A prank almost goes awry in this mild, low-key import.
Finding a large egg on the beach, Sheep and Elephant decide to play a little trick on their friend Piglet by painting it gold. The arrival of a frantic mother ostrich causes them to repent, though, and carry the egg back to the beach just before it hatches. The sparsely detailed cartoon illustrations feature a mix of automatic changes of position, expression or posture and a variety of touch effects, one per page. These are activated, in a toddler-friendly refinement, by tapping anywhere on the screen rather than specific locales and include splashes of gold paint, quiet sound effects, a magnifying glass or popup crabs, shells and other small figures. Options include a well-paced audio narration in English or Dutch, a choice of visible or invisible text and a page advance that is either keyed to the narration or fully manual. An original song playing (in English or Dutch) on the credits page brings this intimate episode to a suitably pleasant close.
Despite Mama Ostrich’s tears, this is a gentle, even-toned episode, just right for sharing in a quiet moment with younger children. (iPad storybook app. 3-5)
