The Huffington Post noted that Simon & Schuster has launched their first Vook titles. Vooks combine book and video aimed, not at those over twenties, but at pre-teens and teenagers.
Scholastic’s 39 Clues is a major hit already.
Launched in September 2008, the action/adventure series follows siblings Amy and Dan on an action-packed, globe-trotting treasure hunt for the source of their ancestral power39 Clues is not just a series of books. There’s a website, games, prizes, collectible cards, audiobooks, a Steven Spielberg film deal in the works, and apps for the iPod and iTouch.
How popular is the series?
As reported in Publishers Weekly as of June, the 39 Clues web site had attracted more than 500,000 online game users from 191 countriesLots of other publishers and authors are racing to jump on the virtual wagon. As The Huffington Post notes:
Most of today's teens are online, and that's where publishing has to go if they want to reach them.
Yes to this - Most of today's teens are online, and that's where publishing has to go if they want to reach them.
ReplyDeleteGenial dispatch and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you on your information.
ReplyDeleteWow, a writer for the younger set really needs to keep up with technology!
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that older readers won't want/need all those bells and whistles too. :)
My kids have absolutely NO problem reading online. I think there's just no question what direction the industry is heading in.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Helen - I really appreciate your diligence in bringing us this sort of information! Your posts are always so illuminating. I like it.
ReplyDeleteI was curious when the Vook was launched if it would find a home.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my kids are grown, not kids anymore, but they are of the generation that grew up with the Internet. They are comfortable with it. Although they both read print books, they also would interact with Vook and not be intimidated by such a thing. It's a strange...wonderful new world, I think.
ReplyDeleteI have one kid who reads online quite a bit, but still prefers books, and one who really isn't into the computer - only uses it because it's required for school. It will be interesting to see how this all evolves.
ReplyDeleteWell this is interesting information to know '39 Clues'.. will check it out.
ReplyDeleteThank you
BM
Oh, please say it isn't so! I know that's the way we are headed, but I don't much care for it. I enjoy the internet, but there's still nothing like holding a good book to read.
ReplyDeleteMy youth reviewers use their computers for everything, but they still get more pleasure from a paperback than an electronic book. There is room and use for both I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree, there's room for both. My kids are Internet savvy, but they both still read print books. My son is a huge reader. He has books stacked everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bring Vooks to my attention, they sound like fun. As for little ol me, I will stick with paper format books. I hope print books will always be around.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how I ask a question in my own blog and someone else writes about it in another. You can read the whole thing here: http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com but the basic idea is this - we introduce books to our children as cloth first, then board books, then fancier pop-ups and sensory experiences (feel the soft bunny, scratch the flower and smell it). I believe those early experiences drive us toward paper books. What will replace them, electronically, to make eBooks/Vooks the natural way to read stories? Seriously, I'd love to hear some ideas.
ReplyDeleteAs much as we might not want to jump on the virtual bandwagon, it definitely cannot be ignored. I'm only hoping there will be a blend of different types of stories, books and virtual. I'm still reluctant to call stories completely online with bells and whistles "books."
ReplyDeleteKids today don't think getting their stories online as an unnatural way to "read." They've been doing it for years in the form of games. It started with the early console games. "Link" had a story to it, as did Mario. Today kids play online games with thousands of other players from around the world. The game has a story; they act out the story, change it, expand it; become it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's a marketing ploy to make money,just like when Star Wars merchandising changed the movie industry in the 70s. I fear for the kids who won't learn to visualize a world in their head from just reading.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of any type of reading but I hope the vook technology doesn't take away the imagination needed to enjoy a book. Will the children growing up with video books still be able to create their own interpretations of the characters and worlds in their heads? What will it do to their creativity?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, my daughter often refers to an online version of her biology text book when studying. The graphics for things like cell division are incredible and really help with understanding. I'm a firm believer there will always be a place in our world for paper books but I also believe there are huge benefits to be had by embracing the available technology for reading, writing and learning.
I like my I-Touch, but I can't imagine reading a book on it... Guess I'm old enough to still want a paper hardcopy.
ReplyDeleteNo sense in fighting it - and it makes all the sense in the business world to deliver product in a form that will reach people. My 5 yr old granddaughter can figure out my new cell phone and all the stuff it can do faster than I can. Kids these days have an extra "E" gene that peeps from my generation just don't have, it seems.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Silly
I like that, Marvin - kids today having an extra "E" gene.
ReplyDeleteThose of us who belong to the parent generation, are older than the PC (the first IBM PC was released in 1981). Our kids are not. They're grown up with these machines, and using them for basically everything appears natural.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting more and more digital myself. Now I scan all my hand-written notes and math analysis, and throw the paper originals in the garbage.
But still I think it's nice to have the good old paper books, when I'm sitting in airports and airplanes, on the beach, and in mountain cabins, where electricity and networks are absent.
I'm a paper person, but I love the creativity that's going into creating all the varied tie-ins. My mind is boggled.
ReplyDeleteI always carry a book with me when I fly, but I think I might could get used to an e-reader. Maybe. Not sure.
ReplyDeleteKathy, it boggles my mind, too.
Vooks? Ginger, you're bringing out my inner Luddite.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Bob. I hadn't thought of that.
ReplyDeleteVery good points. Though I'm not one of the youth, I was first in line to buy the Kindle for a different reason: disabilities.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing about this e-Book subject right now, Helen. If you don't mind, I'm quoting you and linking to this article in my blog series, A Self-Publishing Journey: http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?page_id=6016
It will go live on the 27th or before. I'll be sure and send you the permalink when it posts. Thankx for the insights. Have the best day ever, everyone.
Helen, here's the permalink to the post where I quoted and linked to you. Got it done sooner than I thought: http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=6231
ReplyDeleteThe idea of tailoring one of my works to something both paper and electronic both excites and worries me... but to get the message out (whatever that message may be), I believe we need to be ready, as artists, to learn about new mediums and forms of expression as authors. Cool post.
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