NEW YORK, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American International Toy Fair, Booth #1949 -- LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., a leading developer of technology-based learning products, today announced an all-star line-up of publishing and licensing partners to support the launch of its new Tag Reading System (leapfrog.com/tag). Available this summer, the Tag Reading System is the first handheld learn-to-read technology to bring to life the lovable stories and characters of respected children's authors from notable publishers such as HarperCollins, Penguin, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster and others.
"HarperCollins was delighted to adapt the best-selling Fancy Nancy series into interactive books," said publisher Susan Katz. "It is gratifying to give Nancy a voice and allow kids an opportunity to interact with her through an extra-fancy new reading technology."
LeapFrog has been synonymous with learning to read for parents, teachers and children since the introduction of its award-winning LeapPad(R) Learning System. Having sold more than 72 million interactive LeapPad books worldwide, the company is primed to reinvent the learn-to-read category with the Tag reader and its extensive 21-volume library of interactive books, activity boards and activity card sets.
The Tag reader brings beloved children's properties-Fancy Nancy, Olivia, The Little Engine That Could, Walter the Farting Dog, as well as Miss Spider and I SPY(TM) from Scholastic, Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and Diego and Cartoon Network's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends-to life through its interactive technology that fits in a child's hand. Audio for the stories, as well as the fun-filled games and activities spread throughout the pages, is delivered through an innovative Web-based application called LeapFrog(R) Connect, offering children an entirely new and captivating reading experience.
"It is a great medium-it mixes media and it brings the book alive for kids that otherwise might be watching television or playing video games," said Olivia author and artist Ian Falconer. "Ana Gasteyer, the narrator, is a brilliant interpreter of Olivia's home life-all parents can relate to the painful patience required in parenting the overzealous child. And Olivia is nothing if not overzealous."
"This is an incredible opportunity to introduce The Little Engine That Could and Walter the Farting Dog to a new generation of readers," said Doug Whiteman, publisher, Penguin Group. "The Tag Reading System is an innovative way to get kids engaged in reading and we could not be happier with the way this technology brings our books to life."
Reading Between the Lines
The Tag handheld works with Tag-enabled books to create an independent and interactive reading experience for children. By simply touching the highly responsive Tag reader anywhere on any page of a Tag book, children can bring their favorite stories to life, easily skipping from page to page or book to book.
The pocket-sized Tag platform "reads" by using a small, sophisticated infrared camera that works as an imaging system to recognize letters, words and symbols printed on the page. Using the PC- and Mac-compatible LeapFrog Connect Application, parents can download audio for each book in the Tag library, then manage content the way they manage MP3 or digital camera files. With 16 MB of on-board flash memory, the Tag reader can hold up to five books at a time.
All-New Proprietary LeapFrog Learning Path Lets Parents See the Learning
Launching in tandem with the Tag Reading System is LeapFrog's proprietary Learning Path, a free online tool at leapfrog.com that interfaces with LeapFrog products to show parents what their child is learning and how their activities or games map back to the Scope and Sequence of educational skills that the Company has always built into every product. New online connectivity also allows children to access fun online rewards for off-line play and learning.
Based on an award-winning LeapFrog School product used by teachers across the U.S. to assess and instruct students in classrooms nationwide, the LeapFrog Learning Path allows parents to connect the Tag handheld to their computer to view details about the books their child has read, including the skills explored and progress made (leapfrog.com/learningpath).
AVAILABILITY
SUMMER 2008; AGES 4-8; Tag Reading System MSRP: $49.99; Tag books and activity boards MSRP: $13.99 each
Kid classics Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type Fancy Nancy at the Museum Olivia The Little Engine That Could Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise Activity storybooks Disney/Pixar's Cars: Tractor Tipping Disney Princess: Adventures Under the Sea Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: The Golden Paddleball Go Diego Go!: Underwater Mystery I SPY: Imagine That! Miss Spider's Tea Party Pirates! The Treasure of Turtle Island SpongeBob SquarePants: The Tour de Bikini Bottom T. Rex's Mighty Roar Activity boards Tag Funny Phrases Tag Super Speller Activity cards (MSRP: $7.99 EACH) National Geographic Kids Birds and Sea Animals National Geographic Kids Land Animals About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer, and marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. The company was founded in 995 and is based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog has developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than 100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies, spelling, vocabulary, and science. In addition, the company has created a broad line of stand-alone educational products for children from birth to 16 years. LeapFrog's award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six languages at major retailers in more than 35 countries around the world. LeapFrog School's multisensory products currently reach students in more than 100,000 classrooms across the United States. LeapFrog School is a business division of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
LEAPFROG, TAG and LEAPPAD are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (C) 2008 VIACOM. SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. Copyright (C) 2008 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
Media contacts:
Erin Nelson Jenna Martin
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Kaplow Communications
510-596-3437 212-221-1713
