‘Lincoln: Discover the Story’ is a free app that explores the passage of the 13th amendment and takes viewers behind the scenes of the Steven Spielberg movie.
Serving Truth, Justice, and Tighty Whities | The Captain Goes Digital
By on February 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants bursts onto the digital scene with full-color illustrations, nifty animation, and activities galore.
Best of Apps & Enhanced Books | February 2013
By on February 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
BiblioBoard and Pyramids 3D, check out these App reviews.
On Stage with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra | Touch and Go
By on January 31, 2013 Leave a Comment
Touch Press’s extraordinary new app, ‘The Orchestra” brings readers and listeners on stage with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra.
BiblioBoard’s Curated Collections for the iPad
By on January 23, 2013 Leave a Comment
With the free BiblioBoard iPad app readers can dip into curated collections of “licensed, open source and public domain materials” on topics ranging from Punk Rock to The Brothers Grimm.
A Virtual Tour of the Giza Plateau | Touch and Go
By on January 17, 2013 Leave a Comment
A new app takes viewers on a virtual tour deep inside the tombs and pyramids of Egypt’s Giza Plateau.
A (LONG) List of Recommended Apps
By on January 10, 2013 3 Comments
Selecting our 10 top apps of the year is always an impossible task. Read our expanded list of favorites from 2011 and 2012.
Best of Apps & Enhanced Books | January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
Reviews in this column first appeared in SLJ’s column Touch and Go. Please note that later versions of some of these titles may now be available. Visit Touch and Go at slj.com under “Blogs & Columns” for additional reviews, commentary, and interviews with people in the field.
An Arctic Tale for Digital Devices
By on December 28, 2012 Leave a Comment
With snow blanketing the country there’s not much else to do but pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa, grab your iPad, and get ready for a wintery adventure featuring two boys, a whale, and a polar bear or two.
Global Issues, Digital Perspectives
By on December 11, 2012 Leave a Comment
Population growth, extreme weather, global warming—are all topics of interest to students and digital producers. Here’s a round-up of some recent apps that address these issues.
A Tale of Two Apps: Classic Picture Books into Digital
By on November 29, 2012 Leave a Comment
Adapting any children’s classic to a new format is tricky. Purists will scream it’s not the original, others will be delighted to discover a new way to enjoy an old favorite. The good news is, we aren’t being asked to choose between formats.
Touch and Go | Animal Fact and Fiction
By on November 15, 2012 Leave a Comment
It’s no secret children love learning about animals, and picture books about them are some of the most popular titles in libraries. Three apps combining story and facts about animal life have recently been made available. “Touch and Go’s” reviewers took at look at them.
Best of Apps & Enhanced Books: November 1, 2012
By on November 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
Reviews in this column first appeared in SLJ’s column Touch and Go. After each review, you’ll find the date it appeared online. Online, there are links to related resources, a trailer (if one exists), and a link to purchase information.
Ghouls, Ghosts, and ‘Frankenweenie:’ A Collection of Holiday Apps
By on October 25, 2012 Leave a Comment
From witches and monsters to haunted houses and headless horsemen, there’s something for everyone this Halloween season.
Fiske Interactive College Guide 2012: A Review
By on October 23, 2012 Leave a Comment
Students hitting the college-tour circuit may want to take along “The Fiske Interactive College Guide 2012.” Features allow students to browse college websites, to email admissions offices directly, to create and save lists of schools, to add notes, and more.
Shakespeare on the iPad
By on October 11, 2012 1 Comment
It’s a boon year for students of Shakespeare and thespians: from Sourcebooks, Inc. and Touch Press come interactive resources that will change the way readers experience the Bard’s works. Sourcebooks has just released three titles in its “Shakesperience” series that promise to “transport readers from the page to the stage”: “Othello,” “‘Romeo and Juliet,” and “Hamlet.” Each iBook provides the text of the play along with insight from actors on their roles, audio and visuals of celebrated performances, and much more. Extensive commentary and notes, and video recordings of famed actors performing each of Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, are among the highlights of the stunning “Sonnets by William Shakespeare” from Touch Press.
Best of Apps & Enhanced Books: October 2012
By on October 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
Ryan Woodward/©2012 Ryan Woodward Art and Amimation.
Reviews in this column first appeared in SLJ’s column Touch and Go. After each review, you’ll find the date it appeared online. Online, there are links to related resources, a trailer (if one exists), and a link to purchase information. Please note that later versions of some of these titles may now be available. Visit Touch and Go for additional reviews, commentary, and interviews with people in the field.
Bottom of the [...]
Touch and Go: Countdown to an Election
By on September 27, 2012 Leave a Comment
Given that this is the first U.S. presidential election since apps have made their way onto most electronic devices, you might think there would be dozens of worthwhile products available on the topic designed for students. Think again.
Sure, there are plenty of apps devoted to November’s election, there just aren’t that many that explain the process to those too young to cast a ballot. Those listed here should get the conversation rolling about how we elect a President and the men who have held that the office.
Touch and Go: Play Ball!
By on September 13, 2012 1 Comment
Baseball season may be coming to an end, but a true fan’s enthusiasm for the sport never wanes. Reason enough to consider two new digital products for your iPad: Ryan Woodward’s Bottom of the Ninth and The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The first is an animated graphic novel, the second, a reference guide. Here’s what our reviewers had to say about these releases.
Touch and Go Lives!
By on September 13, 2012 Leave a Comment
After a brief hiatus during the transition to our new website, our app reviews are back—with a few changes. First, you’ll notice they have moved from School Library Journal’s blog roll into a column, pushing out in our Extra Helping enewsletter. Archived reviews can be found on the SLJ website under “Blogs and Columns.” However, to ensure you receive all of our postings, be sure to add “Touch and Go” to your RSS feed.
