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The beloved children’s picture book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear by author/illustrator Joyce Wan received great acclaim for its fun and thoughtful age-appropriate introduction to geography and foreign places. Publishers Weekly called it “A sweet and rather cuddly introduction to some noteworthy global locations” while National Geographic acknowledged it as a “great gift for budding geographers.” Now, the rhyming text and sweet illustrations can be enjoyed in a new way – via an application for the iphone, ipod touch and ipad. The story line itself, the interactive storybook and three arcade style mini games allow children ages 4+ to follow Kiwi and Pear on their trip around the world. Children can interact with the images to their heart’s content, catch fruit on the Amazon, play a game of memory, and learn geography. The result – hours of fun and educational enjoyment – makes children and grown-ups happy. This application comes at time when smart phones and mobile devices have become increasingly popular among families and parents. According to a recent Nielsen study, smart phone usage is 12% higher in households with children than other households. Notes Wan, “Mobile media is changing the lives of adults and now children of all ages. I see mobile apps as an extension of traditional print media and believe in advancing children’s literacy skills and extending a child’s imagination regardless of the medium. Author: Joyce Wan launched Wanart (www.wanart.com) a design studio specializing in greeting cards and gifts in New York City in 2003. Her distinctive use of bold clean lines and a fresh colour palette combined with playful graphics has proven to be a success. Today, Wanart designs can be found at thousands of boutiques, museum shops and gift shops across the country and abroad. Wan’s debut children’s book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear (Blue Apple Books) that is based on characters from one of her best selling greeting card lines was released in 2009. Her two forthcoming books You are My Cupcake and We Belong Together will be published by Scholastic in 2011. |
