William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg in NYC August 4th

Bill and Brandon are strapping on their jetpacks and heading to New York City on August 4th to give a talk at Apple’s newly revamped SoHo Store (72 Greene Street  New York, NY 10012) at 11AM. After their talk, the dynamic duo will conduct the world’s first app signing. Make sure to download the latest version of the Numberlys, The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore and the IMAG•N•O•TRON!

 
Later that day, Books of Wonder (18 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011) will host an in-store event from 3-5PM. It’s the perfect place to pick up the New York Times Bestseller The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore, The Man in the Moon or any of the other Guardians of Childhood books. Find out more at the Books of Wonder blog.

"Perhaps most fascinating, the movie, app, and book taken together present an entirely kid-friendly opportunity to talk about the interplay between content and format."

Another kind review of The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore picture book, this time from ALA's Booklist Online:

"Perhaps most fascinating, the movie, app, and book taken together present an entirely kid-friendly opportunity to talk about the interplay between content and format." Read more...

"The best part? Lingering quietly while savoring the atmospheric scenes of Joyce’s narrative vignette."

School Library Journal wrote a lovely review for The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore picture book:

JOYCE, William. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. illus. by author. 56p. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6489-6; Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5702-7.

Pre-Gr 3–Joyce’s Academy Award-winning animated short-film-turned-app that celebrates those who care about  (and receive nourishment from) books is, ironically, now a picture book. The wonder and mystery inherent in the wordless film and the ability to manipulate the visuals and play the soundtrack on the app’s piano beg the question: Can the book compete? As it turns out, the book has its own rewards. Clarity comes from Joyce’s well-chosen words. In the opening on a New Orleans balcony, readers learn that Morris “loved words…stories…books.” Every day he would “write of his joys and sorrows, of all that he knew and everything that he hoped for.” When an Oz-like storm turns everything topsy-turvy, the melancholy man in the pork-pie hat spots a lady held aloft by a “festive squadron of flying books.” Her gift leads Morris to a book-filled sanctuary set in a landscape staged and lit like a Maxfield Parrish painting. He tends to the volumes, distributing favorites to visitors, whose once-gray bodies blossom with color. Every life and story ends, and those struggling with their own goodbyes (and yearnings about printed books) may find comfort in seeing the fading elder revert to his younger self in order to be transported by the joyful squadron–just as a little girl arrives to choose Morris’s story. The author’s motivations (explained on the flap) will resonate with adults in the reading business. The best part? Lingering quietly while savoring the atmospheric scenes of Joyce’s narrative vignette.
–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Check out the book from your local library or pick up a copy.

Introducing IMAG•N•O•TRON

NEW YORK, JUNE 29– Simon& Schuster Books for Young Readers, Academy Award ™ winner William Joyce, and Moonbot Studios have partnered to share extraordinary digital content for TheFantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (available in book stores everywhere now).  

Moonbot Studios has created a digital app called IMAG•N•O•TRON“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” Edition, available now oniTunes. This app gives readers a thrilling new reading experience through access to augmented reality features. The genius of IMAG•N•O•TRON is that, unlike other “app-centric” apps, it is unabashedly “book-centric.” Users can download the app for 99 cents starting today and use their physical version of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore to unlock exciting content on every page. The augmented reality experience will combine the real scenes from the book viewed by the reader with virtual scenes generated by the handheld device. Books fly off the page, Humpty Dumpty befriends you, and you get a sneak peek into a different part of Lessmore’s world, not shown in the book or movie. The app currently works on iPads 2 and 3 and iPhones.

Originally created as a short film, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a remarkable bridge between the book world and the digital world. Inspired by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, and The Wizard of Oz, the book and film are a love story to people who devote their lives to books and to how books return the favor. The short film received an Oscar at the 84th Academy Awards™.

“What excites me is how William Joyce and Moonbot are constantly pushing the envelope, but always in service of the book,” said Justin Chanda, Vice President and Publisher of Atheneum Books for Young Readers.  “This groundbreaking app allows readers get more out of the book they were able to purchase anywhere.  How terrific to have something that is looking to enhance the printed experience, not replace it!”