My Favorite Animated (Kids) Ebooks:

From left: Petting Zoo, The Heart & The Bottle, Hat Monkey

I got an ipad last year because I don't have a cell phone, and sometimes I have to answer emails on the go. Really.

And did I mention I can play games on it? (Okay, okay...maybe that was a deciding factor). I have a whole post planned to share my favorite ipad games with you, but I'm taking an Ebook Design class right now that has me researching all kinds of them, so I'm really into that right now. For my last project, it was animated/interactive kids books.

Here's a list of my favorite ones, if you like that kind of thing (or your kids do!):

1. The Heart And The Bottle (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)

It's an Oliver Jeffers story (check!), it incorporates his illustrations and music/sound beautifully, and every page of the book has something fun to interact with—from flipping the pages to making it snow and growing flowers with the touch of a finger, this is my favorite ebook ever!

2. Petting Zoo - Animal Animations (Fox & Sheep GmbH)

This is a series of amazing animated animal loops: each animal has four movements you control with touch, which play depending on how you touch the screen—and then they loop into the next animal/page. As an animator, this just blows my mind. It's so fun to poke around with! Totally mesmerizing.

3. Hat Monkey (Fox and Sheep GmbH)

If you're into kids books, you know Chris Haughton's work. This is a story of a silly hat-wearing monkey that you can interact with: you guide him through activities with a series of prompts—from texting him to playing saxophone together. So cute, and great character animation that you trigger!

4. Windy's Lost Kite - Windy and Friends (Loud Crow interactive Inc.)

I never thought I would hear the words 'stop-motion' and 'ebook' at the same time, but that's Windy & Friends! I have the 'Lost Kite' ebook and it's pure eye candy: you touch the screen to trigger animations that complete tasks, and you have to complete them to move through the story (don't worry, you're given hints along the way!) It's just so gorgeous!

Do you have any favorite animated/interactive ebooks?