Based on its claim of more than 400m downloads, TabTale might be one of the biggest publishers out there of digital books and children’s apps. Its latest takes fashion as its theme.

Holly Hobbie & Friends - Fashion Party was released this week for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, aimed squarely at children who like dress-up games.

The app revolves around three friends: Holly, Amy and Carrie. Kids can design clothes for them, dress them up, and send them off to a virtual spa for a variety of treatments.

There’s also a makeup section, a card designer for children to make their own greetings cards starring the trio, and a recording studio section “where you can sing your favourite songs”.

That’s a lot of ideas in a single app, so plenty to explore. Not all of it is available in the initial download, though, as this is a “freemium” app – one where its full features are unlocked through in-app purchases.

Don’t be too spooked though: this isn’t the kind of game where kids will be invited to constantly spend money on virtual currency. Instead, the individual sections can be unlocked by one-off in-app purchases: the Card Designer and Recording Studio cost £1.49 each, while the Makeup Salon and Fashion Design Studio are £1.99 each.

Or, if you like the part that’s available for free – which has advertising – you can pay a single purchase of £2.49 to remove the ads and unlock all the activities. It’s very much try before you buy rather than buy, buy, and then keep buying some more.

Holly Hobbie & Friends is a free download for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, and a free download for Android from the Google Play store.