Drew and the Cyber Bully iPhone App Video Review
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/drew-...
As technology continues to become embedded into our lives, kids are learning how to use devices at an incredible rate of speed. However, with great knowledge comes great responsibility, and it's never too early to educate kids on how to properly interact with others when using social media.
Drew and the Cyber Bully is a free interactive storybook by Charter Road Productions that aims to help kids understand the importance of being kind to others while communicating online. It's a great resource for parents who are allowing the use of online apps and games.
Drew is a fantastic and lovable character who has been around for quite awhile. We've featured a few reviews of other books featuring him, including Drew's Dancing Drum and Drew Meets Boo. Like the others, Drew and the Cyber Bully is built around a very important lesson - effective communication and dealing with internet bullies.
I won't go too far into the story so it's not spoiled, but I will say that Drew and the Cyber Bully includes all of the interactive elements we've liked in other books. Almost everything on the screen becomes animated when tapped, which is great for kiddos who love to explore things on the screen. It's very easy to navigate thanks to arrow buttons, and there's enough content to keep kids involved for an extended period of time.
Though narration isn't something you'll find in this particular book, I don't believe it's a drawback. After all, this story is directed towards children who are old enough to be trusted with social media and in-game communication.
Along with interactive elements, music, and cute sound effects, Drew and the Cyber Bully includes a very useful way of exploring individual pages. By tapping on the puzzle button located on the title page, you can easily navigate to any page in the book, which is perfect if you have to stop reading.
Drew and the Cyber Bully also includes language support for Spanish and Chinese, which can be changed on the title page. However, there's no visible option for English - it's just blank.
Drew and the Cyber Bully is available to download from the App Store for free and is universally compatible with iPhone and iPad. There are no ads or in-app purchases, which is a huge plus.
Overall, I believe Drew and the Cyber Bully would make a great addition to any iLibrary, mainly because it covers a topic that's very important. It's an opportunity for parents to teach proper communication etiquette while using the book as an example.