In partnership with Big Hairette’s children’s book franchise & Harvard Graduate School of Education

At the end of each chapter in the Big Hairiette Reader app, readers get an AR experience bringing them into Hairiette’s world. They interact with the environments and characters from the content they just read.

How might AR enhance children's books? AR allow readers to immersive themselves in the story environment, visualize new concepts, and add gamification to the text.

Project Objective? Create two proof of concepts that extend the Big Hairiette universe into our world. Explore AR capabilities for the Big Hairiette franchise.

Creative Development for the franchise

Both AR experiences are designed as proof of concepts pitched to investors and publishing companies, extending the Big Hairiette children’s book franchise — now distributing in children’s book stores across the US. In creative development, we start simple and iterate fast.

• In the first AR experience, you’re placed in various environments. Barbara the Barrette, a pink bow, is in your hair and a filter makes you look more animated. Move closer to the camera and Charlie the comb appears on your face!

• In the second AR experience, physically interact with Charlie the Comb in your hand. Raise your other hand and then Hairiette appears! The more you move, the more they move.

Increasing Engagement with Blended Learning

The Big Hairiette reading material and its comprehension questions currently exist on a mobile and web platforms With the AR experience, student learning extends beyond the app and into an AR platform. This instructional shift — from an app to AR — enhances student learning.

Maintaining editorial and visual consistency

While it’s important to identify and produce compelling immersive content, it’s even more important to align with the existing brand’s focus on children’s literature and learning goals. The creation of this AR experience leverages Big Hairiette’s past editorial and visuals.