Evaluating Book Apps for Children: a mini-series (part 1)

I’m a school librarian, passionate about bringing stories and information to children in ways that will engage them and want them to read more. When we got our iPad in the spring of 2010, I was a bit sceptical - how were we going to use it? But I was quickly surprised how each one of us in our family started finding ways they really loved it. I’ve been amazed how iPad book apps can engage children with stories they knew, but adding and integrating new content, encouraging children to interact with stories, and enabling young children to read stories by themselves.

Over the next week, I would like to take a break from reviewing specific books and take some time to start reflecting on what makes a Book App for children successful. Above all, I'd like to think about how books created in this new medium can engage children, can help them get excited about reading, can make books and information more accessible.

This discussion came as a result of a presentation I led at last weekend's KidLitCon, and could not be possible without the immense creative help and thoughts of Paula Willey (PinkMe) and Betsy Bird (Fuse #8), my amazing, dynamic co-presenters. Below are my thoughts, but are shaped in huge part by both of their thinking on this subject.

(from the left) Paula Willey, me and Betsy Bird at KidLitCon

Two things fascinate me: how much does the medium shape our expectations? or are children really just interested in whether the story pulls them into the experience? When we read a book, we come to expect certain things. We turn the pages, we wait at each page and think a moment. Or we know we can flip the pages back and forth. When we open a webpage, we expect to be able to drag the scroll bar up and down, click our mouse on hyperlinks, and use the back button to take us back to where we started. So what are children expecting as they turn on an iPad? How do these expectations - usually developed, quite honestly, with games like Angry Birds - shape their reaction to Book Apps? You expect to poke something and have it respond to your actions. You expect it to change and move.

Book apps are interactive computer programs based on books; specifically here, I am talking about apps sold for the iPad and iPhone through the Apple iTunes app market. There are also apps sold through the Android market for other tablets and smart phones, but because the Apple market is the largest (and the iPad is what I have), that’s what I’ll be talking about here. These are not ebooks, which are essentially reprinting of the text and pictures. They are interactive books, which means that you can poke or press different parts and they respond to your actions.

What do you think are key features for a Book App that is geared toward children? How can these interactive programs engage our children and develop literacy skills? What are some examples of the best apps you've encountered?

Stay tuned, as I explore these questions and more. Below are links to the series as it develops:

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Navigation
• Part 3: Narration
• Part 4: Pacing and Chunking

To search out reviews I've done on Book Apps, click the "ebook" label on the right side of the blog (or click here).

(note: photo is from Flickr, Creative Commons, by Alec Couros)

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.