# Dragon Brush — Children's Storybook App > Interactive children's storybook app where drawings magically come to life. (iPhone/iPad app by Small Planet Digital.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-brush/id525049909 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Small Planet Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/364657717) - Category: Books, Entertainment - Price: $2.99 - Rating: 4.90/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 29 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.0 · 533 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-05-23 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-brush/id525049909/reviews.md ## What is Dragon Brush? "'Dragon Brush' captivates kids with a fascinating story filled with its unique drawings-become-real mechanic, making it one of the top book apps in iTunes." —USA Today "With its distinctive look, a great drawing element that's actually appropriate to the story and a moral that values cleverness over power, Bing-Wen's app is as rare and magical as the dragons he loves to paint." —Kirkus Reviews "Dragon Brush deserves a spot on every family’s digital book shelf. This colorful app will be read and re-read by parents and children alike." —PadGadget.com Winner of the 2013 Communication Arts Interactive Annual Award Winner of the 2012 Cybils Award for Best Book App Featured in iPad Apps for Kids for Dummies by Jinny Gudmundsen Dragon Brush is a beautiful and engaging storybook app based on a traditional Chinese folktale, featuring narration and music from members of the acclaimed band The National! Brought to you by the award-winning Small Planet Digital, Dragon Brush was created by John Solimine and Andy Hullinger. Follow the irresistible adventures of Bing-Wen, a young boy who loves to paint. When given a magical brush that makes drawings come to life, Bing-Wen must use his art and his wits to outsmart the greedy Emperor. Readers can: *Help Bing-Wen’s drawings come magically to life *Create their own drawings with Dragon Paint *Find special ink pots in the story and add them to Dragaon Paint *Discover interactive elements and tap, swipe, or tilt on every page Featuring narration by Matt Berninger and music by Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner, members of the critically acclaimed band, The National. Brought to life with gorgeous Retina-quality illustrations by John Solimine of Spike Press, Dragon Brush will engage, inspire, and delight! Follow @smallplanetapps for app updates and other news. For Dragon Brush support please email info@smallplanet.com. ## Key features - Drawings come to life - Create own drawings - Interactive elements - Retina-quality illustrations - Narration and music - Traditional Chinese folktale ## Recent user reviews (10 of 29) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-brush/id525049909/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Fantastic! *2023-06-06* This is by far my kiddo's favorite ipad book! ### 5/5 — Outstanding *2018-06-25* Really fun for the kids (and adults, too). Fully interactive, cute story, and in true oriental fashion, there is a moral. I've recommended this book to dozens of friends with kids, and they love it! ### 5/5 — Perfect for the classroom *2017-09-19* Kids love it and teachers too. Full of charming interactions and animations, the story and app are great! ### 5/5 — Really good interactive book *2017-07-28* This is one of the best books for the iPad, my kids 5 and 7 love the activities. Good sorry too. ### 5/5 — Great Story and Use of Media *2015-07-16* The creators of Dragon Brush have authored a very nice little story with some moral themes. It is a great story to teach children with. Anyone who thinks it is about income inequality is missing the point though. The producers have also done a masterful job of using the interactive app environment to tell the the story and draw children in as well. There are various little surprises on almost every page that keep kids interested and wanting to re-read the story again and again. The paint app is also a nice little addition. I hope to see more like this from the same team! Thank you! ### 2/5 — Awful story, beautifully done *2014-12-18* The story suggests that this young boy murders the greedy emperor (marooned on a small island In a magical lake and unable to swim) for being...greedy. The punishment for the emperor's "crime" is disproportionate and malicious. And The young rabbit would also almost certainly be killed by the Royal guards following his stunt. There is little positive in this story. Just recklessness and thoughtless abuse of power...by a young rabbit with a magic brush. There are better ways to tell a story about the unfairness of income inequality. I would like a refund. ### 5/5 — Beautiful, brilliant! *2014-07-04* Fantastic story, beautifully illustrated ### 4/5 — Good fun! *2014-05-14* Very nice story and the interactive play and painting option are both fun for young children. ### 5/5 — Spectacular *2014-03-13* This deserves more reviews. It's the best book I've ever seen for kids on the iPad. Great story, wonderful interactions, amazing art style and narration. My 3-year old loves it. ### 5/5 — Spectacularly delightful! *2013-12-17* I don’t understand why this doesn’t have more ratings and reviews. This app is positively glorious and fun for the whole family. It’s a fun and unique story telling device, that repeatedly delights. ## Frequently asked questions about Dragon Brush ### What is Dragon Brush? Dragon Brush is an interactive storybook app based on a traditional Chinese folktale. It features gorgeous illustrations, narration by members of The National, and allows children to make drawings come to life. ### What are the key features of Dragon Brush? Key features include the ability to help the main character's drawings magically come to life, create your own drawings with a special 'Dragon Paint' tool, find special ink pots to add to your creations, and discover interactive elements on every page by tapping, swiping, or tilting. ### How much does Dragon Brush cost? Based on the provided information, Dragon Brush is a paid application. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model. ### What devices is Dragon Brush compatible with? The app is described as a 'storybook app' and mentions 'Retina-quality illustrations,' suggesting compatibility with iOS devices like iPads and iPhones. Specific version requirements are not detailed in the provided description. ### What is the story about in Dragon Brush? The story follows Bing-Wen, a young boy who loves to paint. He receives a magical brush that makes his drawings come to life, and he must use his art and wits to outsmart a greedy Emperor. It's a tale that values cleverness over power. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.2 — 2022-04-12 Dragon Brush is back, including a fix for Dragon Paint! ### 2.1 — 2022-04-08 Newly updated for the App Store! ### 2.0 — 2018-01-17 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. * Support for iOS 11 * Support for iPhone 8, 8+ and X ### 1.5 — 2017-03-06 Add more expression to your messages with the new Dragon Brush Sticker Pack! Bing-Wen and friends are ready to brighten up your conversations, just peel and place them anywhere you choose. ### 1.4 — 2017-01-26 - Support for iOS 10 and bug fixes ## Apps similar to Dragon Brush | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Magic Stories AI](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-stories-ai/id6753839164) | — | Free | Books | | [Tacky and the Emperor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tacky-and-the-emperor/id471454149) | 5.0 (9) | $3.99 | Books | | [Daniel in the Lion's Den by LA](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daniel-in-the-lions-den-by-la/id821037362) | 4.8 (5) | $3.99 | Books | | [Just One More Pet - LC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-one-more-pet-lc/id1029200116) | — | $1.99 | Books | | [Frogs with Red Hats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frogs-with-red-hats/id6605930802) | — | $0.99 | Books | | [Bedtimely: Bedtime Stories](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bedtimely-bedtime-stories/id6745766779) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Books | ## More apps by Small Planet Digital - [Chevy Baseball](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chevy-baseball/id364657714) - [Puzzle Planet](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzle-planet/id394148280) - [Bean – A Counting App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bean-a-counting-app/id551418848) All apps by Small Planet Digital: https://appshunter.io/developer/364657717 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*