Dad of Divas' Reviews: Scholastic Media Adds The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs to 'Touch & Tilt' Line of Storybook Apps for iPad

Monday, October 3, 2011

Scholastic Media Adds The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs to 'Touch & Tilt' Line of Storybook Apps for iPad


Scholastic Media, announced today the latest addition to its “Touch & Tilt™” line of storybook applications on the iTunes App Store with the release of The Magic School Bus®: Dinosaurs for the iPad.  The app, based on the Scholastic book The Magic School Bus: In the Time of Dinosaurs, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen, is the second “Touch & Tilt” app for the global children’s science franchise which celebrates its 25thanniversary this month.  The app is available for $7.99; a Lite version will also available.

“Our interactive media has always been about kids owning the experience, and Scholastic is delighted to release another ‘Touch & Tilt’ app that truly gets children more deeply involved in their reading experience,” said Deborah Forte, President of Scholastic Media, Executive Vice President of Scholastic Inc., and Executive Producer of the television series. “For over two decades The Magic School Bus has delighted and excited children about science – and now with this app, we can provide the opportunity to children to experience the science through exploration, interactivity and discovery.”

Like others in the line, this ‘Touch & Tilt’ app delivers an age appropriate, re-playable reading experience that brings the book to life and allows for even the youngest of children to read and play independently on the iPad – seamlessly combining how they naturally want to interact with the story with the unique capability of the platform.  Many pages of The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs adventure feature an interaction to extend the reading experience. Readers can go on dinosaur digs to uncover fossils, assemble dinosaur skeletons, collect dinosaur cards and access reports written by Ms. Frizzle’s class—each filled with intriguing science lessons. The app is designed for children 4 and up. Additional features include:

  • Embodies the “open exploration” essence of The Magic School Bus brand, which encourages kids to “take chances, make mistakes…and get messy!”
    • The app takes readers on a wild ride with Ms. Frizzle’s class—a field trip back in the time of dinosaurs
  • ‘Touch & Tilt’ animated interactions make it easy for children to engage with the story:
    • Touch the words to hear the story and speech bubbles to hear what characters are saying
    • Tilt to see dinosaur digs and class reports for further exploration
  • Narration & Music:
    • Features over 20 individual voices, as well as music and sound effects
  • Dinosaur Digs and Collectible Cards:
    • Go on dinosaur digs to unearth dinosaur fossils and then build the dinosaur skeleton
    • Collect 16 different Dinosaur Cards that offer pictures and facts
  • Game:
    • Feature one highly re-playable game with 7 different levels explores where dinosaurs lived around the world
  • Includes over a hundred of facts about dinosaurs including when and where dinosaurs lived to their eating habits and physical characteristics
  • Individual words are highlighted as they are read aloud, to aid reading skills. Options allow independent readers to turn off music and narration, access mini-games and go to specific sections of the story.

Each of Scholastic Media’s storybook apps is developed in-house, ensuring fidelity to the tone, look, and feel of beloved Scholastic brands such as The Magic School Bus, while guaranteeing that parents can trust the apps to be both educational and entertaining. The app is the fourth ‘Touch & Tilt’ interactive storybook, joining Go, Clifford, Go and I Love You Through and Through and The Magic School Bus: Oceans. Scholastic Media also has six branded game apps available for iPhone and iPod touch based on the hit children’s properties Clifford The Big Red Dog ®, I SPY ™, The 39 Clues ™, WordGirl ® and Goosebumps ™. 






All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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