Common Sense Media Review
By Ana Beltran
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bilingual version of classic tales; no sound, some errors.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Short Stories - Cuentidubi
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
SHORT STORIES – CUENTIDUBI is a digital collection of classic children's tales. Families will find titles such as "Little Red Riding Hood," The Three Little Pigs," and "Hansel and Gretel," offered in both English and Spanish. At the time of review, 6 of the 11 stories in the collection are available in both languages. The remaining five titles, which include "Cinderella" and "Jack and the Bean Stalk," are offered only in Spanish. The app suggests titles for age bands based on theme, language, and values. Values tagged for the 0-3 age band include friendship and patience; the 3-6 age band includes teamwork and respect; the 6-9 age band includes humility, sincerity, and healthy diet. Each story combines text with a few colorful illustrations. To navigate the app, choose a language, choose a story to read, and swipe to flip the pages.
Is It Any Good?
This digital collection of children's literature in Spanish and English is great for parents to read to kids, but a lack of features and some errors impacts its quality. Short Stories – Cuentidubi is a useful resource for grown-ups seeking quick and easy access to a variety of stories that are appropriate for kids. Young readers can also enjoy the collection on their own. Families who speak both Spanish and English or are nurturing bilingualism, may find it particularly appealing that certain titles are currently available in both languages and can be accessed in one spot. The values highlighted in the introduction of each story also give grown-ups ideas of topics to explore further when talking about characters and events. For example, while reading "The Emperor's New Clothes," families can explore the idea of humility and sincerity. These little suggestions help grown-ups tie the stories to key lessons. On the downside Short Stories – Cuentidubi there's no sound or read-to-me option, which makes it less valuable for emerging readers when a parent isn't available. Also, there are some grammatical mistakes in the English versions, which can make the stories a bit awkward to read and isn't great for kids learning the language and/oir learning to read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about theme when enjoying Short Stories – Cuentidubi. After reading each of the classic tales, ask kids about the moral of the story. What lessons did the characters learn? Why are those lessons important?
When reading aloud, encourage kids to visualize the story. Encourage them to listen to the words and try to draw a picture in their minds. Ask them what words help them create a clear picture of what is going on in the story?
Talk about the benefits of knowing more than one language. Why is it helpful to learn multiple languages?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Subjects : Language & Reading : letter or word recognition , reading , reading comprehension , vocabulary
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : November 29, 2018
- Genre : Books
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairy Tales ) , Adventures
- Publisher : IOWA Dynamics C.B.
- Version : 2.0.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 9.0 or later; Android 4.4 and up
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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