Story Bug Review

 

 

  • See the app in iTunes
  • Carus Publishing
  • Price: Free initial download comes with 2 stories and unlimited calling. Additional books can be purchased in-app for $2.99 each or monthly, 6-month, or annual subscriptions can be purchased in-app for $4.99, $14.99 and $24.99, respectively.

Once in a while, I get to review an app that I am anxious to share with fellow parents. Story Bug is definitely one of those apps! This app is not only unique and ingenious but it is affordably priced and beneficial. Story Bug combines the technology of video chatting with an ever-growing ebook library to create an interactive way for your family and friends to share stories even when you are miles apart!

I happen to love reading and I have tried to instill a love of reading and books in all of my children. Our family especially loves bedtime stories and we try to share a bedtime story or two each night. Well, let’s say either mom or dad is on a business trip or your child wishes that grandma or grandpa who lives far away could read to them? Maybe your family is divorced and mom or dad can’t be there every night to read to them. Whatever your circumstance, Story Bug is the answer to that problem. Once you have downloaded the app, you can send out invitations to whomever you want via email to join your Story Bug family. Once that invitation is accepted you can use Story Bug to connect with each other and share one of the dozens of books available on Story Bug. All you need to do is tap the person you want to read with and Story Bug will “call” their mobile device. If they accept your call, then you are connected to that person and you can share the books in your library. The technology even allows you to point to things on your screen and they can see what you are pointing at on their end. This app is a free download that comes with two free books. In order to access the entire library, you can either buy books one at one at a time for $2.99 or you can purchase a monthly subscription for $4.99, a 6-month subscription for $14.99 or an annual subscription for $24.99. Regardless of whether you pay for a subscription or not, you can make unlimited calls to your Story Bug family and only one person has to have the premium subscription in order to access the library. So if you pay for the subscription anyone you call through Story Bug can access the unlimited library.

 

My kids tried this app with their grandparents and an aunt and uncle that live out of state and we absolutely LOVED IT!!! It was so fun to be able to share a story with them and the kids love the idea that they can “call” them for a story anytime they want. Our out-of-state family members also loved feeling connected to my kids even though they are not able to see them in-person as often as they’d like. I feel like the subscription prices are very reasonable for a service like this. The books have been very well written and illustrated. There is a good variety of books for children of all ages and new titles are added each month. I love, love, love this app! Our family has definitely benefitted from being able to share stories with loved ones across the miles. I would HIGHLY recommend this app for any family. Even if you are lucky enough to live close to each other, it is a fun and easy way to communicate and share some quality time together reading.