Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Apps are Coming

Not surprisingly, apps are coming to children’s e-books. There have already been some made, so the Austin chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is exploring the possibilities at an all-day symposium this coming Sunday.

The Austin American Statesman, in an article called “Storybook apps for kids a major topic among children's book writers and artists” noted:
In 2003, writer and Austinite Lindsey Lane and illustrator Melissa Iwai published an adorable children's book called "Snuggle Mountain."

This year, the story had a digital comeback. It was released as an app for the iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch devices in May.
Deanna Roy, an Austin author and publisher at Casey Shay Press said:
Authors and developers can no longer settle for a book with a painting or puzzle game at the end. They have to be brilliant, interactive and bold….

True apps offer interactivity and delightful unexpected features a paper book could never include. Otherwise, you just have a screen version of a paper book.
This is not all that surprising to me. What do you think? Are apps for kids’ e-books the next big step in children’s publishing? How long before all children’s e-books will have apps?

9 comments:

  1. It's not surprising to me either. I'm torn, though, on apps, or even interactive ebooks for kids. While I think they are great entertainment, and may encourage kids to read, they also have the potential to "ruin" reading by making the words and story secondary.

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  2. I think it's inevitable. And if it encourages children to read... why not?

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  3. I'm not even sure what apps are...

    I remember when my kids were young they came out with cassette players in kid-proof cases. I'm sure the 'tough-stuff' Kindles aren't far behind.

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  4. I think we all tend to have reservations when something new comes on-scene. And while we're vacillating, that "new" thing becomes old hat and something newer is marching onto the stage. I'm not surprised that children's books are becoming more interactive. Not sure I embrace it whole-heartedly, but am more sure that I can't stop it.

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  5. It took me a while to figure out what 'apps' were ... but, then, I'm always a little slow on the uptake ... anyway, I think you hit it with your response comment, Helen ... ain't no stopping it, so, I guess we just gotta roll with it.

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  6. Apps are all over the place now. I used to think that I was pretty competent on computer stuff, doing number crunching on super computers and stuff like that, but I've never grasped this app thing >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  7. Yes. Apps are here to stay. Long as the internet and our current civilization stays intact.

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  8. I think so. Heck, make them for adults as well!

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  9. I'm trying to get my son, who works at a gaming company to make an app and sell it. He actually has an idea for one. I don't know that I would want an app in a book I'm reading. Although... I'm not saying I wouldn't want one. There's probably some nifty app that could be put in that would work well with the book and capture my attention. But I wouldn't want it to take me so far from the book that I never come back to finish the story.

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