Overview:

About this App:
PicPocket Books brings quality children’s book literature to digital media. Now, children can enjoy their favorites stories on-the-go, even when they do not have a physical book to read.

Celtic Run, a Middle Grade novel, is available on the iTunes iBookstore.

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality books with audio recordings. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level as well as subtle support for early readers.

Whether standing in a grocery line, taking a car trip, or waiting in a doctor’s office, PicPocket Books provide personal, interactive story experiences. The iBook can be downloaded with one click or tap, and provide educational and entertainment value to children and adults alike.

Your PicPocket Book is a perfect complement to regular story time with parents or grandparents, and a gentle alternative to flashy, fast-paced digital media time.

Benefits:
-high fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book
-high quality audio recording (fixed layout version only)

Language: English

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Recommended Ages:  10 and up
Subject: BOOK, READING

Print versions of Celtic Run are available through MB Publishing, LLC, an award-winning publisher of books for all ages. Its fiction and non-fiction titles have been honored with gold medal awards from the Mom’s Choice Awards® and Moonbeam’s Children’s Book Awards.

www.mbpublishing.com

A Sweet Feature: A honey cake recipe is included.

“A Notable Book for Younger Readers” —Association of Jewish Libraries

“AVRAM’S GIFT is a Rosh Hashanah story, an immigrant story, and a story about contemporary Jewish life all in one beautifully illustrated chapter book bursting with Yiddishkeit.” —Rachel Erlich Kamin, Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan

The Canadian Jewish News
“A delightful, moving Rosh Hashanah story that teaches how each individual can deeply affect future generations. Exquisite watercolor illustrations by award-winning artist Laurie McGaw. Ages 8 and up.”

Children’s Literature
“The holiday traditions are nicely woven into the story of two Avrams, and they tie together with Mark’s dream of becoming a really good shofar blower in the synagogue, like Aaron Stein, who can blow a tekiah gedolah for 46 seconds. Artist Laurie McGaw’s pictures are flawless—one could step right into them and feel at home.”

Cleveland Jewish News
“The shofar’s blasts will be even more meaningful after reading AVRAM’S GIFT … a handsomely illustrated storybook….”

AVRAM’S GIFT is a full length iBook (~60 pages) with no audio recording. It can be read in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Overview: Learning should be a sweet experience. That’s why you’ll find an illustration of a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce throughout this book. You’ll also notice lots of sample words and sentences, 83 beautiful photographs and illustrations, links to information online, practice questions, fun facts, and quizzes.

With seven categories to choose from, there’s something here for everyone:
Exploration, Art & Invention, Food, Sports, Classic Movies & TV, Poetry, and Travel.

As you’ll see, this grammar book is all about culture. For example, Renoir’s LUNCHEON OF THE BOATING PARTY will guide you through the definition of a noun, and cupcakes will help you learn about  adjectives.

THE SCOOP ON GOOD GRAMMAR is easily searchable. In no time at all, choosing the correct pronoun (it’s between you and me—not, between you and I) and the appropriate modifying word (it’s really sweet—not, real sweet) will become second nature to you.

Your invitations will be as welcoming as that statue that lifts her torch in the harbor:
~ Please join the Ghirardellis (not, the Ghirardelli’s) for a party!

Greeting people will become an occasion to shine:
~How are you?
~I’m fine, and you? (Not, I’m fine, and yourself?)

When you write, you’ll always point your readers in the right direction with proper punctuation marks. And at the end of the day, you’ll lie (not, lay) down, relax, and take pleasure in the knowledge that your prized possession—your artful way with words—has been, in its (not, it’s) own way, as beautifying to the landscape as a masterpiece by Renoir.

By the time you finish this book, you’ll be able to express yourself correctly with confidence and ease.

Are you ready to get the scoop? Great! Dig in!

Benefits:

• high fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book
• download to your iPad from Apple’s iBookstore
• 196 pages and seven categories
• great reference for home or school
• includes fun facts, practice questions, and quizzes

Language: English

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Recommended Ages: 10 and up, Parents
Subject: BOOK, REFERENCE, EDUCATION, WRITING, LANGUAGE ARTS

– Groucho Marx

Super Harry's Rotten Luck, by Nina Lim

Getting an iPad for the first time is an exciting moment for any family. “Wow, look at all these cool features,” you say as you excitedly play around with your shiny new device. You can’t wait to personalise it and get all sorts of apps that you know you or your children will love.
Now imagine one of your children has a learning difficulty. Suddenly the iPad is more than just a great new toy, reading device or even status symbol.  It’s a godsend. I know this firsthand.
My middle child Ethan has a language delay. He is the cutest, funniest and most good-natured boy I could wish for. He is also extremely bright and has an amazingly logical, scientific brain. Yet language and literacy have always been a struggle for him. Pulling forth words to ask for things has always been an effort. His brother and sister flew into words without a second’s thought and became very articulate early on. But not Ethan. No, for a long time during his toddler years he had no interest in speaking. Absolutely none at all. It is very hard to get someone to do something when they have no interest in doing it.
I did everything I could think of. I encouraged, prompted, gestured, encouraged again, cajoled, bribed, threatened, broke down in tears and cried, wiped my eyes, gave him a cuddle and tried again. It all seemed to no avail. Ethan was perfectly happy with life as it was and did not share my enthusiasm to hurry up and start speaking. Of course during all this time I was attending speech therapy and we worked on a range of skills with him. But ultimately Ethan had to want to do it. When there is a desire to learn, everything changes.
And here’s where the iPad comes in. Ethan used to flit from activity to activity. He would get bored and move on, or lose interest in something and get distracted. With the iPad however, he was full of interest. His whole body language would change. He would sit up straight and concentrate, he would focus on a task for extended periods of time. He would be engaged and interested, and repeat the words he heard on the iPad. Yes, repeat the words he heard on the iPad. For a mother of a language delayed kid it is such a joy to hear your child speaking. He was building up his vocabulary and learning to sit and focus and wait.
From then on we worked on a whole range of apps together. Ethan had found a highly motivating force. It was like a little light bulb had gone ‘ding’ in his head. We started with a lot of puzzles, moved on to dozens of storybook apps, and would do some of the purely educational games and specialist speech therapy apps. When I found a moment during the day I would go through an app with him. Essentially we were doing therapy at home. Things changed too. His interest was high and I was a lot happier and relaxed. I learnt to go with the flow and do what works best.
I don’t want the iPad to sound like a panacea for all problems. It’s certainly not that. But its use as a tool for children with learning difficulties is phenomenal. Especially for children who are visual learners. In our case it was a great help, and came along at the perfect time.

Snuggle up with a great storybook app

Ethan is four and a half now and poised to start kindy at big school next year. His language is still far behind other children his own age, but I am more confident that he will completely catch up. He has a desire to learn which is the most important thing. He loves his books, he loves hearing stories, and he taught himself how to write the alphabet and numbers. I still worry about him a lot. But he is such a happy, cheerful and content boy, I am happy to carry his worries so that he doesn’t need to.

About this App:
PicPocket Books brings quality children’s picture book literature to digital media. Now, children can enjoy their favorites stories on-the-go, even when they do not have a physical book to read.

This interactive CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK app promotes EARLY LEARNING and helps your children develop READING skills by connecting the audio words and sounds with the written word on the page.

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level, subtle support for early readers, and nostalgic fun for adults.

Whether standing in a grocery line, taking a car trip, or waiting in a doctor’s office, PicPocket Books provide personal, interactive story experiences. The books can be downloaded with one click or tap, and provide educational and entertainment value to children and adults alike.

Your PicPocket Book is a perfect complement to regular story time with parents or grandparents, and a gentle alternative to flashy, fast-paced digital media time.

Benefits:
-high fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book
-high quality audio recording
-Animated details to support the storyline
-audio surprises for an added dimension of discovery
-turn pages with an easy swipe

Language: English

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Recommended Ages: 1-3, 3-6, 6-10
Subject: BOOK, READING

Overview:

About this App:
PicPocket Books brings quality children’s picture book literature to digital media. Now, children can enjoy their favorites stories on-the-go, even when they do not have a physical book to read.

This interactive CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK app promotes EARLY LEARNING and helps your children develop READING skills by connecting the audio words and sounds with the written word on the page.

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level, subtle support for early readers, and nostalgic fun for adults.

Whether standing in a grocery line, taking a car trip, or waiting in a doctor’s office, PicPocket Books provide personal, interactive story experiences. The books can be downloaded with one click or tap, and provide educational and entertainment value to children and adults alike.

Your PicPocket Book is a perfect complement to regular story time with parents or grandparents, and a gentle alternative to flashy, fast-paced digital media time.

Benefits:
high fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book
high quality audio recording
Learn-to-read highlighting feature
Animated details and audio hot spots emphasize the storyline
turn pages with an easy swipe

Language: English

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Recommended Ages:  3-6, 6-10
Subject: BOOK, READING

About this App:
PicPocket Books brings quality children’s picture book literature to digital media. Now, children can enjoy their favorites stories on-the-go, even when they do not have a physical book to read.

This interactive CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK app promotes EARLY LEARNING and helps your children develop READING skills by connecting the audio words and sounds with the written word on the page.

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level, subtle support for early readers, and nostalgic fun for adults.

Whether standing in a grocery line, taking a car trip, or waiting in a doctor’s office, PicPocket Books provide personal, interactive story experiences. The books can be downloaded with one click or tap, and provide educational and entertainment value to children and adults alike.

Your PicPocket Book is a perfect complement to regular story time with parents or grandparents, and a gentle alternative to flashy, fast-paced digital media time.

Benefits:
- high fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book
- high quality audio recording
- Learn-to-read highlighting feature
- Animated details and audio “hot spots” emphasize the storyline
- turn pages with an easy swipe

Language: English

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Recommended Ages:  3-6, 6-10
Subject: BOOK, READING

“What a helpful book coming out of a timely and entertaining new series for children.  We love Ruby’s Studio!”  — Jennifer Garner, actress & mother
“Take a look at Ruby’s Studio!  It’s fun and important.  Kids who are good at expressing feelings grow up more confident, smarter, healthier  …and happier!”  – Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, creator of the DVD/book “The Happiest Toddler On The Block”

ABOUT RUBY’S STUDIO
“Edutainment at its best” – Daily Candy

Ruby’s Studio is a series of helpful shows, books, products and apps designed to assist young kids in developing character, a stronger sense of self-worth, and solid problem-solving skills. Brought to you by The Mother Company: mamas on a mission to “Help Parents Raise Good People” by nurturing social and emotional literacy in the next generation.

As mothers of preschoolers, we know first-hand that the most important lessons we can teach our young children are based in social and emotional learning:  how to be a good friend, how to share, how to be nice to your sibling, how to move past bedtime struggles, how to appropriately express your feelings, etc.  The ABC’s and 123’s will come; the main challenge in raising a young child is how to best lay the foundation to become a good person.
Dubbed “The Whole Foods of children’s entertainment,” our award-winning Ruby’s Studio products are stylish and gently paced, with a homegrown organic appeal and old-school aesthetic.  For parents, we also offer TheMotherCo.com, a beautiful, easy to navigate website with world-renowned expert advice around the same social and emotional issues we all face as we strive to raise good people.
Discover more at www.TheMotherCo.com

ABOUT THIS APP:
Features:
-Narration by the beloved Ruby, from “Ruby’s Studio”
-Original music
-High fidelity, full-color illustrations of adorable felt creatures
-Learn-to-read highlighting feature
-Animated details and tappable audio “hot spots” emphasize the storyline
-Turn pages with an easy swipe

Language: English

ABOUT PICPOCKET BOOKS
PicPocket Books brings quality children’s picture book literature to digital media. Now, children can enjoy their favorites stories on-the-go, even when they do not have a physical book to read.

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level, subtle support for early readers, and nostalgic fun for adults.

Whether standing in a grocery line, taking a car trip, or waiting in a doctor’s office, PicPocket Books provide personal, interactive story experiences. The books can be downloaded with one click or tap, and provide educational and entertainment value to children and adults alike.

Your PicPocket Book is a perfect complement to regular story time with parents or grandparents, and a gentle alternative to flashy, fast-paced digital media time.

PicPocket Books is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.

Recommended Ages: 0-3, 3-6, parents
Subject: BOOK, READING, PRESCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN, EDUCATIONAL

Originally published by PBS Parents

Is anyone else fascinated when parents turn to their offspring for help programming (or even answering) their smartphones? Children’s seemingly pre-wired proficiency with today’s technology is amazing. The high-tech world is advancing at lightning speed, and as “digital natives,” no one’s adapting more quickly than kids.

Case in point, toddlers love to talk on the telephone. They’ve always loved talking on the telephone. Today’s toddlers, however, are infatuated with cell phones, and parents beware: even a 20-month-old knows the difference between the real deal and a toy stand-in (and far prefer the former).

It’s not surprising, therefore, that according to a recent CNN report, four of the top 10 best-selling educational iPhone apps are designed for children under the age of five. And the benefits of such advanced technology may go beyond mere distraction from a checkout line’s candy display.

The Benefits of Apps

According to developmental psychologist Peter Gray, engaging with an app is preferable to a passive activity such as watching TV. “[Kids are] interested in tools where they can actually make something happen,” notes Gray, which isn’t surprising because “we are a tool-using species.”

“These ‘mobile kids’ are the purest breed yet of natives to the wireless world where the rest of us are refugees,” concurs Neil Swidey through a Boston Globe article. “Parents use [digital technology] to distract a less-than-thrilled child in the grocery store, but quickly become amazed by how instinctively tech-savvy even a toddler is. This generation will use technology far more than we can even imagine today.”

“Touch-based devices like the iPhone and iPad harness this fundamental human instinct and remove the complexity of the keyboard and mouse for interacting with the computer,” notes Bryan O’Malley of Axeva.com. “As a result, it’s possible for young children to explore the world of computer learning at a much younger age.”

Abbie Davies, president of My First Yoga, also agrees that many apps are “beneficial for the younger set.” Yet she also points out that “while apps can both educate and stimulate, just like any other form of media, it is important for parents to make informed decisions about the apps being downloaded for or by their children.”

Criteria for Choosing Appropriate Downloads

Parents who turn to apps as a way to educate, entertain or merely distract their children are overwhelmed by the thousands of options combined with hundreds of ratings and user comments. What guidelines can parents use to make informed decisions regarding which apps to download – and which to avoid?

Brett Singer, the founder of DaddyTips.com, advises “I’m very careful about what apps I put on the device because there is no way (that I know of) to block inappropriate content. I either stay with certain publishers (Sesame Street apps are always appropriate), or try the app out myself before I give it to the kids.”

User reviews and comments can also point parents in the right direction. Notes Singer, “Reading user reviews on the iTunes store helps, and online app guides are a good place to start. The posted age ranges are useful, but like movie ratings, parents should consider their own values and standards.”

“When choosing an iPhone app for a child of any age,” advises Davies, “make sure to think about [your] objectives. Will this app be an educational tool? A time filler? Even if an app is amazingly educational, it’s always important to remember to encourage using apps in moderation.”

Lynette Mattke, co-founder of MomsWithApps and Publisher at PicPocket Books, reminds parents to “remember [that] kids are best engaged when the features in an app address as many senses as possible and when these features offer variations on a theme, and are not too repetitive. For instance, putting different outfits on different characters offers variation and holds a child’s interest, while shooting or popping identical objects gets repetitive.”

Mattke also recommends book apps, which are “fun and educational, and often stimulate conversations that continue long after the device is put away.”

“A ‘bookapp,’” notes Mattke, “is a term used to describe a book that is downloaded as an app and displayed to be read on the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Some bookapps have animations and other interactive features. Most have audio recordings.”

When to Be Cautious About Apps

Possibly more important than knowing what to look for in choosing an appropriate app is knowing what to stay away from. The most important goal is protecting a child’s privacy and ensuring his safety.

To that end, Stanley Holditch of InternetSafety.com advises parents to be wary of apps that require peer interaction. “Marketers and app developers are quickly learning that kids are the most active social networkers,” warns Holditch. “Peer interaction at young ages can and does lead to cyberbullying. Parents should base their decisions on whether or not to allow a child to engage in peer interaction through social networks and apps based on the child’s maturity level and the average maturity level of their peers [rather than] the age requirements of the network or app.”

Another feature of which parents should be wary: geolocation apps. “Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter, GoWalla and even Apple’s MobileMe data network are all embracing geolocation as the latest way to bring people together,” mentions Holditch. “Parents need to be wary of this trend, since the essential component to all geolocation apps is revealing the user’s location in real-time. Depending on how vigilant the child/parent is about privacy settings, these apps are capable of revealing the child’s exact location in real-time to complete strangers.”

The Future of Apps

There’s no arguing that we’re only at the beginning of the app revolution.

According to Casey Ayers, president of MegatonApps, we should “expect educational gaming to take the forefront in kid-targeted apps,” while Jesse Feiler, author of Get Rich With Apps believes that “lots of drawing programs” will soon hit the market. William Weil, co-founder and CEO of Tales2Go, believes that “niche educational apps…within categories such as behavior, writing, science, math” are about to break loose.

Barbara Pritchard, executive producer at Smashing Devices, believes that the children’s book publishing industry will hit the app world by storm. “Enhanced books allow us (as designers and producers) to add interactivity into the reading experience, fully engaging kids and encouraging them to want to read more. [Of the] Top 10 titles in the iTunes iPad app store for kids, five are ebook titles. We think this trend will only continue to get bigger.”

O’Malley summed up the trajectory of iPhone apps by noting, “I suspect that someday we’ll look back at the early 2000′s as a major turning point in the way we consume information. Our children will be the first to grow up in the Touch Generation. Without the steep computer learning curve that past children faced, imagine how much faster these kids will be absorbing information?”

Imagine, indeed!