Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld, of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site fame, chug along with the digital book app edition of their goodnight-train picture book Steam Train, Dream Train (Oceanhouse Media, February 2015).

Just as with the Construction Site digital book app, this one includes soothing narration that can be turned on or off; you can also record your own. Tap any word in the text to hear it read aloud, and tap on items in the illustrations to have them identified, both with written words and spoken aloud. There’s some dynamic motion and zooming in and out of the scenes — see that train coming down the track! those monkeys do like to play! look at that model jet go! — but it’s all fairly subdued, as befitting a bedtime book for lovers of: trains, monkeys, other zoo animals, dinosaurs, ice cream, hula hoops, balls, and most other kid-friendly items. A good one to choo-choo-choose around bedtime.



Available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (requires iOS 6.1 or later); $3.99. Recommended for preschool users.