Tech

There must be a collective noun for an assortment of apps. If not, we need to coin one. How else to describe this week's selections, which include a beloved comic strip character, a mischievous critter with questionable intentions, and a story marked with music and message?

Along with the Common Core, many state standards ask that educators incorporate multimodal resources into their lesson plans. As time goes on, more and more quality apps are available to meet that requirement. Here are a few digital resources to consider for your nonfiction science collection.

Poetry and nature feature strongly in our selections this month, perhaps because we've been spending more time outdoors of late?

For those of you who have been sitting under a shady tree or on a beach these past two months—and we hope that’s most of you—we’re offering a summary of the app reviews published over the summer. The list includes picture books, poetry, music, a reference guide or two, and some beloved characters and timeless stories. These are titles you want to load onto your school devices ASAP.

Michael Morpurgo's poignant 'War Horse,' first published as a novel for children, has seen many incarnations. It's now an interactive, enhanced book for IOS devices. Watercolor illustrations, archival photos, and videos make this a production for both fiction lovers and history buffs.

Featuring beloved Mo Willems characters, this impressive production offers several entertaining game options as well as cameo appearances by the author.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has just launched an updated version of its free Teen Book Finder app—which debuted in June, 2012—to include all of the books the association honored in 2013. The first of its kind, Teen Book Finder gives teens, librarians, parents, and young adult literature aficionados access to YALSA’s recommended reading and award-winning titles from the past three years.

What child can resist a book or app about animals? Incorporating vocabulary-rich texts and gentle environmental lessons, these apps will also find favor with teachers and parents.

Our favorite apps this month include a tribute to Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 'Ninth Symphony,' and a rhyme based on a classic children's song. If summer's lovely weather hasn't got you humming, these productions will.