E-Book Sales Rise in Children’s and Young Adult Categories

NYTimes:

Something extraordinary happened after Eliana Litos received an e-reader for a Hanukkah gift in December.

“Some weeks I completely forgot about TV,” said Eliana, 11. “I went two weeks with only watching one show, or no shows at all. I was just reading every day.”

Ever since the holidays, publishers have noticed that some unusual titles have spiked in e-book sales. The “Chronicles of Narnia” series. “Hush, Hush.” The “Dork Diaries” series.

At HarperCollins, for example, e-books made up 25 percent of all young-adult sales in January, up from about 6 percent a year before — a boom in sales that quickly got the attention of publishers there. ...

B&N Introduces Nook Kids for iPad

PW: "Barnes & Noble has introduced a Nook kids for iPad application. The app makes B&N’s digital catalog of children’s content—which includes 100 new interactive kids’ books–available on the e-reading device. To promote the new app, B&N is offering two free picture books: Richard Scarry’s Colors and Rudyard Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child, which will automatically appear in a customer’s digital library when they register. ... "

Crovitz: E-Seuss–Be Glad, Not Sad or Mad - WSJ.com

WSJ: "To predict the future of books in this digital era, the best place to start is with the simplest books. When the iPad launched, most of the top 10 books were picture e-books designed for children, with a customized version of The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss topping the list. This focus on children's books continues, with Dr. Seuss e-books last week released for Android devices. The leading role for children's e-books is good news for parents worried about literacy in a world of decreasing print. Indeed, this is the second time that Dr. Seuss has reinvented the idea of the children's book. ... "

Blow-by-Blow: Emerging Technologies Debated at French Book Fair

PW: "The Salon du livre et de la presse jeunesse is an annual children's book fair for both publishers and young readers held just outside of Paris in Montreuil, this year from December 1–6. It is, of course, a haven of book perusal, book buying, and author and illustrator signings. However, a conference that occurred on the last day of the fair delved into that precarious territory beyond the pages: new media. ... "

Color E-Readers Open Way for Picture Books

NYTimes: " ... publishers are making headway in converting their enormous libraries of illustrated titles to e-books, hoping to capitalize on the growing popularity of the Apple iPad and the Nook Color and their ability to showcase books with color photographs and illustrations. Apple said Tuesday that it was set to make a major push into illustrated books on Wednesday, introducing more than 100 titles to its iBookstore, an assortment of children’s books, photography books and cookbooks."

How Publishers Are Tackling the App Question

PW: "Are apps marketing devices for authors and books, or a new revenue stream? This is just one of many questions publishers are asking as they develop apps from their content. When PW approached large and midsize publishers to find out about their app programs, we discovered that many houses don't have 'programs' per se. Questions loom about what content is best suited for apps—though overwhelmingly it seems that reference and children's are sweet spots—and how best to look at apps. Should apps be created with the goal of bringing in money independent of books, or as tools to market books and authors? ... "

B&N Reveals "Nook Kids"

Gadgets: "American bookseller Barnes & Noble will soon be whipping the covers off its Nook Kids platform, a vast collection of electronic books (eBooks) tailored specifically for the younger book-reading demographic. The Nook Kids service, which will work alongside Barnes & Noble's popular twin-screen Nook electronic reader, will reportedly boast 12,000 digital publications—including around 100 illustrated picture books. The books contained within Nook Kids will be aimed at children between three and eight, according to a Wall Street Journal report, which also outlined that content will include popular novels and a variety of 'enhanced editions' of classic children's publications."

In Scholastic Study, Children Like Digital Reading

NYTimes.com: "Many children want to read books on digital devices and would read for fun more frequently if they could obtain e-books. But even if they had that access, two-thirds of them would not want to give up their traditional print books. These are a few of the findings in a study being released on Wednesday by Scholastic, the American publisher of the Harry Potter books and the 'Hunger Games' trilogy. "

For Better or Worse, Children's Books Migrate to iPad Apps

The Independent (UK): "Owners of iPads have been downloading new books at a rate of almost 77,000 a day – and manufacturer Apple already claims the device has won more than a fifth of the ebook market. ... Every major publisher of children's books is developing its titles for the iPad format, enabling children to access their picture books on screen. But, while adults are content with being able to turn pages on their electronic devices, publishers believe younger readers will demand high-quality graphics, traditional technology – including 'lift-the-flap' – and interactive applications. The result is a shift that could revolutionize the way children learn to read and appreciate books – and not always for the better. One publishing executive admitted last week that she feared many of the best-loved books could become more like films, leaving young readers 'more like viewers, rather than active participants in the experience of reading a book'."

"Green Eggs and Ham" eBook for iPhone and iPad Released as the 100th App From Oceanhouse Media

Press Release:

Oceanhouse Media, Inc. today announced the release of three new Dr. Seuss eBooks for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The best-selling children’s classic Green Eggs and Ham, and early reader favorite Hop on Pop are both now available in the App Store for $3.99 each. In addition, Oceanhouse Media released the Dr. Seuss short-story Gertrude McFuzz, available for only $1.99. All Dr. Seuss eBooks are designed as universal apps that can be used on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for no additional charge. These apps also include special high-resolution graphics for the iPhone 4 Retina display. ...

Oceanhouse Media, creators of the award-winning Dr. Seuss apps, reached the milestone of publishing their 100th app with the release of Green Eggs and Ham. “We love developing for these mobile platforms” said Michel Kripalani, President of Oceanhouse Media. “We are incredibly excited about the rate of iPad acceptance and what that means to the future of learning.”

The Cat in the Hat was recently awarded the Parent’s Choice Silver Medal for Mobile Apps, and four Dr. Seuss apps received Editor’s Choice picks from Children’s Technology Review in June 2010. Over 300,000 Dr. Seuss apps have been sold since the release of the first app, Grinchmas!, in November of 2009. ...