A gluttonous squirrel gets “outfoxed” and goes from having dinner to being dinner.
The greedy little squirrel spends all day sitting in a tree, eating nuts. A fox wanders by and notices the plump, bushy-tailed rodent. “Why don't you come down and share your nuts with me?” says the fox. But the squirrel knows a predator when he sees one and declines. Not to be deterred, the fox hatches a plan to fatten up the squirrel so the branches of the tree will no longer hold him. He continually encourages the squirrel to keep eating, and eventually the branch breaks, the squirrel falls to the ground, and the fox gobbles him up (there are no graphic depictions; the carnivorous meal happens offstage). An amicable British chap narrates the story, though it’s possible to silence him in favor of reading it oneself. Auto play is also an option. Illustrations are simple and uncluttered with marginal animation, leaving plenty of room for a lovely color scheme that truly adds to the app’s appeal. This fable is a great introduction to the concepts of greed and excess and will likely offer parents a few “teachable” moments. Ironically, it’s also a good example of how less (animation, interaction, words and ideas) really can be more.
A cute storybook app that has what it takes to entertain and enlighten. (iPad storybook app. 2-7)
