Tales Untold

It's tempting to call this a podcast app for preschoolers since it's easy to imagine kids getting as excited for the next episode of Inspector 9 as their parents might get for their favorite series. The best thing about this app might be its developers' focus on the stories, not the technology, since they're most interested in using mobile devices to help parents and kids listen to a story together. Each story feels like an excellent audiobook because there's an easy-to-sing theme song for each series, and an excellent narrator reads each story slowly and imaginatively. As for the stories themselves, there are boy and girl (and monster!) protagonists whose adventures range from inadvertently making a bubble bath to discovering a secret parallel universe by way of a magical bunk bed. Plus, the nonfiction series "A Little About a Lot" is an approachable way for kids (and their parents) to learn about how things work. There are also listening kits available for use in families, in educational settings, and in health care settings. The only real drawback here is the price: Subscribing to every show could get pricey fast, but many families will find it's worth it after listening to a few of these absorbing stories.