The Baobab — New Zealand
The Baobab is an original story about a curious little girl who goes on a search for a rare, delicious fruit growing from an ancient Baobab tree. The little girl encounters animals and lands herself in a peculiar situation! Children will enjoy the daring little girl's mishaps and adventures, the rich ASL storytelling, and the captivating watercolor illustrations.
The landing page of the app, showing three options for readers: watch, read, and learn vocabulary.
The opening page of the story, shown once the reader selects the “read” option.
Page One, showing the storyteller singing the first part of the story with written text below the video.
Page Two, showing the artwork and text of the story, along with a green “play” button to start the video for that page.
The “watch” view of the story, showing the storyteller signing the complete story without text accompanying the video.
The “learn” view, in which readers can select vocabulary words from the story and watch the storyteller sign them and spell them out.
Concept sketches and color samples by Artist Yiqiao Wang
The Baobab is an original story about a curious little girl who embarks on an adventure. Complete with enthralling illustrations and talented New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) storytelling, this bilingual interactive storybook app features a rich NZSL glossary with over 100 vocabulary words.
The NZSL edition is based on The Baobab (first told in American Sign Language and English) by the award-winning Motion Light Lab team.
Features:
• An original and charming story re-told in NZSL and English!
• Vivid Retina-supported watercolour illustrations.
• Easy & accessible navigation designed for children.
• A rich interactive narrative with direct English to NZSL vocabulary video translation.
• Over 100+ words glossary in New Zealand Sign Language! Parents can learn NZSL along with their child.
• App design is based on proven research in bilingualism and visual learning. The ability to view the story in both, NZSL and English leads to greater literacy skills in both languages in young children.
Built on VL2 Storybook Creator program,
Best Literacy Practice Honoree from The United States Library of Congress, and Innovative Practice Award from the Zero Project, an international recognition.
Credits
Project Director: Melissa Malzkuhn
Design Director: Jacob Shamberg
Lead Programmer: Tim Kettering
Story by: Melissa Malzkuhn, Dr. Kristen Harmon, Dr. Benjamin Bahan, and Wanda Riddle
Illustrator: Yiqiao Wang
Storyteller: April Jackson-Woodard
Video Production: Zilvinas Paludnevicius
Vocabulary Audio: Milana Meadows
Production Designer: Joseph "Pepe" Wagnon
Technical Cosnultant: Greg Millam
Early Childhood Literacy Consultants: Dr. Jenny Singleton, Bobbie Jo Kite, and Svenna Pedersen
Audio Consultant: Jennifer Kaika
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas Allen
Co-Principal Investigator and Science Director: Dr. Laura-Ann Petitto
Evaluation and Assessment: Dr. Melissa Herzig, Melissa Malzkuhn, Dr. Kristen Harmon, Adam Stone, and Erica Wilkins
Special thanks to: Bobby Cox, James Tranovich, Suzanne Scheuermann, and Megan Malzkuhn
