We were given a copy of one of Disney’s newest apps for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The Lion King: Timon’s Tale is a digital book. Timon the Meerkat narrates this telling of the Lion King story. The book allows children to interact with the story and do things like move the characters around, practice their lion roar and more. Eva and I played with this book and enjoyed it. The book has scenes from the movie built into it too.

Overall it was a good app but there were a few things with it that I think could be improved. Some of the interactive parts were slow. Waiting for the chalk marks to come up took a little while and I would like them to come up faster. There are two parts where your child can roar like a lion. One of the times it records their voice and plays it back but it didn’t work the second time. I’m sure that will be fixed in a future update though. I would have liked to have seen more of the bells and whistles that the other book I’m reviewing, Disney’s Tangled: Storybook Deluxe, especially for the $4.99 price point. But overall it was nice to have the Lion King Story on the iPad. It certainly kept Eva’s attention and she enjoyed the interactive parts, especially roaring.

Here is the full Press Release below.

DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE BRINGS TWO BELOVED STORIES – “THE LION KING: TIMON’S TALE” AND “TANGLED” – TO iPAD, iPHONE and iPOD TOUCH

NEW STORYBOOK APPS FEATURE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCENES FROM WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

WHITE PLAINS, NY, FEBRUARY 27, 2012 – Disney Publishing Worldwide today unveils two new storybook apps featuring original scenes from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ feature films, The Lion King (1994) and Tangled (2010). The “The Lion King: Timon’s Tale” and “Tangled: Storybook Deluxe” Apps, available now for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, are the first full-length interactive storybook apps to integrate specially rendered film animation, inviting children and Disney fans alike to re-live the classic tales.

“With the launch of our Lion King and Tangled apps, we are able to give families a new, dynamic way to read two classic stories from the convenience of their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch,” said Russell Hampton, president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “We were fortunate to work closely with Walt Disney Animation Studios for a reading experience that features both brand new animation and actual film content that can be accessed on a variety of mobile devices. Disney Publishing is committed to making our stories accessible to children across all platforms, allowing them to read wherever, whenever, whatever, and however they want.”

Complete with customized interactivity, rich character development, and an Academy Award®-winning score—“The Lion King: Timon’s Tale” recounts Simba’s exciting adventures of becoming king, as told through the eyes of the comical and irreverent meerkat sidekick, Timon. Readers are asked to roar with King Mufasa, snatch grubs with Timon, draw with Rafiki, and swing with Pumbaa.

“Tangled: Storybook Deluxe” recounts the magical adventures of Rapunzel as she sets off on an action-packed journey across the kingdom with thief Flynn Rider—learning there is so much more to life outside the tower where she was held captive. Full of vibrant illustrations, word-for-word narration, charming sound effects, and original character voices, readers can play the “Catch Pascal” animated activity and “Catch the Lantern” games, record their own voices, read and explore, and solve puzzles throughout.

“The Lion King: Timon’s Tale” and “Tangled: Storybook Deluxe” Apps are available for $4.99 and $6.99 respectively from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

For more, visit www.disneybookapps.com and www.facebook.com/DisneyReads , or follow @DisneyReads on Twitter.

About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines, with over 700 million products sold each year. Disney Publishing Worldwide consists of an extensive worldwide licensing structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints including Disney Book Group in the U.S., Disney Libri in Italy and Disney Libros in Spain. DPW publishes a range of children’s magazines globally including Topolino, Le Journal de Mickey, and Donald Duck, as well as Disney kids magazines in the U.S. which include Disney Princess and Phineas and Ferb. Disney English is DPW’s English language learning business which includes Disney English learning centers in China and a worldwide retail licensing program. DPW’s digital products include bestselling eBook titles as well as original apps. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books, magazines, and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit www.disneypublishing.com.

Disclosure: I received the Lion King: Timon’s Tale for review and the opinions about the app are 100% my own.