Almost 5 thousand downloads in its first week out! Ranked in top 10 in 24 countries, and top 25 in 48 countries in the Apps for Ages 6 to 8 category! It reached #10 in the US App Store for this category, and #14 in the Books category (only 5 days after it was released)! We are part of the Moms with Apps "Know What's Inside" program.

A creative tinkerer, Axel Jansen struggles to connect with his classmates and get them to see past the fidgety, distracted, clumsy boy they think he is.

Inspired by the work of Kinetic artists, the third-grader decides to build a moving insect to show everyone at school what he’s capable of.

Axel’s own traits means he’ll need a large dose of perseverance in order make a moving sculpture he’s proud of: a swinging, vibrating, tinkling work of art. But his personal bully Daniel sets off a disastrous chain reaction that leaves everyone yelling at each other!

Axel believes he can help by creating a beautiful sensory experience out of this mess —if they give him the chance…

BOOK APP FEATURES:

* ALLOWS FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF READER IMMERSION: Explore pages to discover extra dialogues, thoughts, or details of Axel’s creation process. Or skip them if you’re anxious to find out what happens next, and then read the story again if you want to know more about the characters.

* SOME OF YOUR INTERACTIONS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE STORY PROGRESS: Open Axel’s glued fingers so he can continue working, rub the splashes of paint clean, knock on the classroom door to see Axel’s giant artwork. If you don’t, you won’t see what happens next! (Hints provided).

* PLAY A CREATION MINI-GAME INSIDE THE STORY: make your own animals using objects from Axel’s kitchen.

* HEY, YOU’RE THERE… AT THE END OF THE STORY! Do you want to see Axel being silly, or make your own funny faces for Axel’s teacher? If you’re as happy as Axel, maybe she’ll take your picture.

*OPTIONAL SETTINGS: Turn off sound effects and/ or Narration.

*EXTRAS:

- HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES: Step-by-step instructions to make kinetic sculptures at home or school, for different levels of ability.

- BIOGRAPHIES of the 3 kinetic artists featured in the story.

- GLOSSARY

- 3D OPEN-ENDED GAME: Design any shape by arranging lines of standing dominoes. Build your domino effect using toys and other objects from Axel’s home. Then topple, and watch them from above, or any angle you wish.

Carisa Kluver, of Digital Storytime: ""This title is filled with polished animation and top-notch interactivity (...) nearly all of the enhancements add to or reinforce the storyline. Children will love the variety of ways to engage with this story (...) Overall, this is a terrific and unique title (...) The story has great messages about learning to make the most out of our unique talents, sticking with a project and standing up to bullying. It will even resonate with kids and families dealing with special needs. Filled with educational enhancements and a host of other extras, Axel's Chain Reaction is an engaging blend of fiction and non-fiction, with extension activities designed for inspiration."

(Parents of children with high-functioning ASD, SID, ADHD, or language disorders, might recognize a bit of their child in Axel. This is a reassuring story for their kids, and a message to their peers and teachers.)

Story by: Allison Pomenta. Illustrated by Mónica Armiño. Development by: Cubic Jigsaw (a division of Higuera Studios).

Privacy Policy: We do not collect any personal information from users. There are no ads and no in-app purchases inside the app. There are no links to social media. An adult gate is used to prevent children from activating links that take them out of the app. If your family or students wish to learn more about the Kinetic artists featured in the app, adults must type the answers to simple algebraic equations in order to activate weblinks.