"Green Eggs and Ham" Review for iPad

Aug

2010

Robert Workman, iPadNewsDaily Contributor
11:05 PM ET

Dr. Seuss's reputation among children book authors is unmatched. For years, the author’s high-spirited and imaginative tales have enchanted children of all ages, from stories of the "Cat In the Hat" to the adventures of the elephant Horton in "Horton Hears a Who." And nobody can forget the misadventures of the Grinch when he tries to steal Christmas from Whoville, only to have a change of heart at the last second. Recently, Oceanhouse picked up the rights to the Dr. Seuss books for release in digital format, and both the iPad and iPhone have received apps based on some of these classics.

Among them is “Green Eggs and Ham,” a silly yet delightful tale that revolves around two characters, one that doesn’t have a name and the other that goes by Sam-I-Am. Sam’s trying to convince this chap to try out green eggs and ham, which he insists is a delectable dish. He refuses, and starts to state situations in which he would never eat green eggs and ham. Not with a fox, not in a box, not in a house, not in a mouse. It’s a short, simple story, but one that’s still fun to read to this very day.

We have to give Oceanhouse credit for making an interactive storybook that works quite well on the iPad. While it isn’t overloaded with high-tech features like the “Toy Story Read-Alongs” from Disney (there are no mini-games to play along with), it includes a terrific touch-based system, where younger readers can either go at their own pace or have a narrator walk them through the book . What’s more, there’s a helpful feature where you can zoom in on words that you’re having trouble with, so you can understand and read them better. Granted, none of the words are longer than five letters, but it’s nice to have this option just in case.

Oceanhouse has also done splendid work recreating the look of the timeless Dr. Seuss book. Everything that’s from the original 1960 publication is included, right down to the quirky artwork and, yes, the green eggs and ham. You can flip back and forth between the pages any way you choose, and the narrator keeps up with you all the way through. Still, we would’ve liked an option to record our own voiceovers with the book, the same way we could with “Toy Story.” Kids usually take more comfort in their parents’ voices, especially if they’re away on a business trip.

That’s a small issue, however. For $3.99, “Green Eggs and Ham” is a swell addition to your interactive storybook collection. And there are others available as well, including “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” and “The Cat In the Hat,” among others. So there’s no end to the Doctor’s fun, no matter what your age.

So, yes, we like “Green Eggs and Ham.” It’s ideal reading for you and your fam.

Price: $3.99

File Size: 12.9 MB

Developer: Oceanhouse Media

Platform: iPhone, iPad

iPadNewsDaily Rating (out of 4): ★★★