PHOTO BOOKS ARE BETTER FOR TODDLERS THAN ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

MENLO PARK, CALIF. – July 17, 2007 – Picaboo (http://www.picaboo.com), makers of the innovative free software that helps people turn photos into stunning photo books, hits home with parents who want to take advantage of research coming out of the American Psychological Association (APA) finding that toddlers learn better from books with photographs rather than those with illustrations or “likenesses” of objects.

The research article by Simcock and DeLoache “Get the picture? The effects of Iconicity on Toddlers’ Reenactment from Picture Books” can be found on the APA website: http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/dev4261352.pdf. The research finds that very young children understand the meaning of objects presented in color photographs better than black and white images or drawings, indicating that real-world, life-like images are important learning tools for babies and toddlers.
 
For an experience that is decidedly more intimate and fun, Picaboo helps parents turn digital photos of objects like the family dog, mini-van, refrigerator, or favorite hat into a custom book complete with photo captions or even stories.

The bookstore is an obvious option for parents looking for children’s books with real-life images, but a custom photo book is more contextually relevant, suggesting that it could be more effective in helping toddlers develop reading skills and generally learn better about the world around them

Within grasp of almost anyone with a Windows PC and digital camera, Picaboo enables parents to easily make books that are professionally-printed and similar in quality to that of children’s books purchased at retail.

“Andrew loves to see himself in a book and it definitely reinforces the learning of his ABCs. Seeing family photos beside the things that start with those letters really helps,” said mother of two (with one more on the way) Jamie Thorn, of Pensacola, Florida, creator of Picaboo book “A is for Andrew”. “As a parent, it is absolutely more engaging. It’s actually our most bonding time. I can tell stories about the beach we love or his first haircut. We understand it, it has a story and makes for special moments. You can't get that from Barney.”

Special Baby Idea Center
Picaboo’s Idea Center, http://www.picaboo.com/ideacenter, walks customers through creating a book for virtually every occasion. In the Baby Idea Center, customers are guided through quick commentary that helps pique creativity and set direction. Baby and toddler topics include: “ABCs,” “123s,” “Baby’s World” and “My Family”. Professionally designed templates and an auto-create feature can be used to make a book very quickly, or for a highly customized book, a broad range of graphics, text, colors, layouts and backgrounds can be used. Each Idea Center also includes photobooking tips & tricks, sample books, and free page backgrounds.

Photo books may look challenging and expensive to make, but with Picaboo, they have never been easier or more affordable. Unlike other photo book offerings, Picaboo collects photos from the user’s hard drive in seconds rather than requiring a painful, time-consuming upfront uploading process.

Picaboo also offers more creative flexibility, with thousands of page backgrounds, hundreds of page layouts, and dozens of professionally designed themes. Pricing starts at just $9.99 for an 8x6" 20-page softcover photo book, and spans to $29.99 for an 8.5x11" 20-page hardcover photo book. Shipping is additional and extra pages are available for an additional fee. Once made, Picaboo photo books can be shared online with friends free of charge.

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Media Contact:
Susie Marino
415.613.9138
dearsusan@marino.com