San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker Interactive Storybook
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San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker Interactive Storybook
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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 the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker Interactive Storybook combines the classic nutcracker story with lots of supplemental tidbits about ballet, music, San Francisco during the time of the 1915 World's Fair, and more. Kids can read the story on their own, or they can be read to. The extras, however, are text-heavy. Tchaikovsky's famous musical score is always in the background but can be turned off. Kids can access the storybook offline but will need an Internet connection to take advantage of all the extras, which are also available for free on the Web at Discover SF Ballet. Be prepared for kids to tilt the device to use some of the interactive features. At the time of this review, there were several technical problems with the app that interfered with its normal functioning. Privacy information is available in the app; a general privacy policy is also available and details privacy while using the SF Ballet website.
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What’s It About?
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET NUTCRACKER INTERACTIVE STORYBOOK tells of Clara's classic Christmas adventure. Kids read on their own or are read to, and Tchaikovsky's famous score accompanies all pages, though you can toggle it off. On many pages kids can tap shaking items or tilt the device to set short animations in motion. Tapping on stars brings kids to photos, videos, and text that explore in depth all elements of the San Francisco Ballet's production of the nutcracker from set and costume design to ballet technique and San Francisco history.
Is It Any Good?
Though this storybook is fun and engaging, parents and kids run the risk of being frustrated by technical issues and some text-heavy elements. In two distinct sections, kids are immersed in the magic of the nutcracker and learn about the less magical nitty-gritty of putting on a major ballet production. Illustrations are engaging and true to the theme, and the music -- timed to match the correct parts of the story -- is beautiful and invigorating. Interactive features are fun: Plug in the cord to turn on the lights on the Christmas tree, and tilt the device to send the Sugar Plum Fairy flitting across the screen. But there could be more of them, as there are quite a few pages that don't have any. Tap on stars on each page to access dance-along tutorials, history, music analysis, and more. With so much text, however, it may be hard for smaller kids to get into and impossible to follow without the help of a grown-up. While we reviewed this app on an iPad, the app crashed multiple times, though tapping back in always fixed the problem. Also, the supplemental tidbits didn't always load. If kids run into the same problems, they can tap on the Discover More button and will see essentially the same information.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Clara's adventure. What does the story mean to them? Did Clara really go to the land of the sweets, or was she just dreaming? Who is that strange Uncle Drosselmeyer? Which part of the dance or music do they like best, and why?
Explore the extra features together, and help your kids navigate the text explanations. Dance along with the tutorials, and help them learn more about topics that particularly interest them.
Watch the SF Ballet's Nutcracker DVD to see the full ballet or, better yet, go see it live! Attend a performance from your local dance company or school.
App Details
- Devices: iPad, Android
- Subjects: Language & Reading: reading, Arts: dance, improvising and music analysis, music
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: June 11, 2014
- Category: Education
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Arts and Dance, Fairy Tales, Music and Sing-Along
- Publisher: San Francisco Ballet Association
- Version: 1.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later; Android 3.0 and up
- Last updated: September 9, 2021
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