A Troop is a Group of Monkeys – App recommendation

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TROOP_CoverTitle: A Troop is a Group of Monkeys

Written by Julie  Hedlund, illustrated by Pamela Baron

Published by Little Bahalia Publishing

Category: Books

Ages: 3-11

Themes: Animals, collective nouns, nonfiction

Platform: iPad (including mini)

Release Date: February 17th, 2013

Current Price until Feb 28th: $1.99

Synopsis: A slew of animals are presented with their collective nouns and in their natural habitats with movements and sound effects fitting for each species and ecosystem!

Key Features:

  • Vibrantly illustrated and animated
  • Every page has appropriate animal animation and noises
  • A lyrical narrated option
  • Originally composed music by Tim McCanna
  • Great vocabulary building
  • Reading Strategies section
  • Curriculum information

Why I like this app: The text is suitable for preschoolers through to older elementary children (though it is recommended for grades 2-5), and even adults. With my love of unusual flora and fauna, I am embarrassed to say how many of these collective nouns I did not know. We had 3 Hippopotami in the river at the bottom of the garden where I lived in Malawi, and I had no idea that I should be referring to Hilda, Humphrey and Charlie as a “bloat”, did you? The sound effects evoke instantly the habitat and animal represented; I could almost feel the wind swirling around the camels in the desert scene.

This is a visually appealing, humorous, entertaining and educational app with excellent additional resources making this as suitable for classroom use as well as fun reading time at home or on a journey!

I appreciate  the conclusion exhorting us to care for our environment and Tim McCanna has set the text to his very catchy tune! You’ll be singing along before you know it.

My only wish is that Apple could integrate the sense of smell for all those stinky foul fumes given off by the surfeit os skunks!

owls

 NB. Look out for the sequel set in the oceans!

 

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21 Responses to A Troop is a Group of Monkeys – App recommendation

  1. Well Joanna, thank you for making my day with this welcome and unexpected surprise! I am so glad you enjoyed TROOP. As I’m sure you know from releasing Snow Games, it’s very nerve-wracking business putting your work out into the world!

    And it’s funny, just yesterday I commented elsewhere that Apple really needs to get a “scratch and sniff” feature! 🙂

    I am more than honored to be your second app reviewed!

  2. Great review of Julie’s app. It sounds like it will be a winner with kids. I look forward to seeing the new app. My husband had a hard time downloading it on his iPad last night — so going to check out why today.

  3. Joanna says:

    Pat, I actually had a VERY slow download, though I do put that down to the Starbucks wifi connection. But maybe just be patient even if ti takes half an hour. It’s worth it.

  4. Great review! I will be buying this week for sure!

  5. Thank you Joanna for the nice review! Stacey here, the publisher at Little Bahalia. I just wanted to pop in with a teeny correction that might potentially help some folks: it is NOT compatible with Mac computers as you say in your specs, above. Only iPads for now, although we will be adapting Julie’s trilogy of animal stories for print later this year.

  6. Christy says:

    After reading the review, I bought it instantly on iPad. My daughter is going to adore this app (she is crazy for animals), and I am thrilled to find another entertaining, interactive and educational ebook for my toddler. I would love to find more like it – will be staying tuned in!

  7. Hannah Holt says:

    Yay for Julie and thanks for the review!

  8. I’ll ask my Mom to get it! I’ve been waiting for this to come out!

  9. Joanna says:

    Erik, I think both you and Josie will enjoy this one!

  10. It is a pity that it’s not available on iPhone 🙁

  11. I love that you’re reviewing these great apps for kids. I’m just a big kid myself. The visuals look great and I agree, it would be great if they could add smells. But it does make you wonder what “smells” people would come up with for other apps!

  12. Joanna says:

    Susan, I still get great pleasure out of kids books and apps!

  13. You know it’s funny this conversation about smells, because I felt—irrationally—that I could smell those skunks when we were in the middle of production. We added those “fart” sound effects and I swear I could imagine those whiffs of foul air! Trust me, you really wouldn’t want that function to activate! ha

  14. Hooray, Julie! And thanks Joanna for the reminder that this is out. I’m off to buy it…

  15. Pingback: Storybook app recommendation – A Shiver of Sharks | Miss Marple's Musings

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