School Library Journal

School Librarian AI Hacks

SLJ Staff, Nov 15, 2023

Six educators share tips and tools, from utilizing ChatGPT to help write college recommendations to using voice technology to make poetry more engaging for students.

Kirby, Sonic Return | SLJ's Video Game Reviews

Chance Lee Joyner, Jun 01, 2023

Our latest video game reviews feature a vengeful god, a speedy bipedal hedgehog, a laser-wielding space bounty hunter, and a squishy pink puffball.

Get the Most Out of Zoom, Nearpod, Biblionasium, and Other Tools While Teaching Remotely

Lauren J. Young, Nov 11, 2020

Innovative ways to use technology to keep students engaged and on track during the pandemic.

Apple Arcade Offers Educators Options | Tech Review

Thomas Knowlton, Mar 09, 2020

The relatively low-priced subscription service offers an opportunity to try out a large selection of newly released titles.

18 Tech Tools for Content Creation, Coding, VR, Audio, and Video

Jennifer Snelling, Feb 11, 2020

Nine tech-forward librarians name their favorite digital tools.

Full Steam Ahead with Labo Lado's 'Brick Train'

Daryl Grabarek, Dec 30, 2019

The latest in the developer's transportation series provides templates for viewers to get their app designs rolling.

The Art Games of Jenova Chen | Touch and Go

Thomas Knowlton, Aug 09, 2019

The concepts of flow, community, and nonverbal communication are explored in three intriguing and artistically daring games.

It's a Game, It's a Puzzle, It's Avokiddo's "Thinkrolls: Space" | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Jul 19, 2019

It's been a space-themed month, and Avokiddo's new app adds to the fun with a production that fuses logic, puzzles, and elements of physics.

States of Matter | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Jun 11, 2019

The latest app in Tinybop, Inc.'s "Explorer's Library" allows students to experiment with heating and cooling solids, liquids, and gases—without setting off a smoke alarm.

Fox and Sheep's Mesmerizing "Journey of Light" | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Apr 05, 2019

A new app by the German developer has been nominated for two Webby Awards.

The Town Musicians of Bremen

Daryl Grabarek, Jan 15, 2019

This Brothers Grimm folktale is elaborately illustrated in a traditional, yet interactive manner.

Hungry Caterpillar Play School | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Jan 07, 2019

Fans of Eric Carle will rejoice in this well-presented, comprehensive app.

Apps and Sites for Creating Healthy Habits | Mix It Up

Stacy Dillon and Amy Laughlin, Nov 19, 2018

The following list contains a variety of options for the discerning tween who may be dabbling in money management for the first time or discovering how to make more informed food choices.

Mixerpiece | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Oct 09, 2018

At its core, Mixerpiece is for lovers of art and visual expression who delight in creative play and the endless possibilities of collage.

Flip-Flap Dinosaurs | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Oct 02, 2018

Nosy Crow's last app in its "Flip-Flap" series spotlights those perennial favorite creatures: dinosaurs.

Florence | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Sep 24, 2018

SLJ's reviewer called Florence, an intriguing app for teens, "A realistic and emotional portrayal of how relationships and dreams can flourish, wither, and rise from the ashes."

How Susie Jaramillo Created a Media Company with an Educational, Cross-Cultural, and Intergenerational Mission

Shelley Diaz, Sep 21, 2018

From advertising to book-making to producing animated digital shorts: Is there anything this Latinx author-illustrator can’t do?

SLJ Reviews the First Two Volumes of “Canticos” Digital Shorts

Ruth Quiroa, Sep 21, 2018

SLJ reviews the two seasons of the bilingual “Cantícos” digital shorts, based on Susie Jaramillo’s board books featuring traditional Latin American nursery rhymes, now available on NickJr.com and the NOGGIN app.

A Box, A Room, A Puzzle | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Sep 04, 2018

A stunning addition to a series of truly immersive games, for players who aren’t afraid of the dark.

YATATOY Is At It Again | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Aug 23, 2018

Bandimal will not disappoint Yatatoy fans.

Samorost 3: It’s “Nothing Short of Wow” | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Aug 20, 2018

More than a decade after the series' last installment, fans will be thrilled with Samorost 3.

ARGH Is Putting It Mildly | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Aug 16, 2018

Shockingly flawed app from typically solid developer.

Great Preschool Apps | Mix It Up

Stacy Dillon and Amy Laughlin, Jul 20, 2018

Here, experts pick their favorites for the preschool set (children aged three to five) and highlight key concepts explored in these notable apps.

Online Courses, TED Partnership, and More from ISTE 2018 | News Bites

SLJ, Jul 03, 2018

News and announcements from the annual International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference.

Nosy Crow's "Hansel and Gretel" | Touch and Go

Nosy Crow, known for its rollicking fairy tale retellings has announced it will no longer be producing apps. Hansel and Gretel is its penultimate production.

Microsoft Offers Mixed Reality Headsets, PD to School and Public Libraries

Kathy Ishizuka, Jul 01, 2018

Public libraries and middle and high schools can apply for the grants. But hurry, the deadline is July 9.

News, Info and Highlights from ALA Annual | News Bites

SLJ, Jun 29, 2018

A few things to note from ALA Annual in New Orleans.

Gorogoa: A Thought-Provoking, Elegant Puzzle | Touch and Go

This game, which offers opportunities for cooperative play and team problem solving, will be appreciated for its design and deceptively simple, thought-provoking puzzles.

On immersive technologies and the library: a visit with author Jamie Donally

Joyce Valenza | Blogs, May 28, 2018

Imagine the possibilities. of immersive virtual field trips–a walk through the solar system, the experience of a tornado, a tour around a refugee camp of a science lab with the opportunity to fully explore, rotate and dissect a 3D model of the human body. of your students designing their own 360-degree, interactive, immersive stories with augmented […]

An Appealing Slice–of Fractions | Touch and Go

Appealing graphics and a series of solid foundational skill-building exercises make this app a winner.

Alto's Odyssey | Touch and Go

The recently released sequel to the popularAlto's Adventure will keep viewers intrigued and challenged for long stretches of play.

Adobe Offers $5 Student Access to Creative Cloud

Kathy Ishizuka, May 04, 2018

Photoshop and Adobe Premiere for $5? Starting May 15, Adobe will offer its full suite of Creative Cloud applications to K–12 schools at $4.99 per license, per year.

Axel Scheffler's Flip Flap Ocean | Touch and Go

A new entrée in a popular series will delight fans.

Apps for #EarthDay | Touch and Go

A selection of apps highlighting plants, animals, and ecosystems to share with your students as Earth Day approaches.

Frankenstein200: An Interactive Story & STEM Experience | Touch and Go

Alicia Eames, Apr 10, 2018

Poetry Tools to Put in Your Pocket: Activities, apps, and online resources for National Poetry Month

Stacy Dillon and Amy Laughlin, Apr 03, 2018

19 sites, apps, and more for Poetry Month.

The Astute Miss Fisher Goes Interactive | Touch and Go

This engaging game will intrigue mystery buffs and entertain fans of the "Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries" television series.

Trolling An Underwater Ecosystem: Tinybop Inc.'s "Coral Reef" | Touch and Go

The 10th entry in Tinybop Inc.'s "Explorer’s Library" is now available.

Artie's Magic Pencil | Touch and Go

An interactive adventure in which children help the protagonist move through a story while they exercise their fine-motor skills.

Fiete Puzzle | Touch and Go

A new app from Ahoiii Entertainment offers children an opportunity to exercise their fine-motor and visual discrimination skills.

Fox and Sheep's Movie Creator | Touch and Go

With a variety of backgrounds, characters, and special effects to incorporate, Movie Creator will spark creativity and imaginative play.

How To Make Electricity | Touch and Go

Introducing interactive experiments on the iPad that demonstrate principles of electricity.

Top 10 Apps | 2017

Gaming apps reign this year—incorporating logic, spatial awareness, and strategy skills into the mix.

Sim Cell by Touch Press | Touch and Go

A new app from Touch Press puts students inside a cell on a mission.

Just In Time for Día de los Muertos: The "Little Skeletons" | Touch and Go

Delightful animations and lively music will make this holiday and concept app a favorite all year round.

Fiete Cars & Sports: Way To Go! | Touch and Go

The playful, skill-building "Fiete" apps from Ahoiii Entertainment are ever popular with children. The latest just picked up an award at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Thinkrolls: Kings and Queens | Touch and Go

A new app injects logic and physics into an engaging game filled with more than a touch of fantasy.

Virtually There: Kids are using VR to explore worlds and create new ones

Leila Meyer, Sep 29, 2017

These educators are embracing virtual reality as a new tool for student engagement, collaboration, and content creation.

Drawnimal, Miximal, and Loopimal: A Trio of Skill-Building Apps | Touch and Go

Daryl Grabarek, Sep 29, 2017

A set of pre-literacy concept apps that has much to offer adults seeking entertaining ways to engage young learners.

Robot Dad | Touch and Go

A creative, pint-size maker comes up with an ingenious solution when he misses his dad.

Listen Up! (Con Le Orecchie Di Lupo) | Touch and Go

Some apps delight users from the moment they begin, through to the very last click.

Framed: Spy Caper Meets Animated Graphic Novel | Touch and Go

Part noir spy caper, part puzzle game, part animated graphic novel, this app defies easy categorization.

Gotham's Most Wanted | Touch and Go

Cross-media branding? It's not unusual, but is it successful in this app?

The Game of Life | Touch and Go

A classic American game receives a winning digital update.

Meditative Gaming: Prune | Touch and Go

While the premise of the game is simple, two aspects of the app elevate it into an amazing experience: the Oscar-worthy animation and the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.

Monument Valley II | Touch and Go

Is it magic? Or is it geometry? Monument Valley llis a game to be savored.

A "Creature Garden" | Touch and Go

Wondering where to find the next fantastic beasts? With the engaging and intuitive Creature Garden app children can now create their own.

An "Old Man's Journey" | Touch and Go

Gorgeous design and a complex narrative create an addictive game that will appeal to a range of ages.

Eric Carle's Brown Bear & Friends at 50 | Touch and Go

Bill Martin Jr's beloved Brown Bear turned 50, and to celebrate, a tap-and-touch encounter with the book's characters illustrated by Eric Carle has been released.

Touch Press's "Word Runners" App | Touch and Go

Amplify and Touch Press have joined forces to issue educational, skill-building games, one per month, on a subscription basis.

Maker Apps? Why not? | Touch and Go

A host of maker apps await you and your library patrons, including one of our favorites that's free on iTunes this week.

Mortimer Redux | Touch and Go

Two whimsical story apps by Bo Zaunders were created using OCG's "Develop-Your-Own" framework, designed by the studio for artists and writers.

MI District Adopts “Mixed Reality” Technology for Students

Leila Meyer, Apr 27, 2017

Students at Utica Community Schools are exploring interactive 3-D models using zSpace, which blends augmented and virtual reality technology. With a model of a functioning heart, for example, they can move it around and look inside.

What Do a Bat and Kangaroo Have in Common? | Find Out in Tinybop's "Mammals"

A new tool to engage kids in the sciences that's informative, interactive, and easy to navigate.

College Student Creates App to Lead Young People To Diverse Books

Jennifer Kelly Geddes, Apr 19, 2017

The free iOS app We Read Too taps into books starring characters of color written by authors of color.

The New Google Earth | Picture of the Week

Kathy Ishizuka, Apr 18, 2017

SLJ got a demo of the new Google Earth, released today, April 18, at an unveiling held at New York's Whitney Museum.

Buried Alive | The Secret Michelangelo Took to His Grave

A 400-year-old mystery involving one of the greatest artists of all time is explored in "Buried Alive: The Secret Michelangelo Took to His Grave," a thrilling, free app from Time Traveler Tours.

Max & Meredith | Touch and Go

In this interactive story, young viewers decide which path will lead to a missing dog.

Flip Flap Pets | Touch and Go

Axel Scheffler and a flip book all in one? What could be more fun?

360 Video Spotlight: National Geographic and The New York Times

Joyce Valenza | Blogs, Mar 06, 2017

Today, I came face to face with an elephant, accompanied Iraqi forces as they fought to retake Falluja, and I rode along with police officers in Flint, and I tended bar for Don Cheadle. Storytelling is evolving and thrilling and sometimes dizzying. National Geographic has been growing a very cool YouTube playlist of 360° Videos. […]