Enjoying paper books and participating in the digital revolution doesn't have to be an either/or proposition. That's what the team behind MagicBook is thinking.
The Ann Arbor-based startup is developing a mobile app that helps make reading physical books fun for kids.
"We were thinking of things we could do to connect technology with physical books," says Marjie Knepp, co-founder of
MagicBook. "All of us grew up enjoying physical books. That really spoke to us."
The four-person team found that kids are reading less and less for fun, a practice that could potentially negatively impact intellectual development. To counter that, MagicBook is combing 21st Century technology with traditional books. Kids using MagicBook can hold a mobile device using the app to a book they are reading. The app will play music, animations, and even interactive characters to engage the user.
MagicBook won the People's Choice at the most recent
Detroit Startup Weekend. The team is currently working on taking off the rough edges of the app so it can be ready for the general public.
"We're hoping to have it ready within the next six months," Knepp says.
Source: Marjie Knepp, co-founder of MagicBook
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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