Monday, July 2, 2012

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!”