TAIL TOES EYES EARS NOSE

A simple, easy-to-navigate app featuring an assortment of animals and the titular body parts they have in common is no-frills enough to please toddlers, though parents may wish it offered a little more.

In a unique approach, each of the app's pages shows an animal’s tail, toes, eyes, ears and nose, but with the main body missing. Though the shapes of birds, elephants, cats and people aren't too difficult for even small children to figure out, the illustrations then fill in the blank once the body parts have been explored. The app includes optional narration and an "autoplay" option, but it's short and simple enough to warrant taking some time to play with each page. Once the animal is revealed, the child narrator makes a noise approximating that animal’s, a winning choice when canned sound effects would have been easier and more obvious. On the last pages, a person joins the fun and the animals (and their human friend) all walk off together. Altogether, it's a more harmonious wedding of interaction to source material than some of Auracle’s others.

There are many apps with more options, extras and dazzling art and sound, but despite its similarity to "Heads, Shoulders, Knees, And Toes," it feels just homespun and direct enough to charm. (iPad storybook app. 1-4)