First Grade Pencil-Pal: Learning Game

The format of FIRST GRADE PENCIL-PAL: LEARNING GAME is probably the best part of the app. The animated characters who pop in and out of doors and windows on the boat make the whole experience feel like a children's TV show. They talk to the "viewer," tell jokes, invite them into different chambers on the boat, and play host for different games and activities. The videos -- with that old Sesame-Street-short feel -- are cute and fun; the animated dot-to-dot puzzles are a great bonus; and the art room provides in itself what some art apps provide in their entirety. The games, which are the main feature, though, can get repetitive, with only one format: Grab the fish with the correct answer on it. There's so much variety around the rest of that cartoon ship, it would be nice to have a little more in the game room. For all the app's features, it's still a bit too pricey compared to what else is available.