Breaking Boundaries: The State of Children’s Apps in 2015

April 15, 2015 in Bologna Children's Book F, BolognaRagazzi Digital, Digital Publishing, History Turned On, Interactive Media

At this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair (29 Mar – 4 Apr), I had the pleasure of experiencing the top five BolognaRagazzi Digital Award winning apps before they were announced to the public. All beautiful works developed specifically for the screen, they prove that 2014 was the year children’s apps truly broke from the boundaries imposed by the page.

The five are all beautifully rendered, technologically innovative, and intuitively engineered. They are all developmentally appropriate to their target age.

What's more, they get extra kudos for putting the power of choice and exploration at the tip of the child user’s finger. But the operative word here is “user,” not “reader.” Indeed, all the gab around these titles at the Fair used the verb “play,” not “read.”

A New App Journey Begins: Come with Us to Renaissance Florence

April 07, 2015 in App Development, Bologna Children's Book F, Digital Publishing, Dust or Magic, Educational Tourism, News chez TTT&T

Ciao! Buongiorno! This week I write to you from Florence, Italy, where I'm busy hunting for traces of Michelangelo for our coming Kickstarter Campaign video. I'm gathering some lovely donation rewards as well ;).

I began my Italian sojourn at the 2015 Bologna Children's Book Fair, soaking up all there is to be learned from my Dust or Magic colleagues and friends.

As evidenced by the top five Digital Ragazzi Award winners, 2014 will go down in history as the year children's apps broke forth from the boundaries imposed by the page. But 2015 finds the form still searching for how best to incorporate narrative...

Time Traveler Tours & Tales Signs Acclaimed Author Mary Hoffman

March 25, 2015 in Digital Publishing, History Turned On, Industry News, News chez TTT&T

History is Made: Sarah Towle and Mary Hoffman ink TTT&T's first author agreement, Oxfordshire, UK, 23 May 2015.

I am THRILLED to finally be able to announce that Time Traveler Tours & Tales, just this week, signed internationally renowned author Mary Hoffman as the first writer (other than me) to join our ranks.

Hoffman, who already transports readers to historic Italy with her celebrated Stravaganza series, is the perfect companion for our little start-up whose mission is to bring history to life for teens and tweens at the tips of their fingers.

With In The Footsteps Of Giants, due for release in 2016, Mary adds an interactive story-based quest through Renaissance Florence to our library. Narrated by Michelangelo’s invented “milk brother” and model for the colossal statue, the story promises a radical unveiling of the making of the David. It’s an intimate view of a genius, whose brilliance flourished on the mean streets of the de’ Medici.

Read all about our news in Publishers Weekly's Children's Bookshelf!

You're coming to our Global Launch Party, right?
Click here to RSVP.

SAVE THE DATE * SAVE THE DATE * SAVE THE DATE

March 18, 2015 in News chez TTT&T, Kickstarter, History Turned On, Digital Publishing, Time Traveler Tales

I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME AND TEAM TTT&T ON

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

You're the first to know: We’re going for it. Finally. There’s still a long way to go before we achieve a thriving and successful venture. But after years of foundation building, we find we can't truly grow without capital.

So we’re organizing a crowd-sourced funding campaign on Kickstarter to raise money for the production of the next Story App Tour to be released by Time Traveler Tours & Tales.

I'd like to say: “We’re kicking off with a Kickstarter campaign,” because of the fun alliteration. But it feels more like we’re taking a plunge, because of the inherent risk. To be honest, this adventure is super scary most times (especially at night when I'm tired and still haven't managed to reach the end of the to-do list). But each morning I wake up and dive right into the task again. Why?

Turning Kids On To Turning History On!

February 26, 2015 in Cultural Education, Curriculum & Teaching, Digital Publishing, History Turned On, TTT&T Teacher Vanguard

Next week I’m heading to the International School of Dusseldorf for a second year. It’s a dream job. The ISD humanities teachers and I will be turning students on to how to Turn History On.

Excavating the secrets, scandals, and untold stories hiding below the surface of life, and giving voice to the characters who make or made those hiStories happen.

Breaking Boundaries: The State of Children’s Apps in 2015

The five are all beautifully rendered, technologically innovative, and intuitively engineered. They are all developmentally appropriate to their target age.

What's more, they get extra kudos for putting the power of choice and exploration at the tip of the child user’s finger. But the operative word here is “user,” not “reader.” Indeed, all the gab around these titles at the Fair used the verb “play,” not “read.”

A New App Journey Begins: Come with Us to Renaissance Florence

Ciao! Buongiorno! This week I write to you from Florence, Italy, where I'm busy hunting for traces of Michelangelo for our coming Kickstarter Campaign video. I'm gathering some lovely donation rewards as well ;).

I began my Italian sojourn at the 2015 Bologna Children's Book Fair, soaking up all there is to be learned from my Dust or Magic colleagues and friends.

As evidenced by the top five Digital Ragazzi Award winners, 2014 will go down in history as the year children's apps broke forth from the boundaries imposed by the page. But 2015 finds the form still searching for how best to incorporate narrative...

Time Traveler Tours & Tales Signs Acclaimed Author Mary Hoffman

I am THRILLED to finally be able to announce that Time Traveler Tours & Tales, just this week, signed internationally renowned author Mary Hoffman as the first writer (other than me) to join our ranks.

Hoffman, who already transports readers to historic Italy with her celebrated Stravaganza series, is the perfect companion for our little start-up whose mission is to bring history to life for teens and tweens at the tips of their fingers.

Read all about our news in Publishers Weekly's Children's Bookshelf!

You're coming to our Global Launch Party, right?
Click here to RSVP.

SAVE THE DATE * SAVE THE DATE * SAVE THE DATE

I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME AND TEAM TTT&T ON

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

You're the first to know: We’re going for it. Finally. There’s still a long way to go before we achieve a thriving and successful venture. But after years of foundation building, we find we can't truly grow without capital.

So we’re organizing a crowd-sourced funding campaign on Kickstarter to raise money for the production of the next Story App Tour to be released by Time Traveler Tours & Tales.

Turning Kids On To Turning History On!

Next week I’m heading to the International School of Dusseldorf for a second year. It’s a dream job. The ISD humanities teachers and I will be turning students on to how to Turn History On.

We will guide young minds in combining factual research and creative writing to produce tales of historical fiction.

And if that weren’t already excellence enough, we will then direct students in how to publish their masterpieces as interactive digital books!

Research + Storytelling + Technology = TURNING HISTORY ON

I told you it’s a dream job!

CONTENTS PUBLISHED TO DATE:

The five are all beautifully rendered, technologically innovative, and intuitively engineered. They are all developmentally appropriate to their target age.

What's more, they get extra kudos for putting the power of choice and exploration at the tip of the child user’s finger. But the operative word here is “user,” not “reader.” Indeed, all the gab around these titles at the Fair used the verb “play,” not “read.”

Ciao! Buongiorno! This week I write to you from Florence, Italy, where I'm busy hunting for traces of Michelangelo for our coming Kickstarter Campaign video. I'm gathering some lovely donation rewards as well ;).

I began my Italian sojourn at the 2015 Bologna Children's Book Fair, soaking up all there is to be learned from my Dust or Magic colleagues and friends.

As evidenced by the top five Digital Ragazzi Award winners, 2014 will go down in history as the year children's apps broke forth from the boundaries imposed by the page. But 2015 finds the form still searching for how best to incorporate narrative...

I am THRILLED to finally be able to announce that Time Traveler Tours & Tales, just this week, signed internationally renowned author Mary Hoffman as the first writer (other than me) to join our ranks.

Hoffman, who already transports readers to historic Italy with her celebrated Stravaganza series, is the perfect companion for our little start-up whose mission is to bring history to life for teens and tweens at the tips of their fingers.

Read all about our news in Publishers Weekly's Children's Bookshelf!

You're coming to our Global Launch Party, right?Click here to RSVP.

I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME AND TEAM TTT&T ON

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

You're the first to know: We’re going for it. Finally. There’s still a long way to go before we achieve a thriving and successful venture. But after years of foundation building, we find we can't truly grow without capital.

So we’re organizing a crowd-sourced funding campaign on Kickstarter to raise money for the production of the next Story App Tour to be released by Time Traveler Tours & Tales.

Next week I’m heading to the International School of Dusseldorf for a second year. It’s a dream job. The ISD humanities teachers and I will be turning students on to how to Turn History On.

We will guide young minds in combining factual research and creative writing to produce tales of historical fiction.

And if that weren’t already excellence enough, we will then direct students in how to publish their masterpieces as interactive digital books!

Research + Storytelling + Technology = TURNING HISTORY ON

I told you it’s a dream job!

You're coming to our Global Launch Party, right?
Click here to RSVP.