Austin, Texas – Children’s book app authors from around the world have joined to form The Book App Alliance, a new trade association that aims to educate parents and teachers about how to find and use quality digital books in the crowded app marketplace.

“For many parents and teachers, the App Store is a mystery, with a hodgepodge of quality apps mixed in with those of questionable content,” said Karen Robertson, inaugural president of The Book App Alliance and author of the award-winning “Treasure Kai” book app series for children. “Book apps are interactive books for kids. The book app makers in the alliance, all parents or teachers themselves, are intimately acquainted with the industry and have banded together to help.”

Robertson has networked with authors around the globe since 2011, when she was creating her first book app, “Treasure Kai and the Lost Gold of Shark Island.” “I discovered many children’s book app makers were having the same experience. First we were finding that many parents didn’t know what book apps were. But when we’d show them, they were blown away and wanted to know more about book apps and where to find them. Second, we found that the parents and teachers who did know about book apps were frustrated by the App Store and how to find quality digital literature for their children. So a group of us decided to create an organization that would help educate parents and teachers about what book apps actually are, how to use them in the home and classroom, and where to find quality and innovative book apps that will delight and educate kids,” Robertson said.

Book apps are interactive books delivered on a touchscreen mobile device like a smartphone or tablet, such as an iPad or Kindle Fire. “The book app is an ‘eBook on steroids’ because the most innovative book apps are more than a digital version of a picture book. Rather, they deliver a multi-sensory reading experience, integrating touch, sound and visual animation within a narrative, to engage the reader in a 21st century way,” Robertson said.

Cyndie Sebourn, a National Board Certified Teacher in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and creator of Apps With Curriculum, joined the alliance board as a liaison to the education market. “Book apps are a great way to support literacy and learning in the classroom,” said Sebourn, who creates Common Core State Standards (CCSS)-aligned curriculum activities using book apps.

The Book App Alliance is working with industry leading review site, Digital Storytime, to help parents and teachers find top quality book apps. “With over 40,000 book apps in the App Store, parents have a hard time knowing which ones are amazing and which ones will disappoint, so many parents choose brands they know like Disney, Dora and Dr. Seuss,” said Carisa Kluver, a California mom and founder of Digital Storytime. “Having reviewed over 750 book apps, one of our goals is to shine some light on these hidden gems in the App Store, and support the authors who are innovating books and story time.”

Parents and teachers can learn more about book apps and children’s book app authors can apply to be members at the Book App Alliance online.

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Located in Austin, Texas and Sydney, Australia, Treasure Bound Books Pty Ltd creates interactive books apps and companion online content for kids. All Material and Software (C) 2007-2013 Treasure Bound Books Pty Ltd / All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPod, the iPod logo, are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.