BooClips facts for kids

BooClips are special digital books made for kids. You can read them on devices like the iPad, Android phones and tablets, and computers (PC and Mac). A software company called Castle Builders created BooClips. These digital books often feature stories and characters from popular movies, TV shows, and even the Bible. Castle Builders works with big entertainment companies to turn their stories into BooClips. This helps many people learn about BooClips.

Since the first BooClips came out in April 2011, they have become quite popular. For example, just six days after the "LazyTown's Dr. Rottenstein BooClip" was released on April 20, 2011, it became the number one book app in the iTunes US App Store. It was also the second most popular app overall! Castle Builders has released many more BooClips since then and continues to create new ones.

What are BooClips?

The name "BooClips" comes from combining "books" and "clips." The main idea behind these digital books is to make reading super fun and interactive for kids. BooClips look like real books on your screen. They read the story out loud, and the words light up as they are spoken, which helps you follow along. There's also a special marker to help you remember your place.

BooClips have lots of cool animations. You can touch the screen to make things happen, and the pages even flip like a real book! At the end of each chapter, there's a short movie clip. This lets you watch a video of the story you just read.

Extra Features of BooClips

BooClips offer many helpful features. They can translate the text into different languages. They can also explain difficult words. Some even offer American Sign Language interpretation! Other features include a 3D mode, a magnifying glass that moves, an animated bookmark, and a voice-over function. This last feature lets parents record themselves reading the story, so kids can listen to a familiar voice.

Learning with "Edutainment"

BooClips are designed to be a form of "edutainment." This means they use fun and entertaining content to help children learn. BooClips want to encourage kids to use their own abilities and become more independent. They also aim to help kids learn new words, understand what they read better, and use their imagination. All of this happens through technology and entertainment!

Who Works with BooClips?

BooClips are mostly made through partnerships between Castle Builders and big entertainment companies. These companies provide the stories and characters.

In October 2010, LazyTown entertainment announced they would work with Castle Builders. They planned to make eight digital books for kids. The first two, "LazyTown's Dr. Rottenstein BooClip" and "LazyTown's Sportafake BooClip," came out for the iPad in April 2011.

On April 25, 2011, Castle Builders announced a new partnership with DreamWorks Animation. They worked together on the movie, Kung Fu Panda 2. This project also involved House Foods, which was promoting the movie with its tofu products. From this team-up, Castle Builders created the "Kung Fu Panda 2 Interactive Cookbook." This was a fun addition to their BooClips collection.

The Kung Fu Panda digital cookbook was released in May 2011, around the same time as the movie. Many people, including tech experts, reviewed the interactive cookbook. The iPhone version of the app even got attention from the tech website CNET.

On September 12, 2011, Castle Builders announced another partnership with The Kids Bible Company LLC. They launched "The Bible BooClips" for the iPad. This included "The Bible BooClips Creation" and "The Bible BooClips Cain and Abel," which told stories from the Old Testament.

The next month, on October 6, 2011, "Garfield's BooClips – Garfield's Pet Force" was released. Castle Builders worked with Paws Incorporated on this. It was based on the "Garfield's Pet Force" movie. These Garfield digital books helped BooClips and Castle Builders become even more well-known. They received many reviews, and The Guardian UK news website even wrote about them.

The official BooClips digital store opened on December 21, 2011. Before that, it was in a test version on the BooClips website. The store organizes BooClips by the device you use, like PC/Mac, Android, or iPad/iPhone. If you visit the store on your phone or tablet, it can tell what device you're using and show you the right BooClips.

Castle Builders' most recent BooClips, the Hello Kitty Interactive Cookbook, came out in the iTunes Store on January 14, 2012. It has received a lot of attention and reviews from people all over the world. The company plans to work with Sanrio on two more Hello Kitty BooClips that will also be about cooking. This is the first Hello Kitty digital cookbook in the series. It is currently available for PC, Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

BooClips Release Timeline

• April 20, 2011 – "LazyTown's Dr. Rottenstein BooClip" and "LazyTown's Sportafake BooClip" are released for the iPad.
• May 2011 – "Kung Fu Panda 2 Interactive Cookbook BooClips" is released. This was part of a promotion with the "Kung Fu Panda 2" movie and House Foods snacks.
• September 12, 2011 – "The Bible BooClips" is launched. This includes "The Bible BooClips Creation" and "The Bible BooClips Cain and Abel."
• October 6, 2011 – "Garfield's BooClips – Garfield's Pet Force" is released for iPad, Android, PC, Mac, Nook Color, and iBookstore.
• December 21, 2011 – The official BooClips digital books store opens.
• January 14, 2012 – The first Hello Kitty BooClips, "Hello Kitty Interactive Cookbook," is released for iPad/iPhone, PC, and Mac.

About Castle Builders

Castle Builders is a software company that creates digital apps for children. They focus on making digital books for kids as part of the worldwide "Edutainment" market. This market aims to create fun content that also helps kids learn.

The company was started in 2006 by its CEO and software architect, Gil Abramovich. The team at Castle Builders includes talented artists, animators, designers, and developers.

Castle Builders uses a special software platform they developed themselves called the "Computerized Storybook." This platform takes content from movies, music, and written stories for children and turns it into an interactive storybook. One cool thing about this platform is how quickly it can adapt new content. It can sometimes take as little as two days! Castle Builders owns the rights to the code and design of the Computerized Storybook. Also, in early 2012, the name "BooClips" was officially registered as a trademark in the United States, owned by Castle Builders.