Core Facts

•   Penguin Group (NZ), in partnership with Kiwa Media, is bringing a number of popular children's picture books into the digital arena with QBook: the world's first touch-enabled and interactive read-along storybook.
•   QBook designed specifically for children for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
•   QBook is completely intuitive. Swipe-to-Read™ enables children to run their fingers across the words and letters and hear the story read aloud as the graphics pop and change color. Touch-to-Hear™ allows children to hear the individual word spoken and Touch-to-Spell™ enables the child to actually hear the word being spelt.
•   Children and parents can customize each QBook by recording their own voice and coloring in every picture in the book.
•   There are also games and puzzles included in the QBook, Wordfind and Memory Pairs
•   Users can switch languages to explore the QBook story and puzzles in Spanish, French, Portuguese and New Zealand Maori.
•   QBook software tool allows for the production of 1000s of digital books in multiple languages
•   QBook available on Window's 7, Symbian & Android in May 2010
•   QBook launches with Sebastian's Tail (Penguin) and Milly, Molly and the Tree Hut (MMH)
•   Coming soon - Flick,The Red Fire Engine, Wheelbarrow Wilbur, That's Not Junk (Penguin), Oh Hogwash Sweet Pea, Barnaby Bennett (Huia Publishing), Milly, Molly series (x 50 titles - MMH)
•   Kiwa Media in discussion with other major publishers including Harper Collins and Random House
•   Download and try Seb's Tail QBook Lite from the iTunes App Store

Quotes

Roger Shakes, Kiwa Media Vice President, Business Development

‘The option to buy children's books in the digital arena has been rather limited. QBook has been designed to give kids the most interactive reading experience whilst still retaining all the elements of the original book. Reading a QBook on an iPad is going to be awesome.'

‘Children are turning to screens to explore the world.  Reading is essential as ever and it will always be the foundation of a good education. Why not get started with a QBook?'

‘We've developed a software tool that enables us to migrate large numbers of children's book titles for all Apple's touch enabled screens. Publishers can opt to include a range of games and puzzles to enhance the interactive experience, but the book remains at the center of the content.'

Jeff Atkinson, General Manager, Publishing and Production Penguin Group (NZ)

‘QBook represents a unique opportunity for us at Penguin to expand our revenue and provide children with an engaging reading experience across multiple languages on touch enabled devices, including the iPad.'

Gill Pittar, Author, Milly, Molly and the Tree Hut

‘It is most exciting to see Milly, Molly available as an e-book. QBook is a huge leap forward in digital publishing for children's picture books and we look forward to seeing all our Milly, Molly books in the hands of young children.'