Four Classic Storybooks - Reimagined for the Modern Family
LINCOLNWOOD, Ill., April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Four additions to the Barnes & Noble NOOK Book Store celebrate the best of classic children's storytelling - while adding features that modern families want and need.
Publications International, Ltd. (PIL) has chosen four of its most popular picture book titles for 2- to 5-year-olds - Sweet Dream Kisses, 10 Tiny Puppies, Rainbow Kittens, and Snow White - and carefully converted them into interactive NOOK books whose musical accents and sound effects set them apart from more typical offerings.
Pricing is standout too: just $0.99 per book.
The books' subject matter fosters counting skills (10 Tiny Puppies) and color recognition (Rainbow Kittens), and supports cultural literacy (Snow White) and "cuddle time" with parents (Sweet Dream Kisses).
"Everybody remembers curling up with mom or dad to read a storybook together," says Louis Weber, PIL's CEO and President. "It's an experience we all value and want to continue, even as modern life, and modern schedules, make it more difficult to achieve."
Cue PIL's expertise in interactive storytelling. Since 1967, the company has been a leader in finding ways to help young readers interact with the stories they're reading. PIL's "sound books" make it possible to add music, sound effects, and spoken word on demand.
"E-books are a natural extension of the thinking behind our sound books," says Weber. "When kids can help shape their own reading experience, they read longer, with more focus and more comprehension."
Educational studies support this view. A recent report from the Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning indicates that kindergarteners who used a digital tablet scored higher on literacy tests and were more interested in learning.
PIL's new NOOK books offer readers a menu of options, including:
-- Read by Myself
-- Read to Me
-- Read and Record, which allows a parent or grandparent to record the
story in his or her own voice, for playback on demand
In addition to their educational value, NOOK books from PIL offer an exceptional classic storytime experience.
"We approached the book-to-NOOK conversion process with optimum quality as our goal," says Jennifer Goldstein, PIL's Executive Vice President, Children's Books and Digital. "We want these e-books to engage readers' eyes and ears, minds and hearts."
In PIL's NOOK books, lovely original illustrations have been carefully reformatted to fit reader screens, and professional narration is accompanied by sound effects and musical accents arranged for each project.
"This four-title release is the first of an ongoing series we're planning for NOOK books," says CEO Weber. "Our goal is to build a unique library of beautifully crafted stories that children love, at a price their parents love too."
Sweet Dream Kisses, 10 Tiny Puppies, Rainbow Kittens, and Snow White are now available in the Children's section of the Barnes & Noble NOOK Book Store. Cost: $0.99 per book.
Founded in 1967 by CEO Louis Weber, Publications International is one of North America's leading publishers of mass market books, periodicals, and educational products, in categories including children's, cooking, automotive, sports, reference, travel, inspirational and, most recently, digital books and applications for smart phones and tablet computers. The company is a long-time leader in the field of interactive sound storybooks for young readers. PIL works with a wide variety of popular and respected children's licenses, including Sesame Workshop, Disney, and Nickelodeon. PIL products are sold around the globe. For more information, contact Sera Hayes at shayes@pubint.com
p i kids is a trademark of Publications International, Ltd., and is registered in the United States.