Month: August 2020

“Do we need new ways of evaluating [digital] texts?” This question is posed by Margaret Walsh (2013, p. 182) as she reflects on the continuum between traditional books and new digital forms.  Her exploration of traditional picture books has already established the multimodal nature of the picture book, stating that meaning is constructed through the exploration of the verbal and visual texts with particular focus on the way readers are invited to participate in the narrative.  Digital platforms provide additional elements which Walsh analyses using the concept of the “synergy between digital features and literary elements”. Al-Yaqout and Nikolajva (2015) take this further, suggesting that new terminology is needed to effectively describe digital texts, including terms such as materiality (you cannot ‘hold’ an app) and performance modes.

Debate around how best to evaluate digital literature is further confounded by the rapidly changing digital world and the lack of agreement as to what constitutes digital literature (Sargeant, 2015, p. 461). In reviewing the storyapp Weirdwood Manor (2015), I was unsure whether this digital text could really be considered literature given the strong focus on animation and gaming, making the text seem like subtitles in a movie at some stages.  Reflecting that I am not the target demographic for this product was helpful, as was understanding that children are now growing up as digital natives and are more immersed in this type of technology and connection (McVicker, 2019). What I see as games can be what Turrion (2014) classes as real participation, a chance for the reader to be part of the story through its interactivity – a co-creator in the literary experience.

Al-Yaqout and Nikolajeva (2015) point out the importance of page layout, picture and text placement and the variation of framed and non-framed pictures in picture book storytelling. Recreating the intent of these features is difficult and does not happen well in many simple e-book versions of a printed text, including When I Am Big by Maria Dek.  This book is delightful in its printed format and the reader does not gain the same experience in using the digital version due to the awkward pagination and restrictions on the use of images.  Al-Yaqout and Nikolajeva suggest a number of ways in which creators can mimic the picture book effects, including sliding pictures to replicate large images and the ability to view images in portrait and landscape. In The Waterhole by Graeme Base some additional features, including the well-matched soundtrack, animal sound effects and tapping experiences work to increase the enjoyment of the text, despite some losses including the images not being full screen.  This enhanced picture book encourages exploration and appeals to our other senses, drawing us into the experience.  We are less concerned with the platform and more able to participate in the story.

The Waterhole could form the basis for an exploration of the role of sound effects and music as part of a school holiday program for primary aged children.  This text could be the springboard for adding sounds and music to other images, perhaps through the use of google drawings which allows multiple links to be embedded into a single image.  Students could record themselves playing a variety of instruments and explore how the use of these effects added or distracted from the text and images that they had created.

In evaluating digital texts I am mindful that this is a growing and evolving area, and that there are plenty of printed texts which I have not considered to be of a good quality.  In Weirdwood Manor it was interesting to see the subtle changes that took place over the six instalments, with Book Six including a first-person perspective to the games which the previous books had lacked.   Children’s literature, especially picture books, can appear simple to the reader who has not understood the thought that has gone in to the synergy between the images and the text, let alone the many other features which lead to a quality reading experience.  Digital texts are still evolving and while it may be that some books should remain in print only, the additional features available to digital storytellers will continue to add value in this new form of storytelling.

Al-Yaqout, G. and Nikolajeva, M. (2015). Re-conceptualising picture book theory in the digital age. Nordic Journal of ChildLit Aesthetics, 6(1), DOI:10.3402/blft.v6.26971

All play, No Work Inc. (2015). Weirdwood Manor. (Version1.7.4) [Mobile App]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com

Base, G. (2020). The Graeme Base Collection [Mobile App] https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Community/Library/Services/Kids-amp-Parents/Online-Fun/Animalia-the-Graeme-Base-Collection

Dek, M. (2018). When I Am Big. [Electronic Version] Accessed via Borrowbox.

McVicker, C.J. (2019). Plugged and Unplugged Reading: Studying the Preferences of Readers. The Reading Teacher, 72(6), 731– 740. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/trtr.1791

Sergeant, B. (2015). What is an ebook? What is a Book App? And Why Should We Care? An Analysis of Contemporary Digital Picture Books, Children’s Literature in Education (2015) 46:454–466 DOI 10.1007/s10583-015-9243-5

Turrión, C. (2014). Multimedia book apps in a contemporary culture: Commerce and innovation, continuity and rupture. Nordic Journal of ChildLit Aesthetics, 5(1), doi:10.3402/blft.v5.24426

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment. Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices. The Reading Teacher, 34(6). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/3886534/Picture_Books_and_the_Digital_World_Educators_ Making_Informed_Choices

Weirdwood Manor (All Play, No work, 2015) is a six part “interactive book series” initially released in 2016 as an app for IOS and Android platforms. The developers describe Weirdwood Manor as bringing “play to storyteliing” with the app listed under the categories of books and education. Reviewers quoted on the app store page use various other descriptions such as e-book puzzler, living book and part e-book – part highly replayable game, highlighting the difficulty in classifying digital literature in this rapidly evolving era. Weirdwood Manor is a digital- born interactive storytelling experience, unusual in that a traditional print story series, Thieves of Weirdwood Manor (Heidicker, 2020), has been developed as a spin off from this story app.

As a story app there is a lot to love about The Incredible Tales of Weirdwood Manor, including the free download. There is an intriguing storyline which invites exploration as Arthur and his two companions investigate this mysterious manor where they are invited as winners of a competition.    Rich, detailed 3D animation provides a suitable backdrop to the story, sound effects and music add to the atmosphere, games and puzzles are revealed through touching the screen and 360 degree views are offered. Reviews imply that it has been positively received.

Yokota and Teale (2014, p. 580) offer five criteria for evaluating digital books. These criteria, along with Margaret Walsh’s concept of evaluating the “synergy between digital features and literary elements” (2013, p. 182) have informed this review.

Weirdwood Manor is given a 4+ age rating by the app, although the recommended age range is 6-12 years. The story spans over six books, with each Book requiring at least 40-60 minutes in order to progress though the story and activities, although it would be possible to spend much longer depending on the speed of solving the puzzles and the level of interest in the supplementary material provided in the journal.  The ‘Read to Me’ feature and the “glowing words to help young readers” appear to be the only concessions to emerging readers. The word choice seems suited to more advanced readers and the although the animation supports the overall story there is little direct correlation between images and text, making decoding difficult. The length and complexity would make it difficult for emerging readers to follow and the supplementary material that appears when objects are found is also complex and not read aloud. In terms of learning to read, this story app might encourage an enthusiasm for storytelling in general however it would not be considered a learn to read text.

If we consider Weirdwood Manor for the 6-12 age group the app can be seen in a much more positive light. Sound effects, a possibility not available in traditional print, are used to good effect and can be turned off if preferred.  The background music is used to create atmosphere and although it seems appropriate to the mysterious events depicted in the story, I found it repetitive and grating over time.  The 6-12 age group may not find the music so annoying however, and the music can be turned off. There are no alternative options to change the adult voice of the narrator however this also seems to fit the tone of the story.

The language used in the text is highly descriptive and more reminiscent of print text where other descriptive features are unavailable.  With the detailed moving animation and clever features such as the 360 view, the words could be scaled back to let the other features “tell the story”.  The zoom function and movement of the characters across the screen already work to point the reader in the right direction in a visual sense. Text could also be more integrated through use of speech bubbles emanating from characters, etc, rather than kept separate at the bottom of the page.  In terms of criteria two (Yokota & Teale, 2014) the story could take more advantage of the digital world through a deeper understanding of the purpose of text. The developers of the story app have of lot of experience in animation and game design so it is not surprising that this emphasis can be seen in Weirdwood Manor.   The addition of a children’s author to the team would possibly assist in blending some of these elements to create more synergy between literary and digital features – following the tradition of picture books where meaning is constructed through verbal and visual texts in a multimodal way (Walsh, p. 182).

Interactivity, a key feature in digital texts, is encouraged as hidden (or partially hidden) objects can be revealed through touching and holding the screen when the blue fairy is glowing. When found these objects give additional information about the world and this information, perhaps as a letter, object or drawing, is saved into an online journal that can be opened at any time. These are not included in the Read to me function.  This is a fun activity (although perhaps overused), which acts to increase curiosity and observation, but often has no bearing on the ability to progress through the story. Turrion (2014) refers to this type of participation as “simulative” in contrast to “real” participation which has a direct cause and effect.  Games and puzzles form a similar function, they tie in with the plot but only a few of these are actually required to be solved in order to progress.  Hints are provided to solve puzzles.

By Book Six the creators were using varied visual perspectives to show different points of view and the puzzles seemed more sophisticated in this sense, showing hands move into the screen as if they belonged to the reader. These inclusions did increase the sense of involvement in the story.  A second instalment of Weirdwood Manor is due to be released shortly and it will be interesting to see what improvements have been achieved in the four years since the initial release.

References

All play, No Work Inc. (2015). Weirdwood Manor. (Version1.7.4) [Mobile App]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com

Heidicker, C. (2020) Thieves of Weirdwood Manor. Harold Holt and Company (BYR).

Turrión, C. (2014). Multimedia book apps in a contemporary culture: Commerce and innovation, continuity and rupture. Nordic Journal of ChildLit Aesthetics, 5(1), doi:10.3402/blft.v5.24426

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment. (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices. The Reading Teacher, 34(6). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/3886534/Picture_Books_and_the_Digital_World_Educators_ Making_Informed_Choices

When I Am Big is a children’s picture book published in 2018 in both hardcover and electronic versions.   Author/illustrator Maria Dek has used simple but quirky watercolour images to produce a story which also works as a counting book.  The numbers go up to 25, well beyond the usual range for books aimed at younger children, but the appealing text with the repeated refrain of “I will…” works well to carry the story with the highly imaginative ideas of what is possible holding the attention of the listener/reader.

I will climb 14 branches to get to my tree house.

I will jump over 9 puddles. All of them at once.

The electronic version does not have any enhanced features (sounds, interactivity, touch screen functions) and clearly fits within the definition of a standard e-book.  Yokota and Teale (2014, p. 580) suggest that the following three standards be applied to both print and digital formats in relation to the quality of the work.

1. Is the story well told, according to literary standards?
2. Is the language of the text skillfully crafted?
3. Are illustrations artistically skillful, and do they work well with the text to illuminate, extend, and/or co-create the story as a whole?

The five additional criteria suggested for evaluating digital books are less relevant in this instance, however the first question “Is the story appropriately presented in digital format?” is helpful in reviewing this version.  The hardcover version was used by way of comparison to answer this question.

The clearest distinction between the print and digital formats is the pagination.  The print version makes extensive use of double page spreads which places focus on the illustrations and directs all of the readers attention to the one idea being presented on that page. The double page invites the reader to take time and really consider the possibility. Would they jump 9 puddles all in one leap? The size of the image on the page, even on the single pages, creates a sense of dimension and proportion that adds value to the story. The text by contrast is relatively small, always at the bottom of the page and is separate to the illustrations. Only the numeral is big.  This matching of the visual and literary elements is a choice made by the author, an important way that meaning is conveyed to the audience (Walsh, 2013, p. 160.)

The digital version is not able to keep these proportions, nor is it able to recreate the same emphasis of a double paged spread.  The illustrations are contained within a rectangular shape with a white background, giving the appearance that they have been inserted into the page.  This has significantly changed the way in which the page, and hence the meaning, is conveyed to the reader.

There is no ability to increase or decrease the size of the image however it is possible to increase the size of the font.   There is also the option to change the font with a few options provided, including a dyslexic font. This feature may be helpful for dyslexic readers who are usually faced with a limited range of suitable picture books.

The illustrations are so pivotal in this book, working to illuminate and extend the story as per criteria three above, that the move to digital seems inappropriate in this case.  The viewer of this digital version would not be aware of what they were missing and may still enjoy the story as presented. However, without any additional features to compensate for the loss of proportion and dimension,  I feel that this book is best experienced in its paper format.

References

Dek, M. (2018). When I Am Big. [Electronic Version] Accessed via Borrowbox.

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices. The Reading Teacher, 34(6). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/3886534/Picture_Books_and_the_Digital_World_Educators_ Making_Informed_Choices

Walsh, M. (2013). Viewing and reading picture books. (Ch. 12). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

The Waterhole by Graeme Base is one of six stories included in The Graeme Base Collection created as a digital edition (Base, 2020). It is available as an app for IOS or Android as well as via download with Mac or Windows. Some public libraries have this collection available for download using a library membership card.

The Waterhole would be considered an enhanced e-book, a print book that has been made into a digital edition with a few enhancements.  The original images and text have been used, with the same pagination, making this text feel very similar to its paper-based version.

Graeme Base is a popular children’s author/illustrator and many children and adults would already be familiar with his particular style of picture books.  They are often classified as Junior Literature rather than Picture Books, due to the rich language and themes pertaining to important issues such as conservation of wildlife and the environment.  This does not stop younger children from enjoying the pictures and language, but shows how the author has managed to connect with a wide age range.

In creating the digital text, Graeme Base has made his original picture book even more accessible to a younger audience. One of the main features is the narration of the story by the author, making it possible to enjoy the story without reading skills or an adult to read the words out loud.  When clicking on the tab “Read the Waterhole”, the title is announced and Graeme Base informs us that he is reading the story.  This creates a sense of connection with the author, almost like he is personally reading the story in a one on one situation.  The words are not highlighted as he reads which seems to invite the reader to relax and enjoy the narration, rather than suggesting that this is a ‘learn to read’ application. This may also be appealing to older readers who have the choice of just listening or of reading along with the author.

There is beautiful background music which changes subtly on each page.  African drums can be heard on the Rhino page and the Pandas have a more recognisable Asian melody.  Upon reaching the page where the waterhole has dried up and the animals have gone there is a haunting, sad tune – although this gives way to a cheerful and upbeat backing track when the animals reappear after the rains.  The music is beautifully matched to the images and the explanatory text provides the information that the “instruments and styles are true to the geographic regions featured in the book”.  This is not explained in the narration so a non-reader would not explicitly be aware of this detail – however I do not think this would detract from the experience in any way.   The soundtrack is a valuable addition, “increasing the young reader’s engagement with the story by supplementing the meaning and information they understand from the pictures” (McDowell, 2014, p.15). This text has cleverly made use of digital features beyond what is possible in print (Yokota & Teale, 2014, p. 580).

The other main feature of this digital version of The Waterhole is the interactive elements.  Again, this is outlined in the written text and not explained by the narrator or indicated via other visual clues. Although the target audience are “digital natives” it could still be helpful to make this more explicit (McVicker, 2019, p.731.)

Hidden frogs appear on each page and each have a distinctive call when tapped.  This encourages exploration of the page and paying attention to the detailed images, a feature that readers would be used to from the print version. The use of frogs links to the wildlife theme and makes sense within the context of the book.

A second, similar feature is the ability to ‘count’ the animals on each page by taping them and hearing a note from an instrument from the corresponding region of the world.  This reinforces the counting aspect of the text and allows the reader to play a tune once the number of animals increases on the page.  This is a fun, playful feature which adds an extra element to the reader experience.

There are a few aspects of this text which could be improved for an even better experience. The book could have taken up the whole screen  (Yakota & Teale, 2014, p. 580) and the instructions could have been more explicit. It is unfortunate that on the final page, where all the animals are gathered together for the joyful climax, that no interactivity is provided where it is expected most. However it is still an enjoyable transformation from print to digital , incorporating interactive  features which will appeal to Graeme Base fans and attract some new  ones as well.

References

Base, G. (2020). The Graeme Base Collection [Mobile App] https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Community/Library/Services/Kids-amp-Parents/Online-Fun/Animalia-the-Graeme-Base-Collection

McDowell, S. (2014). Comparing Craft in Picturebooks and Storyapps: evaluating Movement, Sound, Nonlinear Elements, and Interactivity (Unpublished master’s thesis). Vermont College of Fine Arts, VT.

McVicker, C.J. (2019). Plugged and Unplugged Reading: Studying the Preferences of Readers. The Reading Teacher, 72(6), 731– 740. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/trtr.1791

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices. The Reading Teacher, 34(6). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/3886534/Picture_Books_and_the_Digital_World_Educators_ Making_Informed_Choices