StoryJumper - create picture books

Quick Picture Book Publishing

Create your own account and start writing using StoryJumper. Write a story to illustrate a concept you are trying to teach. Share it "publicly" and use it in your class. Teachers can create a class account and manage student work. 

"StoryJumper is a website that allows kids to build their own books. You can easily create cover pages, add text, upload drawings or photos to illustrate your story, and you can use the StoryJumper clipart gallery, too. When you re done, you can order your own professionally published hardback book."

Step-by-step instructions: HERE

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MagCloud - Magazine Printing for fun and profit

Publish Student Work - Share it with Parents!

MagCloud (an HP affiliated site) allows you to upload your student work and create glossy, professionally printed magazines. They can make a wonderful addition to a class or school library. The bonus is that parents and far-away relatives can order their own copy (or copies) printed and delivered to their door. A modest mark-up can even turn it into a fundraiser for classroom supplies. (Jim Vanides has a good overview of the site.)

There is no up-front cost to upload and publish your PDF. Printing costs 20 cents per page for Standard size and 16 cents per page for Digest size, plus $1.00 per copy for perfect binding. There is no additional cost for saddle-stitch binding. (As the publisher, you can add a markup to your MagCloud publication beyond the cost of printing and binding, and MagCloud will pay the full markup back to you for all print sales of your publication.) All orders of 20 or more print copies receive a discount of 25% off the printing costs. 


Take a look.

Another way to build flippable books

I must admit, I do like the idea of creating and distributing flippable digital magazines and books. There's something slick about the page flipping action, especially when accompanied by the sound of a page turning. (Although, sometimes, I do wonder about the real utility of creating the semblance of a book on a webpage..what's wrong with the webpage format? But that's just me...) I've mentioned a couple of other services before, and just recently came across "Youblisher". While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that Issuu and others have, the view only shows your digital magazine. You don't have to worry about other "unsavory" or inappropriate content showing up on the sidebar. Youblisher is a snap to use: 1) create an account, 2) upload the PDF, 3) share the link - so easy. The one drawback that I can see is that you have no obvious way of viewing the content on an iOS device. (You can choose the download link, and open it as a PDF in another viewer, but it would be nice if the mobile view defaulted to PDF right away.) Youblisher give you the embed code (big and small) and a URL link.


(Link to a sample.)
You could get students to create their own magazine using whatever software package you prefer: Word, Publisher, InDesign, etc. Print it as a PDF and then upload. Newsletters, flyers, teacher-created textbooks, self-published stories...lots of ways to use it.

Publishing online - some web apps

There are lots of great resources for teachers to publish student work in a "book" format. Most allow for online viewing via embed codes. This allows parents, relatives and friends to view the work from anywhere. Most will also allow viewers to print out copies for saving and bragging.





Web based Solutions:

SimpleBooklet
Very easy set up. This can be used without an account. Lots of formats possible. Nice templates.http://simplebooklet.com

Bookr
Bookr allows you to create picture flipbooks using Flickr images, and you can add your own text . (It is not printer friendly, but if you take screen shots, you can print.) Make note of the embed code and URL or you'll never find it again!
http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/

Scribd
Scribd allows you to upload docs, PPT, pdfs and view them/ embed them as an online book, slide show or scroll. You can print what you upload. You'll need an account to do this.
www.scribd.com


Software Based Solutions


iPhoto
If you have access to iPhoto (mac) , you can use it to make a book, and add captions. Simply save as a PDF, then print the book or upload to some of the web based services.



Powerpoint
Students can make pages using individual slides. When printed out, they can be bound to create books. Saved as a PDF, the slides can also be uploaded to some of the web based services.


See also, (but some content may not be kid friendly)

Blurb
www.blurb.com
You can download their software to create beautiful photo books. Books can be viewed online, sold/purchased, and or printed


Issuu
Upload your PDF creations to create flipbooks.
www.issuu.com


Yudu
www.yudu.com