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!

The PicPocket Books collection includes books which expand horizons with rich, lively illustrations and which are particularly conducive to being read aloud again and again. We work with a variety of publishers and authors and produce books for the iPhone and iPad that have been previously published in print versions. Our goal is to provide children and families with high quality stories that are beautiful, fun to read, and honor diversity.

Enjoy these titles for free on App Friday. Download today; the apps revert back to their regular price after Friday, October 15, 2010! Click on the images below to go straight to the iTunes App Store.

Huggybird and the Dreambox:

Huggybird is a versatile character with a high content hug and a humorous approach. He stands for friendship, hugging, humor and can be a bit mischievious. Huggybird loves himself as he is, but he also likes to dress up to try new roles.

For active and adventurous boys and girls there is a Super Huggybird with some serious super powers. Knight Huggybird or a Pirate Huggybird can lead the way to imaginative adventures. For kids who like some fancy flair, this app also introduces Princess Huggybird, a very sweet bird. She is a true princess with her beautiful pink dress and her diamond crown.

The different characters allow both children and adults to identify with Huggybird. Let them spark creative play for dress up, storytelling, or “let’s pretend!”

Mico: the Mouse Who Was Afraid of the Dark:

Mico is a little mouse with a big fear.

A special friend helps him make discoveries that open up a whole new world for him!

Mico’s story encourages kids to take new steps that lead to positive experiences.

A nice story for little readers, especially ones who have ever been afraid of the dark.

My Friend Isabelle: October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

My Friend Isabelle is a charming story about two young friends, told with simplicity and grace.

Charlie and Isabelle are the same age and share a love of drawing, dancing, playing at the park and snacks! Like most friends, they are also different.

This book offers an opportunity for a discussion about tolerance, acceptance and friendship by showing that “differences are what makes the world so great.”

Best Friends Sleep Over:

Best Friends Sleepover: Gilbert’s friends help him get through his first night away from home in Jacqueline Rogers’ humorous and heartwarming story about friendship. And her richly detailed watercolor paintings perfectly capture the spirit of four rambunctious little boys, who just happen to look like animals. Narration and original ukulele music by the author. Originally published by Scholastic Books.

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!

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.

Playing video games

As an iPhone app developer, mom of three growing kids, and a member of MomsWithApps, I deal with this question every day, professionally and personally. In my mind, the child/iPhone combo often conjures images of images of kids playing video games for hours on end, and that’s often the case. At the same time, there are also some fantastic educational apps and benefits that come from mobile devices. So what might be some characteristics of apps for kids that make them worth downloading?

What limits do you set before you hand your iPhone over?

As a parent, I am looking for apps that start with the iPhone but encourage engagement with the world beyond the device, like sparking conversations with family and friends, exploring “real world” sites and phenomena through maps and geocaching. I applaud apps that truly require strategic and creative thinking, not just mindless repetition. The latest hot app is not necessarily good for kids just because they like it. In selecting apps, parents should look carefully for ones which are gateways back into the “real” world, not just a highway to the couch.

“Educational” means not just math facts, drills, and phonics, but also activities and content that encourage and develop social and communication skills: like PicPocket Books’ picture books, Tales2Go’s audio library or the conversation starters from the Family Matters App. By expanding horizons, these apps become tools for engagement rather than a drug for tuning out.

A pause in the play to check the storyline of Sleeping Beauty

As responsible parents, we must look closely not only at the content we allow our children to experience on the screen, but also how, when, how often, and where they are plugged in to mobile devices or other screens. One of the best ways to practice moderation and to set enforceable limits is to model the right example for your kids. Recognize that technology can be addictive – not only for kids but for adults too. If you don’t want your kids to zone out in front of the screen, then stop constantly checking your own devices. Set boundaries and limits that work for your family, and enforce the rules.

In our household, computers and mobile devices are kept on the main living level so parents can monitor online behavior in terms of content and time spent on-line. We have the kids tell us which games they are playing, what they like about them, and have them show us how they play as well – maybe even play with them, all to ensure that communication and engagement come with the virtual fun. We also make an effort to stay current with new communication platforms and technological developments.

Down the road, knowing how to navigate that world – and engaging in it creatively and actively -  will keep doors open longer for communicating with kids.

Thanks to MomsWithApps’ Lorraine Akemann and Jill Seman for collaborating and contributing to this post.