Once upon a time giving a young child an iPad or E-book reader wouldn’t be too dissimilar to the events in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears; with products being too complications or too mature and the audience far too young for such a product. However now it seems that children’s publishing in the digital age is just right and rapidly increasing.
Gone are the days where libraries are a necessity and printed books an essential aspect of a child’s education because content is so easily accessed with just a few swipes of a screen from home, school or even on the go. “We think that educational use of tablets will increase: more than 40% of primary schools in the UK are using iPads now” (Kate Wilson, 2014)
At first I felt worried when my niece at the age of 5 had her own personal iPad, probably because my first experience with technology was at school and at the age of 11. At 5 years old I carried a ‘book bag’, which had in it my reading and homework for the week, but now in 2014 my niece carries an ipad fully equipped with her essential reading. Upon witnessing her use it with such confidence and excitement, I realised that whilst the world is transcending into a digital era it is important that children adapt with us; as ultimately technology will be a huge part of their future.
Publishers including Random house, Penguin, Nosy Crow and Faber and Faber are all adapting and innovating this new market by providing not only print books and e-book versions but also applications for young audiences. These apps are highly interactive and incorporate gamfication to “provide a completely new and exciting experience” (Nosy Crow 2014)
Nosy Crow publishing seems to be at the cutting edge of tablet and smartphone technology within the children’s publishing sector and this is demonstrated with their latest venture: fully animated, interactive versions of classic children’s stories including: Three little pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.
Here is an example of a Nosy Crow interactive digital book in the form of an application.
According to Frania Hall 2014 there are many reasons as to why publishers are highly attracted to creating apps for children’s picture books and these include:
· They can be marketed internationally
· They can be reproduced cost effectively
· Translations can be arranged easily
· The difference in price between an app and a simple childrens picture book are minor.
Publishers also face additional issues when producing apps, which arise depending on the devices they are on. Apps need updating and improving with the progression of technology in order to make sure they work with advancements of devices and software updates. Apps also need to have longevity and a reason for the user to keep them installed, this can be done via releasing additional content over a time period or regular updates of new material, this content should be free to application users so would need to be considered within the original budget of production. (Frania Hall 2014)
Whilst producing something that is innovative within the publishing sector publishers should also consider that their competition extends way beyond other publishing companies and into various other industries within the entertainment world.
Digital technology within children’s publishing has the potential to be revolutionary within education and at home if done correctly, and I believe that while print books will forever have their place in schools and at home they cannot offer the opportunities and attractions of a digital alternative. I believe devices will be a staple tool within schools and there will be a high demand for publishers to provide content both digitally and printed.
Bibliography
Flood, s. (2014) Digital Publishing: Whats Next. The Guardian [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/10/digital-publishing-next-industry-revolution [Accessed: 18th November 2014]
West, M. (2012) DigitalHall, F., 2013. The Business of Digital Publishing. London: Routledge. Pp.124-126.
Trends in Childrens Book Publishing The Literary Platform [Online] Available at: http://www.theliteraryplatform.com/2012/10/digital-trends-in-childrens-book-publishing/ [Accessed: 18th November 2014]
Woodfine, K. Childrens Books Apps: Whats Next? Book Trust. [Online] Available at: http://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-blogs/blogs/booktrust/519 [Accessed: 18th November 2014]
Gone are the days where libraries are a necessity and printed books an essential aspect of a child’s education because content is so easily accessed with just a few swipes of a screen from home, school or even on the go. “We think that educational use of tablets will increase: more than 40% of primary schools in the UK are using iPads now” (Kate Wilson, 2014)
At first I felt worried when my niece at the age of 5 had her own personal iPad, probably because my first experience with technology was at school and at the age of 11. At 5 years old I carried a ‘book bag’, which had in it my reading and homework for the week, but now in 2014 my niece carries an ipad fully equipped with her essential reading. Upon witnessing her use it with such confidence and excitement, I realised that whilst the world is transcending into a digital era it is important that children adapt with us; as ultimately technology will be a huge part of their future.
Publishers including Random house, Penguin, Nosy Crow and Faber and Faber are all adapting and innovating this new market by providing not only print books and e-book versions but also applications for young audiences. These apps are highly interactive and incorporate gamfication to “provide a completely new and exciting experience” (Nosy Crow 2014)
Nosy Crow publishing seems to be at the cutting edge of tablet and smartphone technology within the children’s publishing sector and this is demonstrated with their latest venture: fully animated, interactive versions of classic children’s stories including: Three little pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.
Here is an example of a Nosy Crow interactive digital book in the form of an application.
According to Frania Hall 2014 there are many reasons as to why publishers are highly attracted to creating apps for children’s picture books and these include:
· They can be marketed internationally
· They can be reproduced cost effectively
· Translations can be arranged easily
· The difference in price between an app and a simple childrens picture book are minor.
Publishers also face additional issues when producing apps, which arise depending on the devices they are on. Apps need updating and improving with the progression of technology in order to make sure they work with advancements of devices and software updates. Apps also need to have longevity and a reason for the user to keep them installed, this can be done via releasing additional content over a time period or regular updates of new material, this content should be free to application users so would need to be considered within the original budget of production. (Frania Hall 2014)
Whilst producing something that is innovative within the publishing sector publishers should also consider that their competition extends way beyond other publishing companies and into various other industries within the entertainment world.
Digital technology within children’s publishing has the potential to be revolutionary within education and at home if done correctly, and I believe that while print books will forever have their place in schools and at home they cannot offer the opportunities and attractions of a digital alternative. I believe devices will be a staple tool within schools and there will be a high demand for publishers to provide content both digitally and printed.
Bibliography
Flood, s. (2014) Digital Publishing: Whats Next. The Guardian [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/10/digital-publishing-next-industry-revolution [Accessed: 18th November 2014]
West, M. (2012) DigitalHall, F., 2013. The Business of Digital Publishing. London: Routledge. Pp.124-126.
Trends in Childrens Book Publishing The Literary Platform [Online] Available at: http://www.theliteraryplatform.com/2012/10/digital-trends-in-childrens-book-publishing/ [Accessed: 18th November 2014]
Woodfine, K. Childrens Books Apps: Whats Next? Book Trust. [Online] Available at: http://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-blogs/blogs/booktrust/519 [Accessed: 18th November 2014]