Random House Children’s Books announced its first Little Golden Books app, The Poky Little Puppy app. Now available on iTunes and complete with the distinctive Little Golden Books gold spine, the app is designed to appeal to children of all reading levels on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Users can choose to watch and listen to the story, and follow along as words are highlighted, or they can turn off the narration and read at their own pace, with words spoken aloud at the tap of the finger. More advanced readers can also opt to record their own voice reading the story.

The app also contains reading comprehension challenges that unlock bonus activities. The Poky Little Puppy app is the first of more Little Golden Books apps to come, retailing for $4.99 and introduced at $3.99. To craft the app, Random House Children’s Books collaborated with digital media agency Smashing Ideas, which Bertelsmann AG acquired in May 2011 for its Random House, Inc., division.

(www.randomhouse.com/kids)