e-Books

If you're looking for quality iPad ebooks for kids either to read with your kids or just for your own enjoyment, you can't go wrong with the new iPad. When you ask me, the iPad's prowess as an e-book reader lies not in pulp fiction, but in kids' books. Think about it: the latest Grisham novel is simply raw text, which any old Kindle can deliver. But children's books are all about big, splashy pics and wild colors--elements perfectly fitted to ipad screens.

And needless to say, the ipad may do a lot more that only display static pages. It can read tales aloud; it can enrich a classic tale with touch-powered extras; and it may even render pages in 3d. Let's take a look at 5 dazzling e-books for the kids, starting with an eye-popping rendition of "Alice in Wonderland."

1."Alice for the iPad" This lavishly illustrated 52-page abridgment of the classic story incorporates animation such as not one other e-book to date. Readers may tilt the apple ipad to make Alice grow and shrink; shake it to watch the Mad Hatter's bobblehead bobble; and so on. The frantically paced demo video (above) is a little over-the-top, but there's no question this is a showpiece ipad program. Thank goodness, there is a free of charge Lite version you can try just before splurging on the $8.99 full version.



The classic "Jack in the Beanstalk" gets a terrific ipad makeover.

(Credit: Ayars Animation)

2. Dr. Seuss books Already amongst my favorites (uh, I'm talking about, my kids' most favorite) on the iphone, Oceanhouse Media's three Seuss titles--"Dr. Seuss' ABC," "The Cat in the Hat," and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"--are simply that much bigger and better on the apple ipad. Every interactive tale is sold for $2.99--quite a little less than their respective hardcovers (as it should be). Oh, and stay tuned: one of my all-time favorite Seuss titles, "The Lorax," will make its iPad/iPhone debut in around a weeks time.

3. "Jack and the Beanstalk Children's Interactive Storybook" I think that the title says it all, no? The "interactive" part comes in the sort of games, activities, hidden Easter eggs, and the like. Gorgeous artwork, read-along text, and a reasonable cost of $3.99. What's not to like?

4. "Toy Tale Read-Along" The model for how kid's e-books ought to be done, Disney's really interactive program leverages the iPad's potential like few others. Not only does it read the tale aloud, besides it allows your child to record her or his voice and become the narrator. Each animated page features tap-to-play sound effects and character voices, and several can morph into coloring pages, complete with easy onscreen coloring tools. Songs, movie clips, and mini games round out the experience. Incredibly, the application is free of charge (meaning it is a must-have), although "Toy Story 2 Read-Along" (and, presumably, future Disney titles) will run you $8.99.

5. "The Wrong Side of the Bed in three dimensional" This is interesting. Children's book author-illustrator Wallace E. Keller founded See Here Studios, turned his own out-of-print title into an e-book, and gave it a three dimensional makeover. (Narration and musical accompaniment, too.) Any traditional red/cyan 3 dimensional glasses will do (you can order a pair from the publisher for $1), although do not expect "Avatar"-level imagery: the result is pretty minimal. Do expect a cute little story (that can be also viewed in 2D) accompanied by attractive illustrations. The High-definition version of the program costs $2.99; iphone and iPod owners can snag it for 99 cents.

What is your opinion of the ipad as being a children's e-book reader? Have you found any other titles worth mentioning? Share your notions in the comments. (And do not miss the astonishing Marvel Comics program, that proves that comics are equally well-suited to the iPad's generous display.)



All about that you can find on iPad News.