MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Jan. 10, 2019 – Capstone, innovative publisher of children’s educational content for home and schools, has partnered with Earplay, the leading interactive audio platform, to bring the publisher’s popular, bestselling You Choose Books to Alexa-enabled devices. The partnership merges cutting-edge, voice-first technologies with family-friendly content to meet an increasing demand for interactive stories that kids can safely play on their new devices.
The launch includes a library of 50 You Choose Adventure titles for ages 8-12, grouped into 12 story bundles, from Global Discovery and Space Exploration, to Extreme Sports and Epic History. Families will enjoy interactive, audio storytelling with reader-favorite stories such as The Oregon Trail or The Race to the Moon. All 50 stories are available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. Twelve stories are available for all Alexa users.
“It has been a dream partnering with Capstone, a true innovator in learning and trusted brand in children’s educational content, to bring the first kid-friendly interactive audio series alive with the Earplay platform,” said Jon Myers, Earplay CEO. “This collaboration marks an industry first milestone for time-to-market for the seamless integration of the Earplay interactive audio platform and Capstone’s 50+ hours of high-quality interactive audio content.”
“Capstone’s partnership with Earplay is a natural fit as we both connect with our audiences through storytelling. Our combination is unrivaled in its ability to scale cutting-edge, voice-first content and technology. No competitor can match our storytelling, design, voice talent, and technology infrastructure capabilities. Looking forward, Capstone is excited to continue our collaboration with Earplay and to expand our digital content into other innovative channels,” said Tom Ahern, Capstone CEO.
Alexa users will interact with the You Choose books by deciding outcomes from among several narrative paths within each story. Through interactive audio controlled by simple voice commands, listeners can guide where the story goes, creating multiple endings and story paths with countless possibilities. The 12 story categories represent the best in immersive, educational storytelling with an interactive, audio-only experience.
About Earplay
Earplay is the proven leader in voice-first entertainment with its platform for the creation and distribution of interactive audio content on voice-enabled devices. With its proprietary technology, Earplay has created a new immersive storytelling medium and set the standard for long form voice entertainment. With Earplay, players become part of the story, interacting with characters and affecting outcomes with their voice. Based in Boston, Earplay was founded in 2013 with the release of the first voice-operated interactive audio drama on iOS. www.earplay.com
About Capstone
Capstone is a leading content creator for digital solutions, children’s books, literacy programs, and K–12 professional development resources. Capstone creates content and interactive experiences in a variety of digital, print, and blended media formats for school libraries, classrooms, and at home reading including the award-winning PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next research databases for elementary schools. www.capstonepub.com
Contact:
Jennifer Glidden
PR Manager
952.224.0594
jglidden@capstonepub.com