Mike Eakins
We all remember how tough it can be learning to read and write especially learning in front of peers. Knowing how syllables work, and the ever daunting task of nailing down those pesky homonyms. Well, thanks to Marvel, reading, and writing just got a bit more fun. Marvel has teamed up with Kuato Studios to bring us: Marvel Hero Tales. Spider-Man and a cast of Marvel Heros are here to finally help out with discerning between their, there, and they’re!
The free app, available on iOS and Android, encourages kids from 7 to 11 to write their own Marvel stories while developing their language and reading skills. The app lets kids follow superheroes like Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Captain America, and Captain Marvel as they “level up” by completing activities such as word collection and comprehension of words. Kids will be able to use the words to write their own story by building sentences inside a comic book panel. Their choice of words directly affects the outcome of the superhero’s mission. The final result is a personalized comic book that can be shared with friends and family.
“This is the most personal project I’ve ever been involved with, not just because of my love of the Marvel Universe, but also because as a child with undiagnosed dyslexia, school, and particularly reading, was incredibly challenging for me,” Mark Horneff, CEO of Kuato Studio, said in a statement.
As players progress within the app, their achievements earn them badges for their success.
“Those adventures fed not only my imagination but my confidence as a storyteller and my passion for reading,” Horneff said. “My hope is that Marvel Hero Tales will inspire a new generation of Marvel readers and storytellers, and in some small way, allow that 8-year-old to repay some of the debt I owe to Peter Parker.”