A bit under-baked, this animated take on the old story of a baked good come to feisty life could have used a little more time in the oven.
After a little old woman bakes a gingerbread man (with "currants for eyes and a cherry for a nose"), the sneaky treat escapes through an open window. The old woman and a cow, horse and fox end up following until the gingerbread man is backed up against a rushing river. The sly fox agrees to take the cookie across but ends up gobbling up the gingerbread man instead. Kids weaned on the Shrek version of the gingerbread man's tale may be shocked by the abrupt ending. The old woman's grumbly, "You should be more careful whom you trust," isn't much consolation (or much of an ending, really, as it lacks the original's spooky death throes). The app features clear navigation arrows, ho-hum text—much of the zing of the gingerbread man's traditional taunts has gone stale—and minimal, non-interactive animations. But the illustrations are cute in their layered-felt-cutout style, and the optional narration is more than adequate.
Given that foodie culture has permeated even the school-cafeteria scene, it's a shame the app seems so flavorless. More ginger, less flour in the mix, please. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)
