The The Cat in the Hat application (app) is a classic example of traditional literature represented in digital form (Walsh, 2013). It is based on the popular print book the The Cat in the Hat written by Dr. Seuss but is presented in an electronically enhanced literary format. The app is available on the App store and has been awarded a star rating of 4.3 out of 5. The app is only compatible with iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads, limiting its accessibility to a wider range of potential users. The app has been developed by early childhood experts and is recommended for children aged 4+, making it an appropriate resource to use with Kindergarten and Stage One students (Oceanhouse Media, Inc, 2015).

The app re-tells the plot of the original story written by Dr. Seuss, whereby a character named The Cat in the Hat comes to rescue two children from an afternoon of boredom while their parents are away. The Cat in the Hat promises the kids an afternoon of fun and entertainment but then proceeds to create a mess in the house. At the end of the story, The Cat in the Hat cleans up his mess and is remorseful. Users can swipe to move between pages and pinch the screen to zoom in and out on any given page. This kinaesthetic application of touch and gesture enriches a child’s engagement with the text (Walsh, 2013). In addition, as with the original story, the The Cat in the Hat is written in simple language and includes lots of word repetition, rhymes, and rhythms. These language features are crucial to the development of early literacy skills such as vocabulary retention and acquisition. It also aids with text predictability, comprehension, and increased engagement (Read et al., 2014).

The The Cat in the hat  app utilises fun animations to bring the characters of the classic book to life. Music and sound effects are prevalent throughout each page which helps boost the reader’s imagination (James, 2013). It offers several interactive features that help further immerse readers in the text. As the story is narrated, various objects on each page are emphasised using clever zoom shots. Users witness the objects move around accompanied by fun sound effects. Users can then tap any image on a page to hear the word as well as activate the action and sound effects.  For instance, a user can tap the image of a ball to hear the word “ball” which causes it to bounce to a “boing” sound. The synaesthetic use of blending sensations creates a more vivid literature experience and adds more layers of meaning to the text (Erstad et al., 2020). 

Another great feature of the app is that it provides users with various options to interact with the text. These include “auto-play”, “read to me,” and “read by myself”. These extended reading opportunities are of great benefit to early childhood students (Lamb, 2011). Having the read-to-me option allows the story to be narrated using voiced characters. These narration effects help add to the language, purpose, and content of the story. It also models proper reading behaviours while providing students the opportunities to familiarise users with the linguistic and visual features of the story (Court, 2011). When using the auto-play option, words are highlighted as they are being narrated. Beginning readers benefit from these digital elements because they enable them to read along and learn the pronunciation of various words (Lamb, 2011). Finally, the read by myself option allows the user to attempt reading the book themselves. However, should a user get stuck on a particular word in the text, a simple tap on the word will cause the word to be read out to them.

In addition to the powerful digital elements of the story, the The Cat in the Hat app contains various learning activities that can be accessed from the main menu. These activities consist of phonics, practice spelling, reading comprehension tasks, and rhyming activities relating to the story. These activities provide this storybook app with some great points of synergy as it allows for ongoing engagement with the story (Walsh, 2013). The combination of  reading, playing, and learning together encourages younger students to apply a variety of reading and comprehension strategies simultaneously, leading to a truly authentic learning experience (Manresa & Real, 2015).

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References

Court, J. (2011). Read to succeed: Strategies to engage children and young people in reading for pleasure. London: Facet.

 

Erstad, O., Flewitt, R., Kümmerling-Meibauer, B., & Pereira, Í. S. (2020). The Routledge handbook of Digital Literacies in Early Childhood. Taylor & Francis Group.

 

James, R. (2013). The Digital David and the Gutenberg Goliath: The rise of the ‘Enhanced’ e-book. A Journal of English Studies, 30(1), 102-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/10131752.2013.783394

 

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

 

Manresa, M., & Real, N. (2015). Digital literature for children: Texts, readers, and educational practices. Brussels: Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften.

 

Read, K., Macauley, M., & Furay, E. (2014). The Seuss boost: Rhyme helps children retain words from shared storybook reading. First language, 34(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/014272371454441.

 

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).