Appy Christmas 2010

The Heart and the Bottle app

Digital publishing has made a real buzz lately with most children’s publishers experimenting with eBooks and apps, navigating the tricky waters of technology, rights and the marketplace. Most are refreshing their backlists whilst others are taking the plunge and publishing new books straight as apps.

The best children’s books apps are offering an enhanced storytelling experience that can engage children and families, immersing them into the reading experience through features like recording your voice reading the story, colouring in pages, turning the pages, sound effects and animation. They are designed in such a way that children can engage with the text and illustration on their own or share it with adults and have fun together.

Publishers are busy releasing their latest exciting picture book apps and Dorling Kinderley has even opened its own app store. With the average cost of an app at £2.99, they are an affordable addition to book giving for people lucky enough to have an iPhone or iPad.

See our favourite children’s books apps for the iPad this year