Bigsby Gets A Pet Mouse!

LEEDS SCHOOL CHILDREN BECOME PUBLISHED AUTHORS AGED JUST SIX YEARS OLD! 

Gifted young authors, from Victoria Primary School have won the Hallmark Story Buddies national literacy competition, becoming published authors at the age of just six years old with their story, “Bigsby Gets a Pet Mouse”, getting it published in time for Christmas!

The class fought off tough competition from hundreds of school children aged between five and seven years old from across the UK and Ireland who entered the national literacy initiative launched by Hallmark Cards and supported by education advisors and the Confederate of British Industry (CBI) to complement the school curriculum. 

The competition required the children to write a story in no more than 200 words about a cute and cuddly Story Buddy called Bigsby.  Story Buddies use innovative technology to allow the characters to actually join in as you read aloud to them, bringing the story to life. The winning book will be published and sold by Hallmark as an addition to the newest member of the Story Buddy gang – the lovable Bigsby, with a donation of sales going directly to the school for its entire lifecycle. 

Following a public vote against 19 other shortlisted entries on Hallmark’s Facebook page, Victoria Primary School was chosen to win the coveted prize, with an overwhelming majority of the votes with their 200 word story, “Bigsby Gets a Pet Mouse”. The sweet tale of an unlikely friendship between Bigsby, the woodland creature and a cute mouse, penned by the young authors will become a brand new Story Buddies book that will launch in time for Christmas. 

Victoria Primary School’s book, ‘Bigsby Gets A Pet Mouse’ will be available online from 1st December 2012 through www.hallmark.co.uk priced £3.00. Fifty percent of all proceeds from the book will be donated to the school.  Bigsby himself and additional books in the series including ‘Bigsby’s Borrowed Shoes’ and ‘Bigsby’s Big News’ are also available from Hallmark stores, good independents and online.

Bigsby - Hallmark's New Story Buddy

A New story Buddy from Hallmark

He is big and beautiful and totally endearing!  That's Bigsby, the latest Story Buddy from Hallmark, a giant furry creature, perfect for your little monsters to love!

Following in the footsteps of Cooper and Abigail, Bigsby is the newest addition to the Story Buddy family.  He comes with his own story book.

Story time is magical with these interactive toys who join in, giving responses when trigger words are read aloud.  The trigger words are highlighted in red in the story book.

Bigsby is a shy creature who lives in the forest who meets a new best friend called Sam, who is new in town.  They share lots of adventures together in the book " Bigsby's Best Friend".  Children aged three and over will love to cuddle up to Bigsby at bedtime, listen to the story and hear Bigsby as he interacts with the lovely story.  He has a great voice and an infectious laugh!

We were sent a Bigsby to try out.  The best way to demonstrate this wonderful toy is to show you in a video!

Priced at £19.99, Bigsby is available in Hallmark stores, good independents and at www.hallmark.co.uk. The additional books for Bigsby are also available from the same outlets priced at £5.99 each.

Make Story time Magical with a Story Buddy

Hallmark is making story time all the more magical with a new range of new and exclusive Story Buddies.  Using exciting, innovative playback technology, each soft, cuddly Story Buddy interacts when the story is being read, with trigger passages prompting the toy to speak and join in.  A new response is revealed with each new page bringing the character and the story to life.  Reading becomes a more engaging and entertaining pastime, which is perfect for children who are not as keen on sitting still for a story.

We were sent Cooper to try, a gorgeous soft and cuddly teddy bear who comes with his own story book "Big Bear Hugs".

Pressing a button on his ear activates Cooper and he is then ready to listen to the story.  Certain sentences, coloured in red in the text, trigger Cooper to respond.  He has a lot of different phrases that he says, keeping the experience fresh and exciting.  I am such a soft touch...I've spent far too long saying "I love you, Cooper!" so he will reply "I love you too!"  It is very cute!!

Cooper is joined by Watson the Inquisitive Raccoon and Jingle the Husky (a limited edition for Christmas) who both have their own story books.  More Story Buddies are due to join the crew in the New Year.

At just £19.99 a Story Buddy would make an excellent Christmas gift for a young child.  Pre-readers will enjoy listening to the story and will delight in their Story Buddy's responses.  Children who can read independently will love to trigger the phrases themselves by speaking the words aloud.

Hallmark have developed a free down;loadable app suitable for iPhones and iPads to accompany the range which includes a short animated story, as well as puzzles and games.

You can buy Story Buddies from Hallmark.co.uk for £19.99 which includes the toy and a book. Batteries are included (big thumbs up!!)  Additional books cost £5.99.

By combining a traditional and important pastime such as reading, with the latest technology, Hallmark have come up with a new and exciting story time experience that the whole family will enjoy!

Also available are recordable story books where you can read aloud each page of one of seven beautifully hand illustrated books and record your voice.  As the book is read by the child they will hear your voice reading the story to them.  You never have to miss a bed time story again.  Perfect for Grandparents or distant relatives to buy for loved ones, they cost just £14.99 from hallmark.co.uk.  I think this is a lovely idea for those who can't be there all the time to share a story with a child.