If you have a small child and an iPhone, you know its value as a tool to buy you fifteen or twenty minutes of quiet time.  Of course, a lot of apps aimed at children can be of questionable quality, of questionable educational value, or both.  You can’t go wrong with the classics, however, so I was intrigued, but a little bit skeptical, when I saw iPhone app versions of some of Dr. Seuss’ classic books hit the App Store.  I was hopeful, but aware of how quickly some modern adaptations of classic stories can go south.  Undeterred, I gave both apps a try, and I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.

Oceanhouse Media’s iPhone adaptations of Dr. Seuss’ ABC’s and The Cat in the Hat are surprisingly faithful takes on the classic storybooks, especially compared with what they could have done given the capabilities of the iPhone.  Each app is simply an e-book version of the original book, complete with the original artwork and text displayed in landscape on the iPhone’s screen.  Each page actually starts out with just the artwork and then zooms out, Ken Burns style, to show the words alongside.  The child can choose between reading the book himself or having the app read to him, in which case a voice reading accompanies each page.  The child can also tap on pictures to hear what they are.  Swiping from right to left turns the page.

I tried these apps out with my almost three year old daughter, who happens to count Dr. Seuss’ ABC’s as one of her all time favorite books.  She had no problem turning pages and tapping on elements on the screen, and the app kept her interest for quite a while.  As a parent, I found the visual presentation subtle yet very impressive, and the voice readings are extremely well done, but I also appreciate that the app also gives the child or the parent the option to read the book without the voiceover, so I could have the book when traveling and not need to pack it.  I can only imagine these apps would look even better on the iPad without any conversion. About the only complaint I can muster against the apps is that they are separate apps for each book; I’d rather one app with multiple books so it takes up less room on my home screen.

The Dr. Seuss apps are an easy recommendation to any parent of small children.  These are not so much apps as enhanced e-books that are as good, if not better, than the original paper versions, and at $3, they are less expensive than buying the dead tree versions at the bookstore.  Of course, even if you already own the original books, there’s no reason not to own these apps as well – they go together like Thing One and Thing Two.

Learn more about the “Cat in the Hat” and “Dr. Seuss’ ABC’s” books for iPhone and iPod touch in the App Store