iPad App for Kids Review: Hildegard Sings

Posted by Jeff on August 30, 2011 at 4:13 pm

Hildegard the hippo loves to sing opera and dreams of the spotlight. But really, who doesn’t? When her opportunity finally comes, there’s just one teensy weensy problem: she loses her voice. Murphy’s law apparently applies to immense African mammals too. That’s kinda reassuring, isn’t it?

The story of Hildegard reminds us so very much of Clorinda, a beloved book around here that’s about a sweet cow with ballet dreams who gives up her comfy farm life for a tougher go of it in the big city. Both characters are big and endearing. Both overcome adversity with a grace not usually associated with animals of such girth. The point, at least the one I take from each, is that if they can deal we humans should be fine no matter what life lobs at us.

The Hildegard Sings app for iPad (and also for iPhone) features high-quality illustrations (I mean, look at that epic cover image up there with the gorgeous font and alignment…I’m sorry was that a little too font-geeky for you?) with clever extras such as the chance to feed the diva, toss tomatoes at her, scroll through posters of her humorous food-pun named performances (like The Wurst of Times), and play a matching game.