February 3rd, 2011 | posted by: Lynette

Chinese New Year 2011: Year of the Rabbit

"Boy Dumplings" for the iPad from PicPocket Books

PicPocket Books is proud to offer Boy Dumplings, a unique story from Ying Chang Compestine with elements of Chinese folk tales, for the iPhone and iPad for the Chinese New Year.

(…from the Holiday House Book Page)
Get ready to gobble up this fun-filled tale of a crafty youngster’s hilarious efforts to avoid the cooking pot.

Begin with one hungry ghost. Add a plump, delicious-looking boy. Sprinkle in some Chinese folklore and a healthy dash of humor. Now sink your teeth into an exciting story about a ghost eager for his next meal—and a boy who must think fast if he doesn’t want to get turned into dumplings! Includes a fantastic, child-friendly recipe for dumplings.

Watch the author give simple step-by-step instructions for delicious dumplings in this video. Then go get some dumpling wrappers and make your own at home tonight! Easy and yummy!

January 10th, 2011 | posted by: Lynette

iPads Gaining Ground in Schools

A sixth grader uses his new school-issued iPad in the classroom in Scottsdale, AZ. Photo by Joshua Lott.

With the beginning of the new year, a growing number of schools are turning to iPads as a powerful and versatile educational tool of choice for students from Kindergarten through high school and for subjects from math to history.

A recent article from the New York Times explains that, “educators laud the iPad’s physical attributes, including its large touch screen (about 9.7 inches) and flat design, which allows students to maintain eye contact with their teachers. And students like its light weight, which offers a relief from the heavy books that weigh down their backpacks.”

The Times article cites examples of teachers using the iPad as replacements for textbooks, apps for illustrating step-by-step animation of complex problems in math, and apps that include all of Shakespeare’s plays for Literature classes.

Many of the school districts are paying for their iPads through federal and other grants, including money from the federal Race to the Top competitive grant program, which administrators in Durham, N.C., are using to provide an iPad to every teacher and student at two low-performing schools.

“It’s not about a cool application,” said Dr. Brenner, a Roslyn Heights, NY superintendent. “We are talking about changing the way we do business in the classroom.” He said the iPads would also save money in the long run by reducing printing and textbook costs; the estimated savings in the two iPad classes at his school are $7,200 a year.

“It’s not about a cool application,” Dr. Brenner said. “We are talking about changing the way we do business in the classroom.”

November 19th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

A Season of Thanks

As I reflect on the past year of growing my business and creating and publishing picture book apps, I certainly have a lot of be thankful for.

The MomsWithApps group (and co-founders Lorraine, Jill and Alesha) has been a tremendous support and a source of inspiration. Lorraine’s initiative and spirit of collaboration that sets the tone for MWA has been a guiding light and a model for many of us.

MomsWithApps has also been a fantastic source of information, resources and contacts. I deeply appreciate the conversations and communication – taking place through many different channels – with Ian, Pierre, Jill, Jitka, Lynn, and many others. Again, a very special thanks to Lorraine for the heads up about the MomInspired grant submission opportunity this summer. Also a huge thank you to Krishna of NSCPartners for his extremely generous collaboration and help with development questions.

A really big thanks goes out to Kimberly Clark, especially Steve Paljieg and to Maria Bailey from BSM for the Huggies® MomInspired award and their amazing continued support with strategy, networking and marketing.

I am also grateful to the wonderful publishers, authors, graphic designers, voice talent, reviewers, and testers we work with. Looking back, it is fantastic to see how large that circle has grown, and all the talent that comes together to create PicPocket Books.

Last, and certainly not least, I want to recognize all kids, big and little, who love stories and who want to read anywhere, anytime. I wish you all a plentiful season of thanks and hope that you find yourselves surrounded with books!

October 3rd, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

The e-Book May Bring Kids Back to Literature

A Reuters article from September 30, 2010 points out that as kids spend more and more time using cell phones and other mobile technology, the time that they spend reading for pleasure decreases.

The article reports results from a study conducted by the Scholastic and Harrison Group with the following findings:

1. 40% of parents think that time spent online and using mobile digital devices would reduce time for books and for engagement in physical activities.
2. 33% of parents are concerned that technology would detract from time spent with family
3. 33% of children said that they would read more books for pleasure if e-books were more available to them.
4. 66% of children claimed that they would still read print books even with greater e-book availability.

Francie Alexander, the chief academic officer of Scholastic, believes that e-books can have an important educational role. She explains, “If we can meet kids where they are and get a third of all kids, many of them struggling readers, to spend more time reading for fun on e-books, that additional time spent building fluency and vocabulary will not only help them become more proficient at reading, but will help prepare them to tackle more complex texts that they will encounter in high school and college.”

Ms. Alexander’s statement really resonates with my belief: if having kids’ books available on your iPhone means more exposure to stories and enthusiasm for reading for kids, then we consider that a success!

August 27th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

Selected PicPocket Book Apps FREE for a limited time

Here’s a chance to try out some PicPocket Books – picture book apps for kids – FREE this weekend only. PicPocket Books publishes quality children’s picture books to the iPhone with the goal of getting more children reading and enjoying books anywhere, anytime.

Reading a story book on a screen is a very different experience from playing a repetitive video game on the same screen. It has the same educational, mind-opening benefits as reading a traditional print book: it increases vocabulary, improves concentration and focus, and expands horizons. Reading helps children become engaged, rather than passive learners because books demand that kids to use their imagination to paint living mental pictures.

Come read and play with us!

What A Pest! by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

What A Pest!: an All Aboard easy reader. You know how little sisters want to be just like their older siblings? The sisters in this book turn that problem into a win-win solution. Read the rest of this entry »

August 17th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

Is it a book? Is it an app? It’s a bookapp!

What is a bookapp? With the advent of new digital technologies, publishers, authors and readers are revisiting the definition of a book. Does a book have to have a cover and paper pages? Is it the physical format, the content, or the way the material is read that makes a book a book?

A “bookapp” is a term that we have coined within the MomsWithApps group to describe a book that is downloaded as an app (from iTunes) and displayed to be read on the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Some bookapps have animations and other interactive features. Most have audio recordings.  Over at MomsWithApps we have used the term “bookapp” to distinguish apps that are books (storybooks, picture books) from apps that are games on the iPhone. We have been spreading the use of the term within the group and beyond the group through Twitter and conversations with the Media.

photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post

With the growing popularity of iPhones, the iPod touch and the now extremely popular iPad, publishers and app developers are recognizing the advantages of publishing books on the iPhone platform. These bookapps can take a variety of different forms and sport different features. They may be previously published books (that is, you can also buy them in print versions), or the books may be specifically made for the iPhone. The large majority of PicPocket Books’ titles are previously published books: they are also available in traditional print form. Most of our bookapps have audio recordings, animations, interactive features and personal settings. Bookapps are available in digital form through the iTunes App Store from PicPocket Books and also other bookapp publishers like Lyn and Line LLC, Touchoo, Winged Chariot, Watsomaflip, Out To Play, and others. With the digital platform, publishers are able to take advantage of a number of additional dimensions that are just not possible in a print book. Because the digital interactivity is new and different it does draw some criticism and skepticism from some traditional publishers and educators, but others are definitely embracing the new possibilities.

We’re entering into a new interactive art form,” says Rick Richter, formerly the president of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and now a digital media consultant. Freed from rules about page count and paper weight, digital creators enjoy great flexibility. In the process, they can appeal to nonbookworms, such as computer and game geeks. “If anything, it will lead a lot of kids to books,” says Richter.

"I Can Do It Too!" originally published by Chonicle Books. Bookapp published by PicPocket Books.

I predict that the future will bring a much greater acceptance and familiarity of bookapps. After all, reading is so much fun, and if having  bookapps available on your iPhone means more exposure to stories and enthusiasm for reading, especially for kids, then we consider that a success!

July 30th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

PicPocket Books and MomsWithApps in the News!

Huffington Post: iPhone Apps by Moms, for Moms

Never underestimate a mom with an iPhone. While most mobile developers are men, a growing number of opportunistic women are venturing into app development to create apps catered to other women. And many of these women are part of a group called Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers who share best practices on making and marketing mobile apps.

BabyMedBasics published by PicPocket Books

June 16th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

Wordless Wednesday

The new Huggybird app from Viva la Media via PicPocket Books will be available in English, Dutch and Spanish.

May 12th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

My new iPad

For a number of reasons, a year ago I never dreamed that I’d get an iPad for Mother’s Day, but I was thrilled this past weekend when one of these

PicPocket Books' "A, My Name Is Andrew" on the iPad

ended up in my hands. Well, actually, those are my husband’s hands, since he was kind enough to be a hand model for me.

From my few days with my new iPad, I have to say it is a pretty nifty device. Illustrated children’s books look beautiful on the iPad. In fact, an AOL News story recently reported that 81%, or 13 of the 16 top book applications for the iPad, are children’s titles.

While in Los Angeles over the weekend, the iPad sure did come in useful for us while navigating a new city, and looking up car dealerships and comparing prices and reviews on the iPad when we were on the go was very helpful when we accompanied my brother-in-law who was buying a car.

I wouldn’t consider myself a big gamer (I’m more the literary type), but I admit that some of the game apps that I’m discovering on the iPad are pretty compelling. I’ll have to set some limits for myself if I want to still get work done!

What do you think about the iPad?

April 12th, 2010 | posted by: Lynette

Spring is Sprouting Up and Out! ~from Breezy Bunnies, by Margie Blumberg

In the garden with Breezy Bunnies

Flowers blooming, baby animals, sunny weather, and some showers. Spring is here, and as always, we like to celebrate with a picture book. Margie Blumberg’s Breezy Bunnies, the first of a seasonal series, is the newest release from PicPocket Books. This endearing rhyming tale is a delight from start to finish.

The iPhone book is filled with audio surprises. Make sure to touch the squirrels in the tree, the pigeons under the bench in the rain, and the cuckoo clock on the wall. How many interactive spots can you discover?

Listen to the cuckoo clock chime in the app!

Download the Breezy Bunnies application from iTunes and enjoy it this Spring.

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