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!”