Mr Spaloom’s Blooms is a Lilly Locket adventure story from PicPocket Books which was originally published in 2009.  It tells the story of a girl who is so scared of talking in public or to people that she doesn’t know that she becomes tongue –tied and anxious.

But one day, Lilly and Grammy move from their city apartment to a new house in the outskirts of the city. Lilly has to go to a new school, meet new people and adapt to a new environment. With the help of her neighbours Tucker and Mr Spaloom, Lilly starts to learn about gardening. She has never had a garden before and she loves to find out about the flowers, birds and insects that she sees.

As her self-confidence grows, Lilly finds not only that she has green fingers, but also that she her Science presentation need not fill her with fear. With her new found skill at her fingertips, Lilly is able to report to the whole class.

There are some animations in the images which accompany the story, but this app is essentially a narrated ebook which would suit children who have started reading independently. Some discussion activities based around the issues in the story are provided, together with a handy glossary of gardening terms.

It is a useful resource for children on the move who like to have a book to hand. The content makes it particularly suitable for children who find communicating with strangers or public presentations daunting.

Age range: 7-9

Educational value: learning about self-confidence; gardening

Fun rating: 3/5

Educational rating: 3/5

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