Why you should download the Pickatale reading app for children

Introducing the fun, interactive reading and audiobook app that's improving the way young people spend their screen time. With Pickatale, children up to 10 years can explore a vast digital library of wonderful illustrated books and much more to read anytime, anywhere

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Many parents face a battle over screen time with their children, but a new app that aims to transform it into a useful tool could be the answer.

With hundreds of enriched books, the Pickatale app for smartphones and tablets is easy to use and suitable for children up to 10 years old.

Fun and educational

Apolline, 7, pictured with mum Tanya, loves to "listen to the stories and say the words" using the Pickatale app

As they have for grown ups, screens have become a normal part of most children’s lives, even being used during lessons at school. But rather than worrying about negative headlines, Pickatale focuses on turning their screen time into a positive, educational experience.

The Pickatale app can help to instil a lifelong love of reading, turning screens into useful tools that adults are happy to see being used, while still retaining a sense of fun for children. “Our seven-year-old daughter is still learning [to read], but sometimes I’m too busy to read to her," says mum-of-four Tanya. "When she uses the Pickatale app, it’s one of the few occasions I’ve seen something useful on the iPad.”

Audiobooks and e-books

Brontë, 10, pictured with Calypso, 9, likes the karaoke setting and being able to touch the words

Pickatale has hundreds and hundreds of different books to suit each literacy level. The choice is vast: there's fiction and non-fiction, and a weekly newspaper. New books are added each week too.

Each book has also been transformed: text and illustrations are combined with audio to make the experience fully interactive.

Titles can be read as e-books or listened to in an audio setting. The audiobook option works like karaoke, allowing less confident children to follow highlighted text while listening to narration.

More confident readers can tackle the book alone, but click on words or images for audible help if they get stuck. This flexibility allows children to develop reading skills in their own way and at their own pace.

Wide selection

11-year-old Rudy enjoys Pickatale's interactive qualities

“There’s something for everyone," Tanya says. "I love the karaoke function and the high-quality visuals make it even more fun, especially with non-fiction books.”

Her children agree. “I liked the narration and the voices. It’s really interactive,” says 11-year-old Rudy. “I like to listen to the stories and say the words,” says seven-year-old Apolline. “I like that you can touch the words. The karaoke setting helps you know where you are”, explains Brontë, 10.

One Pickatale login can have up to four different reader profiles. Users can also choose topics of interest from a specialist menu in the app to enable Pickatale to make book recommendations. Once books are downloaded, they are available offline to access anytime and anywhere.

Download Pickatale from the Apple App Store or Google Play App Store, or visit pickatale.co.uk and enjoy a two week free trial when you sign up.