Kodee's Canoe 'Echo' - Review

Overall : Possibly one of the best story apps for ages 4+ on the market. The graphics and interactive aspects of Kodee's Canoe -Echo are unlike any I have seen before. This is the first interactive adventure of Kodee  and his good friend Raccoon. The app is bursting with CGI animation on every page which has been optimized for iPad 2 with iOS4.3 + . More importantly however you will be brought on a journey of friendship and adventure through a glistening island paradise.

Kodee's Canoe is created and written by Nicole Stinn and Greg Tiernan. Designed by Nitrogen Studios.

The story will grasp your attention from the very first page. The sights and sounds of nature are so realistic that you are emersed in the scene. My children loved the fish leaping out of the water, the frog catching flies and the owl hooting. Even the reflections in the water seem tangible.

Kodee's Canoe teaches children about the sights and sounds of nature. The combination of science, nature and literacy is what makes this app stand out from others on the market. The reader is taught about Echoes in a fun and interactive way. We see Kodee and Raccoon shouting across the lake to what they believe are two people on the other side. We are taken on their journey in the red canoe to the little island on the lake to try and discover who the mystery voices belong too.

The whole concept of what an Echo is , is well illustrated in this app. At the end the reader is given the opportunity to create their own Echo and have it played back to them. My children loved this feature and were howling with laughter as they heard their own voice echoed back to them. The authors have included an educational section about Echoes which gives a  detailed scientific explanation to the more inquisitive mind.

A feature of this storybook app which I find very beneficial is a 'drop down ' page menu from the top of the screen, which lays the pages out in an almost cinematic fashion. You can see an image from each page and easily pick which page you want without having to scroll through the entire book.

The narration options featured in Kodee's Canoe are exceptional. My children enjoyed being able to record their own voices and have them played back. The ability to be able to record each page seperately is and added bonus. If you make a mistake you can simply redo the voice over instantly. You can also replay each page back as you go. The authors have allowed for three extra profiles to be added to the settings. Therefore myself and my two younger children were all able to record our own voice overs of the book. This in itself is a very useful feature especially for children who find it comforting to hear the voice of a parent or caregiver as they are reading. By utilizing this feature your child can simply hear your voice narrating the story anytime.

Highlighted text is used extensively throughout the app and makes it easier for the reader to focus and follow the story's path. Each page is full of interactive features for children to engage with. The reader just needs to tap, drag and look around for objects to explore.

It will be difficult to find an app that compares to Kodee's Canoe -Echo as the app is so detailed and life like you almost feel as if you are watching a short movie clip as oppossed to reading a storybook. I simply can not find fault with this app. In my opinion it is currently the best children's interactive storybook of it's kind on the market. Kodee's Canoe  - Echo is the first in a series of adventures that we are going to see from Kodee and his good friend Raccoon. I can't wait to see how the next adventure unfolds. If you are looking for an app that children of all ages will love then look no further. Kodee's Canoe - Echo has everything you could possibly want out of a storybook app. I can not recommend it highly enough.

If you would like to purchase Kodee's Canoe -Echo you can do so now by clicking on this link iTunes.  It is currently priced at $3.99 in the US iTunes store.

You can visit their Facebook page by clicking her - Kodee's Canoe or their website by clicking on this link - Website.

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