In the mad rush to read everything electronically, there is a certain quality and charm that has been left behind in the pages of ’real’ books. Fierce Grey Mouse HD, a children’s storybook app for iPad, regains some of that beauty lost.
Written, illustrated and animated by artist Chantal Bourgonje, Fierce Grey Mouse tells the tale of Little Grey Mouse who desperately wants to be fearsome and strong. He does his exercises, eats his porridge, drinks all of his milk and, soon enough, grows to be fierce.
But roaring and pouncing from his perch high up in a tree, Fierce Grey Mouse accidentally scares all his friends away.
The old adage goes (something like), be yourself and you will be happy. Fierce Grey Mouse soon realises the importance of friendship and being true to oneself. And this, in essence, is the message of the story. Beautifully illustrated, the book has voice-overs in several different languages and accents including English, Spanish and Dutch. (The closest you’ll get to an Australian narrative, however, is the New Zealand option!)
There are interactive extras included, such as memory games and two colouring pages that you fill with a palette of colours by tapping on different parts of the drawing.
Fierce Grey Mouse HD is a storybook confection of colour, sound and positive reinforcement. The language options, extra games and activities make this a fun app with a universal message for children of all ages. I can’t wait to sit down and read it with my three-year-old niece.
Ipad
Tizio
$5.99
By Grace Robinson
This article originally appeared in issue #2 of touch magazine.
Fierce Grey Mouse HD