Chorion and ScrollMotion Sign Deal to Bring Book Series to Handheld Format

Leading family entertainment producer and distributor Chorion is partnering with ScrollMotion, creators of the Iceberg Reader and a leading developer of original iPhone applications, to bring its Mr. Men and Little Miss classic books to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Available now in iTunes, the digital books expand upon the traditional children’s book reading experience by incorporating scrolling image exploration, interactive controls and a voice recorder. The titles currently on offer are: Mr. Happy, Mr. Tickle, Mr. Bump, Mr. Messy, Mr. Mischief, Mr. Perfect, Mr. Funny, Mr. Grumpy, Little Miss Sunshine, Little Miss Chatterbox, Little Miss Giggles, Little Miss Stubborn, Little Miss Fun, Little Miss Naughty, Little Miss Bossy, and Little Miss Trouble. The book apps are available for $3.99 each, with an introductory price of $1.99 each for Mr. Tickle and Little Miss Chatterbox, and can be downloaded here: http://ax.search.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/search?entity=software&media=all&page=1&restrict=false&startIndex=0&term=Mr.+Men+and+Little+Miss.

A video demo of the applications is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a42kFqHLhU.

This deal marks Chorion’s first iPhone and iPod Touch app license for the Mr. Men and Little Miss brand. Cheryl Gotthelf, SVP Global Brand Management at Chorion said: “The success of the Mr. Men and Little Miss brand on television, DVD, and on the web has made it clear that the original book-based brand is as relevant today as it was when originally launched. The move to this popular digital platform makes its unique form of humor and self expression accessible to audiences of all ages in the formats they find most appealing. We are delighted to have signed this deal with Scrollmotion.”

“There is nothing quite like watching tiny fingers trace those ‘extraordinary long arms’ of Mr. Tickle throughout the digital world that’s made possible on the iPhone touchscreen,” said ScrollMotion Chief Creative Officer Josh Koppel. “The Mr. Men and Little Miss series translates so perfectly to this medium; we’re thrilled to be working with Chorion to bring these classic titles to new generations of readers.”

Chorion is continuing to build the global reach of its much-loved Mr. Men and Little Miss brand with apparel offerings for adults and kids at leading retailers worldwide and the Mr. Men and Little Miss publishing program goes from strength to strength, with over 12 million books sold in the UK, US, France and Australia in 2008. Chorion is seeking more partners for its growing novelty, seasonal and collectable categories.

The Mr. Men Show is also continuing its worldwide rollout with broadcasters including ABC Australia, Cartoon Network Asia, Korea and Japan, Canal J Russia, TG4 Ireland, True Visions Thailand, Happy TV Serbia, Disney Taiwan and RTP Portugal all taking the show.

A total of 104 x 11 minute episodes are currently available internationally, following Cartoon Network US and Five UK’s commitment to a second season of the animated sketch show.

Based on the original Mr. Men and Little Miss books created by Roger Hargreaves, The Mr. Men Show is the first animated sketch comedy for kids. It is an inspired re-imagining of this classic property, blending fast-paced physical humour and verbal wit with beloved, personality-driven characters.