13 April 2021 – Grounded by COVID with nowhere to go? Let your imagination take flight with Marky Polo’s Augmented Reality (AR) Travel Series. Marky Polo, the pangolin comes from a family line of accomplished travellers. He wonders if he can follow in his famous family’s footsteps. Join Marky on his adventures as he explores new places and gains fun travel experiences.
Written by award-winning author, Emily Lim-Leh and illustrated by award-winning illustrator, Nicholas Liem, Marky Polo begins his adventures in Japan and brings kids on an adventure like never before through the busy streets and amazing sights of Tokyo.
From the Narita airport to the Tokyo Skytree, through the streets of Harajuku and the Shibuya crossing, Marky Polo goes on an exhilarating adventure to recover his luggage bag that is mistakenly taken by another traveller. While on the chase, he discovers many interesting things unique to the Japanese culture and society.
“The character, Marky Polo was inspired by Marco Polo. Through Marky Polo, we would like to bring the joy of travelling and adventures to kids, despite the current travel restrictions. The series with its beautiful and colourful illustrations is also written to encourage young children to read and expand their imaginative minds. We look forward to bringing Marky Polo to many other cities such as Beijing and even Singapore,” said Ruth Wan, Publisher at World Scientific.
Experience the book come to life through Augmented Reality (AR)! You can scan various pages with a free app to interact with a 3D model of Marky Polo, watch an animated video of his family’s travels, and experience Tokyo through videos and links to websites. You can even learn about animals native to Japan through the AR functions!
“The Augmented Reality functions will capture the imagination of children, helping them to learn more and retain more educational value, while being entertained and having fun,” said Gerald Cai, Managing Director of SnapLearn, the AR developer for the book.
‘Marky Polo in Tokyo’ is written in collaboration with the Japanese National Tourism Organisation (JNTO). “We are very glad to partner World Scientific Education on this project to bring the unique sights and offerings of Tokyo to children through the wonderful character of Marky Polo. I’m sure after reading this book, kids and parents alike would love to visit Tokyo again when travel is safe again. Meanwhile, this will give families a chance to discuss their fond memories of the city too,” said Hatsume Nagai, Executive Director of JNTO Singapore Office.
Marky Polo in Tokyo is now available at all major bookstores at $12.90 (softcover) and $19.90 (hardcover).
More information and advanced reviews for the book can be found at https://worldscientificedu.com/children-and-families/ and on Instagram @worldscientifcedu.
About Emily Lim-Leh, Author
Emily is an award-winning author of over 35 children’s picture books. Emily’s idea for Marky Polo’s Travels came from brainstorming with her 10-year-old son and draws from his good humour for this hybrid picture book series.
About Nicholas Liem, Illustrator
Nicholas is a versatile artist whose portfolio includes award-winning science comics. Nicholas’ expertise with comic book illustrations and training as an architect lends to the detailed streetscapes and fun comic elements for Marky Polo in Tokyo.
For more information, please contact:
Serene Ng
World Scientific Education, an imprint of World Scientific Publishing
[email protected]