Award-winning children’s author Bonny Becker has two books now available as enhanced ebook apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Working with artists Benrei Huang and Shari Halpern, these two new read-aloud apps will appeal to children aged 2 to 7 years old. Both apps are available now in the App Store for a promotional price of 99 cents.
“Tickly Prickly” is an interactive book app of wiggly animals and bugs to tickle children ages 2 to 4. The gentle, rhythmic text, read by the author, appeals to a toddler’s ear. The brightly colored artwork, created with paper, cloth and paint, encourages children to touch. “Did you ever have a chick nestle in your lap? How did it feel? Puffy. Peeping. Fluffy. Sleeping.” Every story page has animals in motion, such as a flapping moth, wiggly puppy, or snorting horse. Touching the animal restarts the motion. Tapping the puzzle piece, children can solve 4-piece jigsaw puzzles based on the current page. Pages can be read by the author with word highlighting, or an adult or older child can read the text to the child. Pages are turned by swiping across the page or by tapping orange arrows. The App Store link is http://ticklyprickly.com.
“The Quiet Way Home” is a quiet picture book app for children ages 4 to 7. A grandfather picks up his granddaughter from school and they take the quiet way home. Avoiding noisy dogs and banging trucks, the pair stroll across fields and down peaceful paths, relax in a patch of blowing dandelions, taking in the quiet sounds. Children can have the story read to them by the author (with words highlighted), or an adult or older child can read the text. Pages turn with a gentle swipe or by tapping orange arrows. A gentle song plays while the readers see and listen to the world around them. With a tap on a puzzle piece button, children can do 9-piece jigsaw puzzles based on the current page. The App Store link is http://quietwayhome.com.
Bonny Becker is the author of both books, as well as the best-selling “A Visitor for Bear,” winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award and a selection for Oprah Winfrey’s Children’s Book List. “The Quiet Way Home” was selected for the educational program, Before Five in A Row, based on outstanding children’s books for ages 2-4. In all, Bonny has published 12 books for children. Bonny’s website is www.bonnybecker.com. Five in a Row’s website is http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/beforefiveinarow.html.
Benrei Huang, artist of “The Quiet Way Home,” is a New York-based painter, writer, and book illustrator. She studied fine art at National Taiwan Normal University in Taiwan and received her MFA in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts. From 1988 to 2008 she worked primarily as a children’s book illustrator. In 2008, she began to pursue her love of painting again, developing a series of paintings based on a recurring character from her sketches. Benrei’s website is http://benreihuang.com.
Shari Halpern, artist of “Tickly Prickly,” studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and is the illustrator of many books for young readers, including “Hush, Little Baby” and the “I Love” series written by Philemon Sturges. Shari lives in New Jersey with her husband, a puppet maker, and three children. Shari’s website is http://sharihalpern.com.
