BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The more students read for fun, the better they do in school and eventually in life1. It’s this vision – to ignite a love of reading and storytelling for all children across all media – that drives the newly formed company StoryArc Media under the creative direction of Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney and the leadership of long-time interactive entertainment executive Jen MacLean. StoryArc Media was formerly part of Family Education Network (FEN), which reaches over 25 million kids, parents and teachers each month – making it a favorite destination for learning and play.
“Our brands are a springboard for kids to explore the world around them and to develop their imagination and creativity,” said Jeff Kinney, newly named Chief Creative Officer for StoryArc Media. “We know reading for fun is the secret to growing a life-long reader and that content today is being consumed across all media – print, digital, and mobile.”
“StoryArc Media is the realization of our storytelling history and extension of the success of our many gems – including Poptropica and Funbrain – with an ample dose of hilarity, respect, and learning, that children love and parents and teachers value,” said StoryArc Media President Jen MacLean. “From a brand perspective, StoryArc gives us a solid platform to expand our storytelling to every touch point – school, home and on the go – and seamlessly weave our fans’ favorite characters and stories across the platforms of today and tomorrow.”
Some of the most popular digital youth brands under the StoryArc Media umbrella include:
- Poptropica: A multiplayer online adventure game in which kids explore a chain of story-based islands, travel back in time, battle monsters, solve mysteries, complete quests and even encounter their favorite characters from literature (Wimpy Kid, Charlie Brown, Big Nate). Created by Kinney, Poptropica is a kidSAFE-certified game enjoyed by more than 10 million registered players worldwide. Since it was created in 2008, players have visited the islands in Poptropica more than 1 billion times.
- Funbrain: The go-to destination for teachers and students looking for fun, educational games since 1997. Created for kids preschool through eighth grade, Funbrain offers more than 100 engaging interactive games that develop academic skills, plus online books and comics. The site includes seven new games and has been recently redesigned so teachers and students can quickly and easily find games and stories by age and topic that appeals most.
Additionally, StoryArc Media has published several must-read books and graphic novel series that capture both the avid and the reluctant reader alike, including:
- Poptropica: Mystery of the Map is a thrilling new adventure and New York Times Bestseller, which lifts the veil from the secret origin of the fictional island that gave rise to the game Poptropica.
- Galactic Hot Dogs: The Wiener Strikes Back hits book stands in May and is the second in the series that tells a story of friendship and courage, wrapped in a deceptively dangerous cosmic circus and humorous journey through the galaxy via the Neon Wiener space ship.
Readers can take their book adventures online, where dedicated islands for both Mystery of the Map and Galactic Hot Dogs can be found in the Poptropica game.
About StoryArc Media
StoryArc Media delivers engaging, interactive experiences that combine ample fun and learning through inspired creativity perfectly suited for today’s digital native. StoryArc Media and its sister company, FEN Learning, are owned by Sandbox Partners, which is changing the way the world plays and learns. For more information on StoryArc Media, visit www.storyarc.media or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StoryArcMedia or Twitter @StoryArcs.
About Sandbox Partners
Sandbox Partners is an industry-focused investor committed to building and supporting businesses at the intersection of the digital, learning and media sectors. Founded in 2014, the partners of Sandbox have a long track-record of acquiring, transforming and scaling businesses and brands internationally for multinationals including Viacom, P&G and Pearson.
