When digital reading first gained new ground in the recent 21st century wave of popularity, one of the demographics that was initially largely overlooked were children’s ebooks. At that time, industry experts and parents alike expressed the viewpoint that many consumers might be loathe to let young readers use their expensive electronics, and an equal number of critics explained that they wanted the original reading experience of enjoying a physical book with their emerging readers. Now, those sentiments have often fallen away, given the popularity of kids’ ebooks and the large number of interactive enhanced ebook publishers for young readers. As the cost of the devices went down and the variety of devices to choose from went up, publishers were ready to meet the needs of younger consumers.
BabyFirst, the world’s largest television network aimed at babies, toddlers, and their parents, has joined up with Los Angeles-based Premier Digital to create a line of educational ebooks aimed at the not-ready-to-read set but promoting language awareness and engagement with text.
“BabyFirst ranks as the most trusted destination for quality original child development entertainment among moms nationwide. It is a privilege to bring BabyFirst’s wonderful collection of characters including Harry the Bunny to another form of media. The BabyFirst e-Books will extend the network’s unique parent-child experience into the nurturing realm of digital books,” said Thomas Ellsworth, CEO of Premier Digital Publishing, in a press release.
With six titles available now across a variety of tablets, typically priced at $3.99 for two stories and created with the birth-to-three-year-old reader in mind, the BabyFirst ebooks will go hand-in-hand with the network’s award-winning line of educational videos and programs. Some of the books, such as the Shushybye series, will feature characters from BabyFirst television shows.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
