Contact:

Sara Sinek, ssinek@scholastic.com, (212) 343-6899
Michael Barrett, mbarrett@scholastic.com, (212) 343-6570

Leveraging Qualcomm Vuforia Technology, App Gives Parents and Teachers Quick and Easy Access to Reading Level, Book Synopsis, and More while Shopping at Scholastic Book Fairs

New York, NY – October 10, 2013 – According to recent research, parents are a key source of books for their kids, but many parents struggle to find the perfect book that matches their child’s reading level and interests. To help busy families keep their kids reading and succeeding, Scholastic Book Fairs® today announces the Scholastic Book Fairs app. Available for iPhone and iPod touch, the app is designed to extend the Scholastic Book Fair experience and provide parents and teachers with instant and detailed information about every book sold at their Scholastic Book Fair to be sure children find the books that will keep them reading every day. The app is available on select Android devices.

With the free Scholastic Book Fairs app, parents and teachers can access more information about thousands of books available through Book Fairs by simply pointing and scanning the cover. Produced by Scholastic Media and using Qualcomm® Vuforia™ technology, which enables apps to see and connect digital experiences to physical products, the Book Fairs app reveals valuable information about each book, including reading levels (Accelerated Reader, Developmental Reading Assessment, Guided Reading and Lexile levels), ‘Reading Counts’ quizzes for individual titles, and the appropriate age range for the book to help guide parents and kids through the Fair.

Once the right book is found, parents have the option to find recommendations for similar books, create wish lists, and even purchase through the school’s Online Book Fair. Parents can purchase from a wide selection of book titles, including a selection of books that are not available at the Fair, and ebook versions available for purchase through Storia®, the Scholastic e-reading app for children. A portion of the Book Fair sales go to the school to help them purchase more books and educational materials. Qualcomm Vuforia is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

In addition, while at the Book Fair, parents and teachers can point and scan QR codes located throughout the Scholastic Book Fair to access free podcasts and author video interviews, as well as “book talks,” which feature children providing peer reviews of favorite books.

“This new app is revolutionizing the way parents navigate the school book fair and will help them easily pin point the right book for their child,” said Alan Boyko, President of Scholastic Book Fairs. “In this era of higher standards, students are required to enhance their vocabulary, read more complex texts, and develop greater critical thinking skills. To do that, we know that our students must spend more time reading independently, and the Scholastic Book Fair app is equipped with the technology to help every child find the books that they cannot wait to read.”

“Scholastic has joined with the best of breed technology partners to meet the needs of our parent and teacher customers,” stated Deborah Forte, President of Scholastic Media. “We are proud to bring a mobile version of the Book Fair to the market, allowing kids and parents instant access to a wealth of information about the books they want to read and extending the excitement of the Book Fair experience.”

The Scholastic Book Fairs app is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch at www.AppStore.com. The app is also available for free download on select Android devices. For more information about the app, go to www.scholastic.com/apps/bookfairs. For more about on Scholastic, visit our media room.

Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the US and other countries. Vuforia is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. All Qualcomm Incorporated trademarks are used with permission. Other products or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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