Just in time for Halloween, little ones can play Toca Boo (Toca Boca, 2014; iOS only), a virtual version of that thing where you sneak up on someone and yell “Boo!” A little red-spectacled girl pulls a sheet over her head and floats around her dark-and-shadowy house looking for victims; readers use their finger to lead her from room to room.

Tapping on the family members you encounter elicits a “Boo!” from the girl and a scream from each person. You get more boo for your buck if you first hide in one of the glowing-blue areas (under the covers, in the toilet, ew, etc.), and then tap the person. But watch out: if you’re caught in the family member’s flashlight beam or candle glow it means they’ve seen you first. Instead of being scared, they just think you’re cute: “Awww!” How embarrassing.



The family members look kind of like Duplo figurines or Weeble-Wobbles meet Tim Burton. Twins, though pencil-shaped, are a little Shining-like, and the… grandfather, maybe? is perched on stork-like legs. (Why is their dog missing its head?)



Pizzicato strings play in the background, along with some scary-silly sounds — moans, mumbles — plus lots of giggles. And lots and lots of BOOO!s. Personally, I’d take this virtual version over actually being “scared” by the real thing (i.e., a real-life child, let’s call him a five-year-old that lives in my house, who is going through exactly this sneak-up-and-boo phase). Happy Halloween!

Available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch (requires iOS 6.0 or later); free. Recommended for preschool and early primary users.

For more Halloween recommendations, click on the tag Halloween books.