrait Gallery contest. All of this is optional.
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Is it any good?

 

It's hard to argue that Paddington Bear isn't a lovable character whether in a paper book or an electronic version. But at the $5.99 price (at the time of this review), many parents and most kids are likely to expect more interactivity and options than they'll find with the PADDINGTON BEAR app. The story is also a bit long for younger listeners, and kids who are old enough to be readers will need a significant command of language to be able to read and record the entire story themselves. As a result, there may not be one particular age group that will find this book ideal.

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This review was written by Dana Villamagna

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This review was written by Dana Villamagna
Topics:book characters
Category:Books
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$5.99
Size:288.00 MB
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Version:1.0.1
Release date:December 7, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 4.2 or later
This review was written by Dana Villamagna

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About our rating system
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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