By Sonya Davidson
Reading just got cooler for kids with the launch of new book series that blends print, online and real life. Imagine reading a storybook and suddenly was able to launch into the world online. Even as adults we've sometimes wished we could be living the moment from the pages we read. That would be pretty amazing!
Imaginary Friends is an interactive book series targetted to 8 to 12 year olds that takes reading to another level! The company has just launched a KickStarter campaign today and it's definitely on my radar -- I'll be testing out the concept in the coming weeks with my 10 year old.
The series sounds like it would be great for family interaction and help kids get more involved off the pages. I'm particularly interested in this as it would help with comprehension and expanded thinking. If you're a parent, you already know that this is very much part of school curriculum. It's not just about reading the words but understanding the storyline.
How it works?
Each book is a family adventure and arrives at your home with printed chapters and an activity kit that includes puzzles, secret notes and other ideas (even recipes!) to bring the story to life. The adventure begins when parents log on and personalizes the scene to trigger interactive and real-life activities that coincide with the narrative. Activities blend real life fun and then others that include GPS based activities. Kids become a key part of the action.
The Imaginary Friends KickStarter campaign is hoping to grow the concept and are looking for a parent advisors to provide input and ideas.
The developer of the interactive series is Stitch Media, an award-winning interactive production company that focuses on cross-platform story telling using technology and cutting-edge game design that blends reality and fiction.