Jack and the Beanstalk by Nosy Crow
Kids take active role in impressive interactive adventure.
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Jack and the Beanstalk by Nosy Crow
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Jack and the Beanstalk by Nosy Crow includes all the drama and characters from the classic tale -- including an angry giant who chases Jack through the castle and down the beanstalk, threatening to eat him for dinner. The giant never actually manages to catch Jack, though, and Jack eventually makes it home to his mother. This is truly an interactive adventure and what kids help Jack collect throughout the story determines how much Jack and his mom have at the end of the story. The interactive elements go beyond other interactive books, and kids have a lot to do, making this a book less suited as a bedtime story and more as an in-depth adventure that will take some time to play through. The interactive adventure will even appeal to independent readers who may usually consider themselves too old for fairytales.
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What’s It About?
It's the classic story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but in this interactive adventure, readers play the role of Jack. Kids can read the story on their own or have the words read to them, but they have to interact on every page. Rather than all the words appearing on the page, kids interact, tapping the characters to hear the dialogue and guide Jack through the castle, collecting different treasures. Once home, Jack and his mom live happily ever after -- with different luxuries depending on the treasures collected.
Is It Any Good?
Interactive books are really fun for readers, but JACK AND THE BEANSTALK BY NOSY CROW goes beyond interactive book into interactive adventure with some really impressive uses of technology. The scene with the broken mirror is pretty amazing -- kids will see their own faces reflected in the broken pieces, through the device's camera, and they'll see their full reflection when they've put the mirror back together. The interactive activities are fun, challenging, and educational, and the story is exciting enough to make for a really fun experience for older kids reading on their own as well as younger kids. Several of the activities may even be a bit too challenging for little ones, but that's fine because they don't have to solve every part of the story or even collect the treasure. The ending changes based on how much of the treasure kids collect, which is really cool and will keep kids going back to the story to replay and create different endings.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Even after kids have played through the entire story, encourage them to try again and see how collecting the giant's treasures impacts the ending.
Read other versions of the classic story together and talk about what is similar and what is different.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading: following directions, reading, reading comprehension, Math: counting, patterns
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: logic, thinking critically, Emotional Development: persevering, Tech Skills: using and applying technology
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: February 20, 2014
- Category: Books
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Book Characters, Fairy Tales, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Publisher: Nosy Crow
- Version: 1.0.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 4.3 or later
- Last updated: August 16, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
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The Three Little Pigs - A Nosy Crow Animated Interactive Storybook
Great interactive iPad story has visually exciting 3-D feel.
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Cinderella - Nosy Crow animated picture book (for iPhone)
Fun and unusual retelling has some great interactive bits.
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Jack and the Beanstalk Children's Interactive Storybook
Lots of surprises in feature-packed makeover of classic.
For kids who love to read
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