Back in July when it seemed every developer out there was creating a children’s storybook app for the iPad I reviewed one that really was a step above the rest, Violet – Interactive Children’s Storybook. At the end of the story readers are given information that more stories featuring the main character Violet, AKA Phantom Girl, would be coming. Finally, months later, one is here…Violet and The Mysterious Black Dog. How does it stack up? Does it add anything the previous story/app was missing? Keep reading to find out.

Violet and The Mysterious Black Dog ($2.99) is right in-line with the previous story, looks and feels the same, but has improvements all over the place that really make it even better than what came before it.

The story itself is one kids will enjoy as it follows Violet as she tries to uncover the mystery of just who the mysterious dog that keeps following her is. The dog popped up all over the place in the first story and now she and young readers will get the chance to discover the identity of this mysterious character. Throughout the story Violet uncovers clues and pieces them together to uncover the location of the black dog. My kids loved finding the many objects that helped Violet/Phantom Girl locate the dog, and they are just visible enough for kids to find them easily by their slight yellow dashed outline, something that was a bit more difficult in the previous app, a real upgrade. Users tap the item and it pops up in large detail and gives a little information about each. As the story progresses there are more and more items or objects for kids to touch to add to the clues, but also random objects that can be touched “just because” (like the bee that buzzes when touched, or the plane that revs its engines). These tiny additions really add a level of excitement and interactiveness to the story and app that make kids enjoy it on a whole new level.

In terms of the quality of the app, my kids couldn’t have been happier, and I have to admit it’s grand. The illustrations are great, cartoon-like enough, yet real enough to keep kids interested, but at the same time give a great sense of the real-world. The depth in the drawings is amazingly clear, and every page has new things to be found within it with repeat viewings. The developers even added the ever-missing-from-many-kid-storybook-apps “read-to-me” option, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the addition. Sure, the best scenario is for me as a parent to sit down with my kids and read it to them, having them sound out some of the words and learn, but that isn’t always possible, and thankfully with this added feature even then my kids can enjoy the story and app.

The first thing I’d love to see added to the app are extras. This hasn’t changed from the first app, and while not really necessary, it would be great, as kids don’t like to just end the story on the iPad, they want it to continue. There are a few online extras that are available on the studio website, like coloring pages and things of that nature, however a larger pallet would help keep kids interested between stories. Perhaps add new coloring pages for each book, mazes or other printables that can link or enhance the stories between releases. With kids and stories they enjoy the possibilities are endless, and should be encouraged.  The second thing that I would have loved to have in this app, and other Violet stories, is a “clue logger” of sorts.  Since kids are supposed to FIND the clues in the story perhaps a log that actually keeps track of just what they are finding could be available…even have the story unable to progress until the clues are discovered. Kids could have the option to ‘call up’  this log at any time to see just what they have found.  This isn’t something that hurts the app or story, but the addition would have be amazing, and I would love to see it in future Violet stories.

My Black Dog Books really took it to another level with this story and app, and if it’s any indication of what’s to come (yes there will be more Violet stories), than kids who have parents that let them enjoy apps on the iPad are in for a real treat! Violet and The Mysterious Black Dog is a sequel worthy of purchase, something rare in a world of cash-grabs by developers and producers.