Color E-readers and Children’s Books

Apple said Tuesday that it was set to make a major push into illustrated books on Wednesday, introducing more than 100 titles to its iBookstore, an assortment of children’s books, photography books and cookbooks.

Some of the most popular children’s picture books of all time will be available, including some of the “Olivia” picture books, published by Simon & Schuster.

Jon Anderson, the publisher of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, said the publishing house had been “itching to do it since e-books became possible,” but there were always limitations because the books were in color.

“It finally gives us the opportunity to have our picture books join the e-book revolution,”.

Many iPad users, seeing the potential for the device to be used as an educational tool, have been clamoring for digital children’s books to be available in greater numbers.

But converting image-heavy books into digital form has not been easy. Authors are careful to monitor how their work appears on a screen, and publishers have struggled to replicate the experience of reading a print book.

But from a reading point of view, the question becomes even murkier. Kids already get massive amounts of screen time these days. Is converting their favorite (and generally their first) reading experiences to a screen necessarily a plus? And as interactive children’s e-books become more popular, will kids still have the patience required to enjoy simple text and images?

“Don’t get me wrong, I love books, and I love the tactile, low tech experience of sharing a book with a child,” children’s book author and illustrator Jennifer E. Morris wrote on her blog. “But let’s face it, how cool would it be to have your child’s whole library of books available to you when you go to Grandma’s house for the weekend or in the car?”

Hmm – maybe. “My kids won’t be getting a Nook anytime soon,” blogger Rebekah Denn wrote here at Chapter & Verse. “They aren’t even allowed to fool around with my Kindle. The experience of holding a book and turning pages is still so different from reading on a computer screen.”