Toon Books is releasing its books as iPhone apps specially adapted for its mission of using comics to stimulate emerging readers. The authors read their own work in each app, so kids can see the comics and hear the author read it. Onscreen text and highlighted speech balloons reinforce the connection between the voice and the comic, helping kids associate the words they hear and see.
Narration is available in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese.
Pages can be turned automatically or manually.
Two titles are currently available: Jack and the Box by Art Spiegelman and Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith.