I Was So Mad - Little Critter
April 30, 2012
By: Carisa Kluver
-
User Rating:
Rating: Not Yet Rated!
I Was So Mad - Little Critter
April 30, 2012
By: Carisa Kluver
The Digital Media Diet
I'm so mad ... I should just run away!
I was so Mad by Mercer Mayer was published in print in 1983. It is a beloved story about Little Critter as he tackles a challenge every young child must take on ... feeling angry. Everything he wants to do on this particular day seems to be met with resistance. His mom says no to frogs in the bathtub, he can't play in the clean sheets and even painting the outside of the house is verboten. Everyone keeps telling Little Critter "No" and it is making him so mad he wants to run away. Young children and their parents will identify with this title and many other titles in the Little Critter collection for their accurate portrayal of the strong emotions that young children need to navigate.
Many readers have asked, "What kind of animal is Little Critter?" According to Wikipedia, Mercer Mayer did not specify which type of animal Little Critter is, but "he resembles a hedgehog, hamster or guinea pig." So, basically he's a rodent ... although a rather lovable one! Over 200 books have been released in this popular series, not to mention a whole line of toys, dvds and other products.
This digital version adds a new twist, having the reader try to find all the little mice (14 in all) hidden on almost every page. When the child taps on a mouse, a chime sounds; at the end of the book, a page is displayed with the number of mice (of the total) successfully found. This little extra was a big hit with my kid and made re-reading a bit more fun. As a parent, I liked this interactivity because it rewarded my child for paying attention, although it did distract from the story on the first reading.
Like other omBooks by Oceanhouse Media, this app is interactive in a way that enhances early reading skills. Most images (of mom, sister, dad, Little Critter and many items in each scene), will name themselves aloud while the word briefly appears over the illustration. For example, touch a mouse and the word "mouse" appears and is spoken aloud by the narrator. If the word is also present in the text on that page, it highlights as spoken, providing nice auditory/visual word-reinforcement for young learners.
For early readers and pre-readers, the text also highlights as the narrator says each word. By the way, the young voice-actor is also easy to understand. I particularly liked the choice of child narration in the Little Critter book apps, since the story is told in the first-person. Overall, this is a cute book and a great read for children six and under. Recommended!
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
Continue to star ratings »»
Your Vote
Author/Illustrator:
Mercer Mayer
Developer:
Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
Length (time):
4 - 6 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: Yes
Allows Own Narration:
No
Uses Motion: No
Age: 2 - 6 +
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
24 Pages
Story Synopsis - I Was So Mad - Little Critter
Little Critter is having a bad day ... from getting in a fight with Mom over frogs in the bathtub, to arguing with Dad over playing with Sister's dollhouse, nothing Little Critter does seems to be right. Grandma says, "No, you can't." when he asks to play in the clean sheets and even Grandpa won't let him play with water ... or paint.
Little Critter was so mad ... he didn't want to play anymore, deciding that he should 'run away' instead. He packs his toys and some cookies to eat. When he is on his way out, however, Little Critter runs into some friends who ask him to join them playing ball - so he does that instead. "I'll run away tomorrow if I'm still so mad," he thinks to himself.
Orientation: Landscape & Portrait
Format: Universal
Options:
Autoplay, Read-it-myself, Read-to-me, News on/off, Sound on/off, Links to: Web, AppStore, Facebook, Twitter
App Release Date:
2011-02-15
Size: 12.64 MB
Version: 1.08.3
Lite Version Available: No
I Was So Mad - Little Critter
Other Apps from Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
Other Apps with similar ratings.