Tuesday 22 January 2013
#readitmummiesanddaddies2013 - E-books, MeBooks and making the story your own
Posted by
ReadItDaddy
at
January 22, 2013
Labels:
#readitmummiesanddaddies2013,
e-books,
Made in Me,
MeBooks,
storytelling apps,
The Froobles,
Top That Publishing
The MeBooks Library. Classics old and new |
Some time ago we covered a rather innovative app called MeBooks by MadeInMe, a company that produces engaging apps to stimulate a child's love of stories and plays.
MeBooks is one of a brace of storefront-led storybook apps but what makes MeBooks stand out is the ability for parents and children to customise the stories themselves.
Shown below is a typical MeBook page layout with the innovative hotspots in place:
Hotspots mark out areas where dialogue and sound can be added to your favourite stories |
The store works particularly well, and has a brilliant selection of books both old and new (including some of our all time favourites like "Not Now, Bernard" by David McKee and the sublime classic Ladybird children's fairy tale books, complete with all that lovely lovely painted artwork.
To get you up and running, you get a book for free with optional in-app purchases for the other titles. Depending on your point of view about paying for e-books these aren't too unreasonably priced so you can soon build up quite a library of brilliant stories to share, read, record and enjoy.
MeBooks (available from the app store, free with optional in-app purchases)
We're starting to see more and more instances of 'customisation' in e-books and storytelling apps and we firmly believe that if you can let a child and their parents 'own' a story in some way, putting their personal stamp on it, it feels all the more enjoyable and truly 'theirs'.
Apps that allow children to make up their own stories are equally welcome, particularly when an app gives children the assets they need to start building a story or even an interactive play without needing artistic skills and expertise. We've seen quite a few apps like this but the standout is definitely Top That Publishing's 'The Froobles'. Again, available for free with optional in-app purchases, the free version is absolutely packed full of potential.
Make your own plays and stories with The Froobles |
The app also contains a great selection of entertaining stories featuring the Froobles gang, as well as other activities like colouring and drawing.
Colour in your favourite members of the Froobles gang |
The Storybook app market is exploding at the moment, but in our next article we'll be looking into (perhaps not so) dim and distant future, and how new emerging technology may offer new and exciting ways to engage children and parents with reading using their favourite gadgetry.