Arthur, that lovable aardvark created by Marc Brown 35 years ago, continues to evolve. First it was books, then TV and now, Arthur and his friends are making a foray into the digital world with “Arthur Reads,” a collection of nine digital apps for the iPhone and iPad.
Included in the series is creator Marc Brown’s first new Arthur book in almost a decade, “Arthur Turns Green,” which debuted this month at No. 6 on the New York Times bestseller list.
The Arthur apps are narrated by Marc and include record-your-own audio, interactive coloring pages, digital jigsaw puzzles, and universal compatibility with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and can be purchased on iTunes.
“Arthur lives wherever kids live,” Marc said in a news release. “Children understand touchscreen devices intuitively. I see the future of books as a complementary relationship between digital and paper.”
“Arthur Turns Green” is the first of nine Arthur apps. The other apps in the “Arthur Reads” series will include “Arthur’s baby,” “Arthur’s Birthday,” “Arthur Meets the President,” “Arthur’s Pet Business,” “Arthur’s Teacher Trouble,” “Arthur’s Tooth,” “Arthur’s Underwear” and “Arthur Writes a Story.”
The apps were created by ScrollMotion and ScrollMotion Kids, which translate stories, art and culture to the digital world. Prior to Arthur, the companies have created products for Sesame Street, Disney, Curious George and Thomas & Friends.
“We loved Arthur as kids and we love him now,” said Josh Koppel, co-founder and CEO of ScrollMotion. “We believe that children and adults learn best through discovery and play. … Marc Brown’s vision of Arthur is a perfect fit — bringing him to life on our ScrollMotion Kids platform is a joy and also a responsibility we take very seriously.”
More on Marc Brown and Arthur: Learn how Marc Brown’s Arthur helps kids navigate the “mud puddles of life.” Also, discover how the “Arthur” TV series taught Marc to share in this interview.
