Publications International 'Lights Up' Children's Imaginations With New Features Providing Fun, Educational Reading Activities

LINCOLNWOOD, Ill., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Publications International, Ltd. (PI) will add major lighted elements to its electronic soundbooks for the first time ever with three new formats set to debut during the American International Toy Fair in New York City, February 17-20, 2008. PI is the world's largest publisher of children's interactive books.

With features such as a flashlight, light pegs and spinning lights, the new titles provide a blend of entertaining, visually stimulating, educational activities for readers. The new formats are: Flashlight Adventure Soundbook, Light Peg Learning Book and Spinning Lights Songbook. The Flashlight Adventure Soundbook and Light Peg Learning Book will be available in spring 2008, while the Spinning Lights Songbook will be available in fall 2008.

"We are very pleased to add the concept of light to our soundbooks for the first time this year," said Kerry Cunnion, Executive Vice President of PI. "The excitement of light brings a fresh element to PI's longstanding tradition of using interactivity to draw young children into the experience and fun of reading."

Flashlight Adventure Soundbook (Ages 3-7)

Grab your flashlight and get ready to embark on a great adventure with the Flashlight Adventure Soundbook. Children use the flashlight to cast shadows on the wall and through shapes and cut-outs in the pop-ups that accompany the story. The flashlight features five sound buttons that correspond to the story, adding even more interactivity to the experience. To use, remove the flashlight from the side of the book. When the book pages are held at a 90-degree angle, pop-ups provide interesting shapes and stenciled outlines that -- when the child shines the flashlight through them -- form silhouettes on an illustrated backdrop. The center spread of the book features a more elaborate pop-up that -- when the book is laid flat -- can cast shadows on the wall. The book also features illustrated instructions on how the child can use the flashlight to form his/her own story-related hand shadows on the wall. Some pages include glow-in-the-dark features. Flashlight Adventure Soundbook titles will include Cars, Dora the Explorer and Thomas & Friends, and will retail for approximately $14.99.

Light Peg Learning Book (Ages 3-7)

The Light Peg Learning Book invites children to follow patterns to make words or pictures with colorful translucent pegs that light up when plugged into a screen above the story. The left-hand page of each spread features printed lyrics and illustrations to accompany one of six favorite melodies that can be triggered by the corresponding sound buttons next to the light-peg screen. To the right of the screen is a storage compartment for the light pegs that accompany the book. Below the screen, on the right-hand page of the book's spread, different patterns suggest pictures and words to create on the light screen with pegs. When the child wants to see his/her creation in lights, he/she presses the lightbulb button and the pegs light up while a brief musical fanfare plays. Light Peg Learning Book titles will include Disney Princess, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Thomas & Friends, and will retail for approximately $14.99.

Spinning Lights Songbook (Ages 3-7)

Aspiring entertainers will get their chance to put on a musical light show as they listen and sing along to favorite melodies with the Spinning Lights Songbook. As the child reads the story, he/she is prompted by an icon in the book to select a matching song by pressing one of 12 buttons on the module to the right of the text. As the melody plays, a plastic wheel -- mounted above the button module -- spins, as LEDs turn on and off to create a pattern unique to each song. The book features 24 pages of illustrations and song lyrics. Spinning Lights Songbook titles will include Disney Princess and Sesame Street, and will retail for approximately $18.99.

About Publications International, Ltd.

Publications International, Ltd. (PI), a privately held company based in Lincolnwood, Illinois, is the world's largest publisher of children's interactive books with publishing rights to more than 50 of the top children's character/movie licenses, more than any other children's book publisher. PI introduces hundreds of new children's titles annually and sells more than 20 million traditional and electronic soundbooks each year. In addition to its rapidly growing children's book division, PI also publishes widely popular cookbooks, the New Seasons line of albums and journals, and a wide variety of general and specialty titles. Having celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007, PI provides consumers and retail partners with products defined by creativity, quality and value, operating with the mission to "get as many books into the hands of as many readers as possible." The company is actively involved in philanthropic literacy efforts, donating books to children's charities and schools to stimulate the love of reading in young people. For more information, please visit http://www.pilbooks.com.