Dr. Seuss published his first children’s book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” in 1937 and it was an instant hit with parents and children. The story’s free spirit and wild illustrations shook up the children’s book scene which at the time was mostly focused on teaching children lessons and manners.
This year marks the book’s 75th anniversary and what better way to celebrate than by releasing an interactive omBook edition! Download And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street for your Apple or Android device and experience the story that started it all. You’ll find it hard to believe that Dr. Seuss almost burned this manuscript out of frustration from it being rejected so many times. In fact, he nearly gave up entirely on writing children’s books — we’re so glad he didn’t!
– Fun facts about Mulberry Street –
The manuscript was rejected by twenty-seven publishing houses for being too different and edgy. He was told that “neither fantasy nor verse sold well and that his story lacked a moral or lesson.”
Dr. Seuss was ready to give up on the book when he ran into a friend from college, Mike McClintock, who had just become juvenile editor of Vanguard Press. McClintock asked to take a look at the manuscript and ended up publishing it.
The young boy in the story, Marco, was named after Mike and Helene McClintock’s own son.
The original title of the book was “A Story That No One Can Beat.” The president of Vanguard Press asked Dr. Seuss to give it a snappier title.
The rhymes were written to the rhythm of chugging engines on the Swedish ship the M.S. Kungsholm while Dr. Seuss was on a vacation with his wife, Helen.
Mulberry Street is an actual street in Springfield, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Dr. Seuss’ childhood home on Fairfield Street. It is now a tourist destination containing many historical buildings and sites, including a plaque referencing Dr. Seuss and the book that made the street famous!
Watch a video preview of the omBook!
Did you read Dr. Seuss books when you were a child? What was your favorite story? Leave your answer in the comments for a chance to win And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch!
** The winner has been randomly chosen & is Kelli Morton. Congratulations, Kelli! Please look for an email from us. **
On behalf of all of us at Oceanhouse Media, I wanted to send a brief update and a huge “Thank You” to our customers, partners, and supporters!
Karen and I started this business in January of 2009 at a time of uncertainly for our family. We had a vision of building a digital publishing company, but we did not hold rights to any content. We choose to embark anyway. Along the way, we found tremendous support from customers, reviewers, fellow developers, teachers, parents and incredible license partners. Recognizing all of the support that we have received from the community, we are humbled and grateful.
2011 has been an amazing year. Back in January, we announced the sale of our 1 millionth paid app. We’ve subsequently added close to a dozen license partners, grown the team substantially, and moved out of our house and into a beautiful office space.
We are learning just how much our apps are impacting people and their lives. For instance, some of the email messages we received from the parents of children with special needs have brought us to tears. Each story that we receive reinforces the knowledge that we are fulfilling the work that is expected of us at this moment. It is incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts are impacting the world in such a positive manner.
We are honored to have the opportunity to work with great license partners. We are thankful that they have entrusted us with incredible content. We are committed to delivering ever higher quality interactive experiences as the technology evolves. And, wow, do we ever see the technology evolving quickly!
On a purely personal note, Karen and I love how we are able to share our journey with our 3 year old and 18 month old daughters. They are some of our best app testers! Also, spending quality family time with the girls is the single best way to re-invigorate me and remind me why we work as hard as we do.
So, as we celebrate Thanksgiving I simply wanted to take a moment to extend a warm “Thank You” from all of us at Oceanhouse Media. Without you as customers, partners and supporters, we would not be able to do all that we do.
Please accept our best wishes! May the coming holidays be filled with good health, peace, love and laughter!
We’re excited to announce a new series of educational omBooks from The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library! The first title, “There’s No Place Like Space!: All About Our Solar System,” is now available on the App Store, and offers a fun new way for kids to learn basic science concepts.
As children explore this animated omBook, they will discover special interactive learning moments that reinforce specific topics. Users can tap stars in the sky to reveal constellations; learn the order of the planets in our solar system through a Seussian mnemonic device; search the night sky with a telescope; find hidden information cards from Thing One and Thing Two; and even access an instant glossary by tapping on highlighted words.
We tested this app in a local elementary school classroom, and here’s what the kids had to say!:
“My favorite part was when I looked through the telescope. I also liked it when it gave me a warning not to look at the sun.” (7 year-old boy)
“It was cool! I liked that it reads to you and explains all the stuff.” (10 year-old girl –English Language Learner)
“I like that it told you about the planets and how far they are from the sun. I learned that some planets are very far away and get very cold!” (7 year-old girl)
“It was talking about space and I learned some interesting words like astronaut. I like the pictures—I like the colors and the details.” (7 year-old girl)
“I like that if you don’t know a word you can touch it and it will say it for you.” (10 year-old boy – English Language Learner)
– Check out a sneak peek of the app! –
– About The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library –
Aimed at children ages five to eight, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library is a nonfiction series that appeals to children’s natural curiosity and engages them in the process of scientific exploration and discovery. The titles explore a range of subjects, including dinosaurs, pets, marine life, trees and outer space and feature classic characters from the original The Cat in the Hat — The Cat, Sally, Dick, Thing One and Thing Two, and even the fish!
Look for more Learning Library omBooks like “Oh Say Can You Say Dinosaurs?” coming soon!
Join us Wednesday, November 16th at 6PM PST for a Twitter Party introducing a new line of educational omBooks from our recent partnership with Random House Children’s Books. There’s No Place Like Space!: All About Our Solar System kicks off an exciting collection of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library omBooks, which introduce children to basic science concepts in a fun, interactive way.
There’s No Place Like Space! is our most ambitious omBook to date so we’re very excited to finally share it with you and hear your feedback. Please join us for a discussion on educational apps – why you like them, how you use them, and what features you’re looking for. How important is it that apps have educational value? Do you allow your children more screen time if you feel they are learning something? (plus, we’ll also brush up on some fun facts about the solar system! )
We have a very special guest, Carisa Kluver from the popular app review site, Digital Storytime, who will lead a Q&A session during the second half of the hour, with Oceanhouse Media’s early childhood education specialist, Liz Griffiths. They’ll discuss some of the new educational features of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series, and everyone is encouraged to jump in so we hope to see you there!
Twitter Party Details:
Who: Everyone is welcome!
What: Introducing the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series of educational omBooks.
Where: For Twitter parties it’s best to use Tweetchat, Tweetgrid, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck etc.
When: Wednesday, November 16 6-7pm PST
Hashtag: Follow and post with #OMApps
On Friday, we attended the 18th annual TechAmerica Awards luncheon, which celebrates San Diego’s most innovative technology companies. We were honored to received the High Tech Award in the Software Category for our work on children’s book apps for mobile devices. We’d like to thank TechAmerica for putting together this wonderful event, we had an excellent time and were pleased to connect with many local businesses. We also want to thank all the families who bring our apps into their household. Your feedback and support keep us motivated to continue innovating the reading and learning experience as technology evolves.
“We’re extremely honored to receive TechAmerica’s High Tech Award for our work in developing interactive children’s book apps that help teach kids to read. “We’re committed to bringing more beloved children’s classics to the app market with educational features that promote literacy in the youngest of readers at the touch of a screen.” — Michel Kripalani, President of Oceanhouse Media.
The rest of the crew, back at the office celebrating the good news!
Spookley the Square Pumpkin has had an eventful October. Between his pumpkin patch appearances, movie theater showings, Twitter parties, and his new job as the spokes-pumpkin for the National Bullying Prevention Campaign, he’s had his pumpkin hands full! And it’s not surprising that his natural charisma and message of kindness and tolerance have also landed him at the top of the app charts throughout the month.
Today, we have some especially exciting news for Spookley fans. The Amazon Appstore for Android has chosen “The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin” omBook as the Free App of the Day for Halloween! So, if your Android device hasn’t already been charmed with Spookley’s uplifting Halloween story, hurry over and download it today!
Have an Apple device or a NOOK Color? Don’t worry, Spookley is just 99 cents today on those markets.
Check out Spookley in Times Square! 10/25/2011
Happy Halloween from everyone at Oceanhouse Media! We hope you and your family have a safe and fun evening!
Halloween is just one week away, and not surprisingly, the app markets are being stormed by Halloween apps. Check out our selection of fun Halloween themed omBooks, on sale through October 31st. Whatever your Halloween plans are, these stories are sure to put you in the holiday mood!
Join Papa Bear and the cubs in The Berenstain Bears Go on a Ghost Walk. They have everything they need to make it a really spooky night — cobwebs, jack-o’-lanterns, and scary monsters, Frankenbear and Grizzula. But does Papa Bear take it one decoration too far? Enjoy this heartwarming Halloween story and find out what makes Papa Bear go “YI-E-E-E!” (Just $2.99)
When a mighty storm threatens to destroy Holiday Hill Farm, Spookley realizes “it’s fine to be round while the weather is fair, but there are times it’s better to be a square!” The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin delivers a special message from a very unique pumpkin of tolerance and self-acceptance that’s just right for Halloween…and every day of the year! (Just $0.99)
What Was I Scared Of? Introduces a character who repeatedly meets up with an empty pair of pale-green pants. At first he’s terrified of them, but when he screams for help and the pants also start to cry, he realizes that “They were just as scared as I!” Putting fear in the proper perspective, the empty pants become good friends with the character. (Just $0.99)
Deepak Chopra is one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind-body medicine. He’s written over fifty books, is a popular spiritual speaker, and is the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California. Integrating the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda with traditional Western medicine and recent discoveries in the field of quantum physics, he has forged a holistic approach to healing that has had enormous appeal as well as widespread professional acceptance. We’ve had the unique pleasure of bringing his inspirational and uplifting messages to the app world. This week, we’re celebrating his birthday by putting those apps on sale! You’ll definitely want to pick some of these up! Sale ends 8pm Eastern on Thursday 10/27.
The Manifesting Good Luck Cards: Growth And Enlightenment app “will put you in touch with your own innate wisdom and power by reminding you of some of life’s great metaphysical truths. When we work on our own development and evolution, amazing things start to happen. With good luck comes a feeling of freedom. You feel you’re always in the right place at the right time.”
On My Way to a Happy Life is a children’s omBook featuring 7 lessons to help them live a happy and successful life. “There’s something incredible inside of you. It’s the power to make all your dreams come true. The gift you’ve been given is that you can create absolutely anything, whether small or great. So imagine, believe, and set your dreams free. There is no limit to what you can do or be.”
With the Ask the Kabala Oracle Cards app, you will learn how the mystical archetypes of the Old Testament can help you deepen your life and improve your patterns of behavior. Each of the 22 beautifully illustrated cards features one letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter is represented by a specific story or character from the Bible and a life lesson or meditation based on that story from a kabalistic perspective.
“Happiness for a reason is just another form of misery because the reason can be taken away from us at any time.” – Deepak Chopra
Join us Wednesday, October 12th at 6pm PDT for our “Pick a Pumpkin, not on a Person” Twitter Party! This month, our very own Spookley the Square Pumpkin is the National Spokes-Pumpkin for PACER’s Bullying Prevention initiative and we’re doing our best to help him spread the word! So on Unity Day, October 12, we’re joining the movement in communities, schools and online as people band together, united against bullying, to show love, support and hope for a kinder future!
Show your support by joining us for a discussion on bullying in our society, and how fun experiences like traveling or new hobbies can expand children’s minds and show them that differences are in fact delightful!
And as always, we’ll give away some fun kids apps for Apple devices, plus a special signed hardcover edition of The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin. Hope you can join us!
Twitter Party Details:
Who: Everyone is welcome!
What: A discussion of bullying prevention!
Where: For Twitter parties it’s best to use Tweetchat, Tweetgrid, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck etc.
When: Wednesday, October 12 6-7pm PDT
Hashtag: Follow and post with #OMSpookley
Louise Hay is a woman who radiates peace, and spreads joy and love through her spirit of abundant energy. In 1976 she self-published her first book, Heal Your Body A-Z, which explored her core belief that your thoughts create your world, and that “The body, like everything else in life, is a mirror of our inner thoughts and beliefs. Every cell within your body responds to every single thought you think and every word you speak.” She went on to create Hay House Publishing which brings together inspirational content from other notable authors of the self-help movement such as Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, and Doreen Virtue. We are extremely honored to work with such an inspirational woman and the company she created. Enjoy some of Louise Hay’s famous works this week for 50%OFF. Happy birthday Louise!
- These inspirational apps for your iPhone or iPod Touch are on sale from October 4th through Oct 10th
Heal Your Body A-ZThe mental causes for physical illness & the way to overcome them
Dr. Seuss published his first children’s book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” in 1937 and it was an instant hit with parents and children. The story’s free spirit and wild illustrations shook up the children’s book scene which at the time was mostly focused on teaching children lessons and manners.
)
Deepak Chopra is one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind-body medicine. He’s written over fifty books, is a popular spiritual speaker, and is the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California. Integrating the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda with traditional Western medicine and recent discoveries in the field of quantum physics, he has forged a holistic approach to healing that has had enormous appeal as well as widespread professional acceptance. We’ve had the unique pleasure of bringing his inspirational and uplifting messages to the app world. This week, we’re celebrating his birthday by putting those apps on sale! You’ll definitely want to pick some of these up! Sale ends 8pm Eastern on Thursday 10/27.
Louise Hay is a woman who radiates peace, and spreads joy and love through her spirit of abundant energy. In 1976 she self-published her first book, 
