Multi-tasking Mary Ann is how she introduced herself lately – but perhaps that's apt as we delve into the world of Book Apps that seem to do so many things at once. Mary Ann is a school librarian, mom to three, grad student and blogger. Each day she spreads a love of reading with 300 elementary students in Berkeley, CA at Emerson Elementary School, a diverse and thriving public school. Each night she divides her time between blogging at Great Kid Books and pursuing her Masters in Library and Information Sciences at San Jose State University. Don't tell her professors, but she would much rather read children's books and share them with others than talk about formal library services! But the truth is, all this multi-tasking is only possible with nightly doses of dark chocolate.
Mary Ann has been reviewing children's book apps on her blog Great Kid Books since January 2011, and has been fascinated with the way this field is developing. In many ways, good children's book apps draw on the fundamental qualities of children's books; but in other ways, they are completely new. It's exciting to think critically about what makes an app really successful in engaging its audience.
