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"They'll never replace a physical book."

"I'd rather feel the paper in my hands."

Have you guys heard these statements when having a discussion about digital books? I don't know about you guys, but I'm continually amazed at how far the technology has come when it comes to interactive digital books for kids for Smartphones and tablets. And although they might not replace a physical book, they certainly are a welcome addition to any child's library and they're a ton of fun.

That's why TouchyBooks, the world’s leading digital children’s bookstore with over 500,000 downloads and 300 titles, is announcing big changes in the next few weeks with the launch of TouchyBooks 2.0.

TouchyBooks will soon reveal its redesigned online store that will provide a cleaner, crisper, more user friendly interface, including a voting system, ticker to indicate total times a book has been read, parental controls on purchases, and more.

TouchyBooks is a excellent solution for parents who are looking for a collection of interactive and engaging stories for kids ages 2-7 all organized in a user-friendly bookstore app.

With this launch comes tons of prizes for their Facebook and Twitter fans during a weeklong celebration of activities and sharing, so be sure to "Like" their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter!

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I don't know about you, but I'm addicted to children's book apps, which is why I was excited to hear that WHEN I GROW UP, the children's book by "Weird Al" Yankovic is now available as an interactive app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.    

Not only does it have narration by Weird Al, there are multiple interactions and animations on every screen, fun and challenging games based on the story, and the ability to personalize the app! 3 interactive games give users the opportunity to try their hand at unusual career options from the story.  Never shaved a tarantula before?   Well, here’s your chance in the “Tarantula Shaver” game! Or test your job qualifications with “Extreme Snail Race” and “Gorilla Masseuse."

The WHEN I GROW UP app is available for $2.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, or at www.iTunes.com/AppStore.

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You may know 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', but interactive children's book publisher See Here Studios has announced the release of its third iPad Tickle Book® app, “The Three Pandas.” See Here Studios pushed the envelope for iPad children's books with it's groundbreaking 3D picture book, "The Wrong Side of the Bed"--that's right, 3D glasses give you a new perspective of a children's book on an iPad! Now, See Here Studios has melded appealing character animation, touch interaction and music into a delightful reading experience in “The Three Pandas," viewable in both English and Chinese.

Based on the “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” fable, the book transports readers to the bamboo forest and the home of three adorable panda bears. “The Three Pandas” is a gorgeously animated storybook that features cinematic film intros for key story moments and touchable characters on every page. An original orchestral score, narration and musical sound effects further enrich the reading experience.

I'm continually amazed to see how children's books can be transformed and enhanced on the iPad and "The Three Pandas" offers a “Read to Me”option for full narration or “Read Myself” option to exclude narration; Auto- Play for automatic page turning; readers can learn more about pandas through an educational page and links within the app; you can record one’s own voiceover by tapping the microphone icon; there are over 60 touchable interactions in 30 lushly illustrated storybook pages; animated film- like scenes immerse readers in the bamboo forest; and there's a full orchestral score and musical sound effects.

Most significantly, See Here Studios has formed an association with the nonprofit organization Pandas International to donate a portion of app proceeds to panda conservation efforts. Pandas International is a U.S.- based nonprofit that works directly with the China Conservation & Research Centers for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in southwestern China.

The Three Pandas is priced at $3.99 and is now available for download on Apple's iTunes App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id432778286

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One of my favorite picture books of 2011, How Rocket learned to read, has now been turned into a delightful interactive app for iPads. Here is the write up about it from Random House. It is available for $4.99, a special introductory price.

The New York Times Bestselling picture book that is teaching kids to read is now available as a playful interactive iPad app. Featuring the original story and artwork by Tad Hills, with delightful animations, lots of interactivity, and two bonus early-literacy games to play, children will be captivated by each enchanting page. Plus, the ability to tap each word to hear it spoken, and other educational elements will help your kids learn and love to read.




Please double click on the image to see the full screen. 

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Just in time for Halloween comes a special children's book app by WingedChariot called Scruffy Kitty.

So what's so special about this app? Scruffy Kitty is the first kids' app to get all spooky just for Halloween.

Scruffy Kitty is from American artist Michael Slack, and has a new feature--You buy the app as usual from the iTunes web store, read it, enjoy the animations and make the most of the digital stickers - to the delight of all. Then on a defined and secret date, you open the story on your iPad and the app will unlock a whole new layer of images! In the case of Scruffy Kitty, it's a special version of the story just for Halloween.The exact day is a surprise but you'll see as it's all magically built into this version of the app - no upgrade necessary.

How cool is that? Check out a short video...

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