Heidi story collection – 3 in 1: iPad App Review

Heidi Story Collection ($8.99) by Katrin Draemann Barothy is an app designed especially for kids and the avid Heidi readers. She is back with more stories to share and this app features 3 of Heidi’s adventures which are easy to read and understand. This classic tale of an orphaned girl was first published in 1880 with a promise to all those who were children or loved children. Heidi is loved by many and this app has been created keeping that in mind. The app has 3 stories included – ‘Heidi on the alp’, ‘Heidi in Frankfurt’ and ‘Heidi and Klara’. The stories deal with topic like family, compassion, loyalty and also serve the purpose of helping its readers develop better reading and comprehension skills.

Heidi Story Collection Review

Heidi Story Collection has educational features for the kids too, to make them learn these morals. The illustrator is Diana Kizlauskas and she has used beautiful imagery to captivate the children. She has incorporated all the elements of that time like the dress, hair and culture which paints a detailed picture in the kid’s mind about the setting of the story. Every page has sound elements and professional actors have lent their voices to the characters to make them sound real. The characters have been explained in details and each contributes to the story. The stories have interactive activities to keep the readers hooked to the app. Quizzes, facts and coloring options are available for the young learners.

The story is in two versions for children of different age groups. The first is narrated by Heidi and shows her perspective. This version is for young kids to read with the help of their parents. The text is highlighted so that it is easier for them to read and develop on this skill. The second version is longer and for slightly older children. It is told by a narrator and the readers have a choice between reading it themselves or use the ‘read to me’ option. The ‘read to me’ option is a support for those apprehensive about reading on their own.

The stories are abridged versions of the original text to make it simple to understand and are available in English and German. The app has included extras from the Heidi Collection which gives information to its readers about Switzerland, like the places to visit, geography and native flowers. It also talks about Graubunden, the place Heidi lived, in detail and describes the culture, people and geography. The extras include interactive exercises too, like spot-the-difference pages, Swiss facts and quizzes and other activities to help the kids develop comprehension and mental skills.

The Heidi Story Collection app does not include ads, social networking features and personal information among other stuff to protect the privacy of the children. It is a safe app for kids and is suitable for children above the age of 4. The one problem with the app is that the two versions are either for absolutely young kids who will need the help of their parents to understand it or older kids who can read properly. Children, not very comfortable with the written language will face a little difficulty and the choice of a ‘read to me’ option might not improve their reading and comprehension skills.

Heidi Story Collection is for families that want to inculcate the habit of reading within their children and want to make them aware about one of the biggest classics of all times. The readers now have easy access to their favorite character on their iPad and can choose from a wide variety of options.