Dot Learnt

In the world of eBooks, the newest trend is the eBook trailer. These digital creations are a promotional tool meant to get people excited about the release of a new story much the same way movie trailers build up hype.

Varying in length and complexity, I have found that the best trailers are simple – incorporating exciting music with snippets of the app to encourage a further look into the eBook’s website. These eBook trailers allow the author’s creative process to come alive and gives viewers an inside glimpse into the personalities of each of the book’s characters.

Unfortunately for our little (and teen) readers, the trend has yet to catch on fully in the realm of children’s books. But  you can find few examples of eBook trailers below – and be sure to check out our own trailer for The Adventures of BB and Sam!

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Future authors of the world: we are here to share with you what eBook publishers are saying about the art of eBook creation!

How to Publish Your Own Book in 2012: Geek is chic and apparently so is publishing an eBook. This shortlist offers up the most useful such as BookBrewer and Lulu,  available to those eager to make waves in the eBook market.

How to Publish a Children’s eBook: Looking to unearth the world of children’s books? This blog post walks you through various ways to break in with tips on how to design an eBook, interactive/animated app or audiobook.

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Apparently, it’s closer than we all think.  The future of education, I mean.

Wireless Generation has been working to put the power of technology into students’ bookbags and educators’ toolkits. The minds at Wireless Generation are now offering a brilliant new curriculum that has challenged conventional methods for  teaching all subjects from language arts to the sciences and mathematics.

This tablet device put forth by the edtech gurus instantly recognizes the student, what they’re studying and what assignments they have for school. Organized by course, students have access to a plethora of apps and multimedia,  trusted resources and real-time communication tools with classmates and educators.

Teachers are instantly tapped into the lives of students, allowing them to engage students and offer recommendations based on a student’s real time performance levels and interests. This added component ensures that students are not trapped behind the confines of a teched out world.
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Interactive infographics, GPS locators, dynamic texts and pop-up images. This is the future of literature. And this captivating TED talk gives you a first hand look at the power of the digital book.

As the next generation becomes our generation, the way we learn must evolve with the times. Books serve a purpose – to teach and immerse readers in a different world. With everything else in our world getting tech-ed out, from the way we travel to the way we do business, it’s about time our books converse back with us. (more…)

Before making your next app purchase, Silvia Rosenthal Toilsano is here to help. Her  great guide helps ensure parents and teachers that their app purchases have educational value beyond pure entertainment.

Before dishing out your credit card information in the App Store, take a step back and assess the elements that Toilsano poses:

1)    Value – Does this app bring something new to the table? Does it motivate the learner on a new level?
2)    Connection – Does the app relate to the curriculum taught in school? Is the content relevant?
3)    Possibility – Does the app have the potential of getting the learner to apply certain skills beyond the initial context? What is the app’s impact?
4)    Difference – What is the difference in using the app as opposed to teaching the material yourself? What is your opportunity cost?
5)    Potential – Will this app transform the learner’s thinking? (more…)

If you intend to excite your child about the world of books, our recent reading research is meant to help spread the word on ways to turn your tike into a confident enthusiast of reading. Utilize your eReader or tablet and check out our lucky 7 list of top reading apps for this summer!

The Going to Bed Book:
For the hands of your 2 – 5 year olds
Ridiculously cute, this book turned app follows the story of little critters as they get ready for bed. Striking the perfect balance between interaction and comprehension, you’ll love its focus on reading skills and creativity!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore:
For the hands of your 4 – 12 year olds
With an enthusiasm and zeal for words and animation that bursts off your eReader’s screen, this  app drives your little learner’s desire to read. Taps will change the season, swipes will work the pages – in its entirety, Mr. Morris Lessmore does justice to the reading process.

Aesop’s Quest:
For the hands of your 2 – 6 year olds
This learning game quizzes students on different elements of the story in order to progress to the next chapter or level. With a reward at the end of each segment, the quest is completed once you have acquired all the puzzle pieces – read, play and solve!

Reading for Details:
For the hands of your 4 – 11 year olds (different levels)
This MiniMod Bingo game helps students extract from their stories the 5W’s (Who, What, Where, When and Why). The interactive feature allows users to sync up their iPad with a buddy for a friendly round of reading competition!
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The recent Joan Ganz Cooney Center quick study, “Print books vs. eBooks” has caused quite a stir in reading and techno-panic circles—inspiring paper book purists to condemn eBooks all together and the eBook curious to become more vociferous about the merits and potential of tablet-based literary experiences. These articles beg the questions: What were the results of the study? Why should parents and children’s book lovers care?

“Print books vs. eBooks” study in a nutshell:

Purpose of study:  To compare parent-child reading interactions, child reading engagement and child reading comprehension across basic, eBook and enhanced (multi-media) book formats.

Methodology: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center “recruited 32 pairs of parents and their 3-6-year-old children at the New York Hall of Science’s Preschool Place. Each pair read a print book and either an enhanced or basic e-book while researchers videotaped their interactions and took observational notes. Following the co-reading task, researchers tested the children on their comprehension of the story and interviewed parents about their reading practices at home and elsewhere.”

Results:

“Across all book formats, children performed nearly equally when asked to explain a critical element in the story.”

“Children who read enhanced eBooks recalled significantly fewer narrative details than children who read the print version of the same story.”

“When measuring overall engagement—a composite of parent-child interaction, child-book interaction, parent-book interaction, and signs of enjoyment—63% of the pairs were as engaged reading the print book as they were when reading the e-book (both types).”

“When measuring child-book engagement (e.g., direct attention, touch), more children showed higher levels of engagement for the e-books than the print books… Children also physically interacted with the enhanced e-book more than when reading either the print or basic e-book.” See full study details here.

What does this study have to do with my child? Why should I care? (more…)

With the recent release of BB and Sam, I was on the search for children’s lit bloggers. To my surprise, I stumbled upon a plethora of ramblings on what I soon discovered to be a treasure trove of modern day once upon a time’s. For some foresight on the must-see children’s literature bloggers that will inspire your child’s reading, read on!

1) BookDads
One word description: Unique
Thoughts: I love the fact that this blog is written not only by a father, but by a stay-at-home father who is an inspiring author himself. The site provides a unique viewpoint on children’s literature for dads who are looking to join in on the bedtime story fun.

2) Into the Wardrobe
One word description: Inspiring
Thoughts: As noted in her about section, the author writes for the “young and the young at heart.” In search of story that will take you far, far away to another land? This blog is your calling.

3) Paper Tigers
One word description: Explorative
Thoughts: Dedicated to teaching kids about the world, the multicultural and international books suggestions immerse kids in the lands of the near and far!

4) Lori Calabrese Writes
One word description: Lively
Thoughts: With a passion that resonates off the screen, it is apparent that Lori has a knack for all things pleasing. Intrigued by picturesque stories, her selections are bound to be a hit with the kids! (more…)

With long car rides, layovers and multi-time zone flights taking charge of your summer, you’re looking for ways to keep your little one occupied. We’re here to share with you ways to inspire a love for reading in your children with these eBook gems!

Solar Systems for iPad: Your child will be consumed for hours on end with this interactive exploration. You’ll have a grand tour of the diverse planet system. With over 40 fully rotatable and zoomable 3D objects and 600 images offered by NASA, ESA and JAXA space mission, your child will find this book to be out of this world!

Wild About Books: Named a New York Times Best Children’s Book for the iPad, this interactive picture book will take your child on an exotic safari excursion. Tilt, swipe and tap away to make the most of the unique 3-D environment.

The Adventures of BB and Sam: This Bon Education created eBook  explores multiculturalism and raises global awareness like  no other eBook I have come across. Plus, the parent pack is the go-to guide for how you can interact with your child in their reading process. Bon voyage! (more…)

With BB and Sam jet setting the world, I thought it would be an appropriate time to check in with the creative minds behinds the series. Take a look at this quick interview with Co-Founders, Anna and Chris Batchelder as they share their outlook on the importance of global awareness and eBooks for kids reading.

What inspired you to create The Adventures of BB and Sam series?

The answer is simple. We are passionate about reading and promoting global awareness amongst children (and adults) around the world! We also have a travel bug. But we have a different philosophy on travel. A lot of people visit a country and try to see as much of it as possible. We prefer to park ourselves in one or two cities for a period of 2-3 weeks and absorb the vibe of the place: the food, culture, people. The best way to get to know a place is to live there. It’s tough when there are so many countries in the world.

What is your process for creating e-books for kids and families?

First we select the country we want to focus on in each story. We spend a significant amount of time in that country learning about the culture, taking photos, capturing original video footage and imagining possible storylines.

Then a tremendous amount of time is spent working with the Bon Education team to write the story, edit it and make sure it is exciting and age-appropriate. We have children, parents and teachers in different countries read the story drafts along the way, to make sure we are on the right track.

We work with our amazing illustrator Richard Peter David to create character and scene sketches, full color illustrations and interactive diagrams. (more…)