• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast

Kids’ favorite Scholastic Books come to iPhone

November 14, 2009 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

As they say, there isn’t anything in the world that isn’t on the iPhone or won’t be there someday. It will be interesting to see the limits, but a new one being broken is kids book adventures for the tiny screen.

We’ve been testing four titles from my daughter and son’s favorite book titles and have their review here.   

Hadley’s Review (age 9): These games are very entertaining if you’re sitting around being bored. The only bad part about the I Spy game is that, unlike the books, it is very hard to see things on your tiny iphone screen,otherwise this game is good for ages 6 and up. I thought Word Girl was boring. I didn’t like 39 Clues, though I like the books.

Paul’s review: I agree with Hadley, but even more so. For adult eyes, the I Spy games are a bit hard to play. While I Spy preserves has a lot of the good parts from the books and software, the iPhone app is almost too small for one person, let alone playing together which is most of the fun of iSpy. My daughter just ran to get an I Spy book so she could see the bigger image to solve one of the riddles. Note that these are familiar illustrations and puzzles that you will find in the books. This might be a good thing since they are hard to see.

39 Clues is really a maze puzzle with less educational content. There are additional pieces that fill in parts of the 39 Clues story, but they won’t make sense if you haven’t read the books.

Word Girl tells VERY simple stories in simple illustration form, asking kids to choose between three vocabulary words to finish the sentence. The announcer voice is painfully bad, and the stories are pretty shallow, but each game has a simple video game that might entertain little kids.


I SPY Riddle Race: Combines the classic I SPY search-and-find play with the appeal of board games and timed challenges. Inspired by the best-selling Scholastic franchise, I SPY Riddle Race includes 60 interactive puzzles and is ideal for kids who love I SPY or casual gamers who love hidden objects200910021742.jpg

I SPY Spooky Mansion: Takes players on a hidden object adventure through a scary and mysterious mansion where the only escape is to collect keys by solving classic I SPY riddles and puzzles.




200910021742.jpgTHE 39 CLUES Madrigal Maze: Solve a mystery that spans the world and history! Based on the best-selling multimedia program by Scholastic, The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze app takes players on a training mission to solve a series of 39 mazes and become a member of a top secret organization in the hunt for The 39 Clues. Players who accept the challenge and succeed will unlock exclusive access to a secret Madrigal Encryption Key on www.the39clues.com.






200910021742.jpg

WORDGIRL Word Hunt: Behind every good hero is a good word! Based on the Emmy award-winning television series from Scholastic, the WordGirl Word Hunt app takes budding superheroes on an action-packed adventure to help WordGirl save the city from villains by using vocabulary words. Featuring favorite characters from the TV show that airs Monday through Friday on PBS KIDS GO! and online at pbskidsgo.org, players will save the day while learning over 100 word definitions in 40 rounds of crime-fighting gameplay.








The apps are available for either $1.99 or $3.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.


GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.

Filed Under: Gadget Of The Day

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad.

Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

Hacking Life After 50 with Mark Barnes
byPaul Banas

Tune in to this episode with guest Mark Barnes and delve into the topics of finding purpose, setting goals, and navigating life transitions. Mark shares his insights and personal experiences on how dads can continue to thrive and find fulfillment as their children grow up and their own lives shift. From planning for the future to staying curious and staying in shape, Mark provides valuable advice and strategies for dads in different stages of life.

Navigate life’s transitions with purpose and fulfillment by visiting Mark’s website: 10publications.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

  • GreatDad.com/coaching
  • GreatDad.com/pq
  • Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC 50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50
Hacking Life After 50 with Mark Barnes
Hacking Life After 50 with Mark Barnes
September 26, 2023
Paul Banas
Building Authentic Connections with Ron Macklin
September 19, 2023
Paul Banas
Navigating College Admissions with Dr. Kuni Beasley
September 12, 2023
Paul Banas
Longevity and Healthy Aging with Al Lyman
September 7, 2023
Paul Banas
Balancing Entrepreneurship and Fatherhood with Cory Rankin
August 31, 2023
Paul Banas
The Role of Fathers in Parenting with Brent Dowlen
August 31, 2023
Paul Banas
Empowering Kids Through Sports with Antwaun Thompson
August 24, 2023
Paul Banas
Promoting Healthy Screen Time Habits with Hamel Shah
August 15, 2023
Paul Banas
Building Strong Connections through Family Meals with Jeff Christian
August 11, 2023
Paul Banas
Supporting Kids Through Sports with Michael Hubicki
August 1, 2023
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

How Podcasting Can Help Entrepreneurs with Evans Putnam

September 2, 2023 By Paul Banas

Making Financial Decisions with Jasper Smith

July 20, 2023 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2023 . GreatDad