PETER PAN HD

Lest you think every storybook for young readers in the App Store is a computer-animated, pixel-perfect digital showcase for what's possible, this one goes retro. Very retro. Based on a Platt & Munk book published in 1934 featuring illustrations by Eulalie, this slim take on the J.M. Barrie story will seem strikingly classic to some readers and hopelessly quaint and old-fashioned to others. The narration, told in first-person by Peter Pan, seems similarly beamed in from a bygone era. The too-wholesome cadences could be considered refreshing in this era of smart-aleck, irony-prone cartoon characters. This is nicely punctured by Tinker Bell's apparently filthy mouth; Peter is constantly asking her to watch her language, though all readers hear and see is "Ting-a-ling." But the text is sometimes missing a punctuation mark or two and stumbles in transition, confusingly alternating between Peter's first-person and third-person interjections to introduce dialogue. It also lacks the wit (and occasional ickiness) of Barrie’s original play-turned-novel. Interactive features are minimal: page swipes, the option to turn off the narration and the ability to pause the story or start from the beginning while the adventure is unfolding. It's likely that a slew of cheaply reanimated books from the distant past will flood digital shelves, but for now, this version of Peter Pan is unique in its mood and presentation. (iPad storybook app. 2-7)