Star Toaster(App review of Orphs of the Woodlands at Tangletree)

Last spring Youngest was introduced to the Orphs of the Woodlands via a computer program review. He enjoyed his time with the program, and was happy to have the opportunity to review a coordinating app produced by Star Toaster, Orphs of the Woodlands at Tangletree. 

The app is similar in some aspects to the program. but there is also some variation on the theme.

Once again the student reads an adventure story featuring the Orphs of the Woodlands, this time the journal of Abba, the Flying Squirrel. Within the text there are links to lessons on a variety of subjects as you can see on the graphic on the right.  When clicking on the words within the text it is good to know that they coordinate colors with those in the graphic to the right. Math lessons are linked with Red letters. Science is linked with Green lettering, and so on. These lessons are opportunities to learn skills in order to take and complete a variety of jobs. The stars earned when a job is finished successfully can be used to purchase supplies for the orphaned animals of Tangletree,

The story may be a little longer and more complex than the one in the computer program, a quick read for advanced readers, but a bit slower for those who are learning how to read, or working on those skills. There are 18 chapters in this particular Woodland Adventure. When I handed the ipad over to my son, he was very pleased, and read it through in fairly short order, even with the included lessons and jobs to complete.
If your child ever forgets what Lessons they may have learned, and how many stars they have earned, they can figure it out by stopping by any one of the tiny houses in Stumptown (Shown in the graphic to the left-hand side). Each house shows the number of stars that can be collected through completing those Lessons and Jobs.

Following are screenshots of some of the Lessons, and Jobs:

  

There is also information for the child, to show him his current goal: 

You can get a feel for the story itself with the following excerpt: 

I honestly currently have no "cons" to list for the Orphs of the Woodlands and Tangletree, other than maybe that it is hard to figure out if jobs can be attempted after failing them once. It would be nice to see that become a possibility. I haven't run into it as many times this year as last (hey! The boy is learning! Hurrah!,  but in the real world people are given 2nd chances (usually). 

Because he finished this story so fast, Youngest has been anxiously awaiting the stories that we understand will be available soon. He can't wait to read another installment (In-app purchases  are available as soon as they are published. 

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Star Toaster
• Product: Orphs of the Woodlands at Tangletree
• Ages: 9-11 years old
• Price: $1.99 at the App Store

You can visit Star Toaster on their social media pages: Facebook and Twitter
Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~