# Friendly Shapes Storybook — user reviews > 100 indexed App Store user reviews of Friendly Shapes Storybook by Kids Games Club by TabTale, rated 4.50/5 from 57 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friendly-shapes-storybook/id517582628/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friendly-shapes-storybook/id517582628.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 47 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of Friendly Shapes Storybook? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👶 Engaging for toddlers and young children - 🎨 Interactive games and puzzles for learning shapes - 📚 Educational content with storytelling elements - 🎵 Voice recording feature for personalization - 🎯 Helps children learn colors and shapes effectively - ✨ Colorful and visually appealing design - 🧩 Puzzle-matching games that develop problem-solving skills **Cons** - 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements throughout app - 💰 Ads remain even after paying for full version - ⚠️ Inappropriate ads for adult products and violent games - 🔗 Ads positioned where children naturally tap, causing accidental clicks - 🌐 Ads redirect to external websites and app store - 🔄 Requires repurchase on different devices despite paid version - 🔐 Suspicious SMS subscription scams through pop-ups - 🚫 Paid version still contains ads and locked content - 📱 Compatibility issues with certain iPhone models - 🔊 Sound functionality problems reported - 🎮 Portrait mode lock after update causing distorted gameplay - 🔄 App resets or requires reload after each use - ⚠️ Poor customer support responsiveness - 💸 Multiple in-app purchases required beyond full version - 🎯 Ads positioned next to navigation buttons confusing children **Commonly reported bugs** - App glitching and crashing frequently - Incompatible with iPhone X and certain devices - Portrait mode lock after update distorts puzzle display - Sound not working on app - App won't advance from main screen after purchase - Paid version ads reappear after update - App resets or requires reload each time opened - Review prompt never disappears - App kicks users out when ads are clicked - Landscape mode removed in update causing gameplay issues **Most requested features** - Remove or significantly reduce advertisements - Implement ad-free period for trial gameplay - Cross-device license sharing for paid version - Landscape and portrait mode options - Age-appropriate ads only or no ads for children's apps - Sound highlighting and pronunciation of shapes during lessons - More puzzle content and game variety - Parental controls to prevent accidental ad clicks - Fix app stability and prevent crashes ## Newest reviews (19 of 100) ### 2/5 — Adverts *2016-11-05* Couldn't really get into this. The adverts are continually touched my kids making it impossible to use. Don't know what the solution would be. Maybe no ads for ten minutes so you could at least try the app out ### 2/5 — Way too many ads *2016-03-31, version 2.5* Seriously spammy. ### 2/5 — Toddler loves it but too many pop ups *2016-03-17, version 2.5* Our toddler (2 1/2) loves this game so we paid for the full version as the pop up adverts were driving him & us crazy. Paid the full amount - still pop ups. Even on opening the game the first thing it does is pop up an advert. Not impressed. Save your money ### 2/5 — Kids love it, but they don't have to purchase it multiple times *2014-09-29* It is clever to put the ads at the bottom of a game for toddlers - because they are bound to hit it repeatedly and parents may be inclined to go ahead and purchase just to stop the ads. But - why doesn't that carry over to multiple devices? I have twin two year olds. I have the app on my iPad - but yesterday both boys wanted to play it. So I downloaded it to my phone, only to find ads again. It's so disappointing to read the reviews and see so many people back to 2012 loving the app, but having the same complaint. I had started searching for more by the same company but it doesn't make sense to have to purchase the app for each separate device we have - so I won't purchase more until that is corrected. Very disappointing. ### 2/5 — Do not purchase!!! *2014-05-10* My son loves this app. It was his favorite but he would often get frustrated with the ads and the fact that most of the puzzles and things were only available after purchasing the full version. I finally broke down and bought the full version and it was great! We were very happy until we got a new device and discovered that we must purchase the whole thing over again if we want it. I feel cheated, and my son is very upset. Upon reading reviews it seems others are having trouble with it disappearing when the app updates too, which we have not yet experienced. Do not purchase the full version!!! It is a waste of money and they will try and cheat you out if it again and again. ### 2/5 — Doesn't know we bought the previous version *2014-04-07* This would be five stars (our 2.5 yo loves the TabTale games we've bought so far) except we bought the previous version before noticing there was an update. Right after updating the app is locked again and asking us to buy it again. Se never even saw the unlocked previous version so she's not as upset as her parents are about this! ### 1/5 — Leave Alone. *2014-04-06* Toddler loved it so we bought the full version, We then had update and now we have to pay again so leave alone. ### 1/5 — yet another stupid game *2014-02-24, version 2.1* The app store abounds with bad games. This is one of them. It is further annoying to delete since the name listed in the “Apps” page of iTunes doesn’t match the name on the iPhone screen. ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2014-02-17, version 2.1* I don't see why a game that is designed for toddlers has a banner for a slots app!! Whyyy?? ### 1/5 — Ads destroy app *2013-11-25* This is a kids app. But has adult ads in it. Instant fail. ### 1/5 — Hey! *2013-11-24, version 2.0* I bought the full version and it still has the ads! Rah! ### 1/5 — Morally wrong! *2013-11-21* Placing adverts for utility companies on pre school children's apps is morally wrong and this practice should be banned. As soon as I saw this I have deleted app!!! ### 1/5 — Too many ads *2013-11-14, version 2.0* Ads make ap useless. ### 1/5 — Disappointed *2013-11-13* Opened the app to test before leaving kids to it to find a long advert bar at the bottom for Facebook. Would never let toddlers play a game that can send them to random websites especially Facebook. I understand app creators need/want to make money but kids safety is more important! ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2013-11-05* This game has very few nonpayment games. You can only do like 3 things without getting bored, I am definitely going to delete it after this review because it is so bad. Even if you pay £2.49 for the full version, you still have to pay even more to get most of the other games that aren't included in the full version deal! (more than £10.00 for the rest after the full version!) ### 1/5 — Unhappy Customer *2013-10-11, version 1.6* The app itself is fine, but if you need help from TabTale, do not expect to get any - even if you have punched the paid version. ### 1/5 — Inappropriate ads *2013-10-08, version 1.6* Downloaded this and opened it up with my toddler and there was an ad with a scary demon character on it. Not cool for apps targeted at little kids learning their shapes! ### 3/5 — Didn't like it *2013-10-06, version 1.6* My son likes the other games, this one just doesn't cut it ### 3/5 — Ads are a pain *2013-09-20* This is one of my 18 month-olds favorite apps. She loves the shapes and interaction. The biggest problem, and only reason I didn't read it higher, is the large app front and center on the bottom were any child is most likely to touch several times a minute. The annoying part is that not only does it launched the App Store, but it launches Safari first so that they can track that someone click the add. Later on when you open Safari yourself, that tab is still open and automatically relaunches you into the App Store. Once you open Safari, you only have about a second to close that tab before it does so. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — 💀 *2026-06-13* fake crescent ### 1/5 — H3LP *2026-03-24* HELP! THIS GAME IS GLITCHING OUT! TABTALE, FIX THIS GLITCH! DX ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2018-01-07, version 2.5* Will not work with iPhone X. everything is updated. Still does not work at all..... ### 1/5 — What gives? Ads? *2016-02-21, version 2.5* What kind of program for clumsy toddlers has a ginormous ad bar across the bottom to kick them out into a web browser? I need something my kid can play with safely, not something that will easily send them out into the wilderness of the Internet. Worse than useless, dangerous. Uninstalled. ### 1/5 — Stole my money *2016-02-03* Way too many ads and everything was locked. I paid $3.99 to unlock and now there's still some ads and app won't budge from main screen. I've tried clicking everything to enter and can't figure it out. This is supposed to be user friendly for 2 year olds!!? ### 1/5 — Scam app. Don't download *2016-01-01, version 2.5* This app has boxes that pop up at random times and when your toddler touches this pop up it will subscribe you to premium SMS services. It will cost you a lot. Again this is a scam. ### 1/5 — Too many ads, not worth it *2015-10-31, version 2.5* My kid can't even play this for more than 10 seconds without hitting an ad & switching to Safari. There is a coloring book with only a few pictures; the rest are padlocked & are in-app purchases. Ridiculous! ### 1/5 — In app purchase pop ups! *2015-08-16, version 2.4* I installed this for my daughter. While painting it would pop up ad to buy things from the developer for $0.99. Then open the App Store for other apps to be installed, point the browser to financial websites, and it wanted to use my location. As an IT professional, I advise you avoid this app. ### 1/5 — Cheated *2014-07-11, version 2.2* My boy loved TabTale's apps, so I paid to upgrade quite a few of them to the full versions without ads. But lo and behold, the ads are back, bigger and more intrusive than ever! I feel really conned by this company. ### 1/5 — Junk *2014-04-08* Downloaded full version of this app for my son and once the update was done on March 31, 2014. everything was locked on my iPad for him. this app is garbage. I'm so disappointed in this company I will never download something from them again. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-05-16, version 2.8.2* I remember that childhood app! Thanks to your developer who created this app ### 5/5 — A+ *2013-05-12, version 1.6* I love this app my 18 month old loves playing it. He repeats the shapes. An love tapping all the animations. ### 5/5 — Love it *2013-03-15, version 1.5* Lewis favourite app at the moment. aged two. ### 5/5 — Great puzzles! *2013-03-03* My 21/2year old plays the puzzles is loves them! I just bought the full app so she could have more choices and is learning her shapes in a fun way! ### 5/5 — Great app *2012-12-06, version 1.5* My 2&1/2 year old loves this app ### 5/5 — Really good app! *2012-11-21, version 1.5* My baby loves this app. If ads bother you just pay the $2 for the add free version. How can you complain about something that's free? ### 5/5 — Parent *2012-11-19, version 1.5* My son loves this app! ### 5/5 — My toddler loves this! *2012-10-21* There are so many fun things for my 2 year old to do in the app. She has figured out how to navigate to all her favorite games too. There is coloring with so many colors and stickers and shapes. She also loves doing the puzzles. I am amazed at how quickly she learned how to do this, she even "makes" me play with her, we color together and she tells me the colors. It is very fun for both of us. Obviously, I wouldn't play it by myself, but it is neat to play with her and see how much she has learned :).... After looking at other reviews, I want to mention that I DID NOT purchase, I have the free version. And I haven't had any issues. ### 5/5 — Awesome!! *2012-10-03* my son is 2 and very advanced for his age. he LOVES this game. One of his favorites!! Wish they had more puzzles, as good as this one!! ### 5/5 — Love this ap *2012-09-29, version 1.2* My 14 month old loves. Everything on the screen gives her feedback and she loves the colors and shapes --- *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 2026-08-31.*