First digital animated library from Onilo

Onilo is a cross-curricular literary resource which presents books through familiar digital media such as interactive whiteboards and computers. Onilo transforms well-loved children’s books into Boardstories - animated and digitalised illustrations - and provides an online library of Boardstories for the primary classroom.

With one in five UK children leaving primary school without the necessary reading and writing skills, Boardstories aim to ignite a passion for literacy in young childrenwhile encouraging even reluctant readers by enabling them to share and experience reading in an inclusive and supported environment. 

Onilo already reaches around 200,000 teachers and pupils at primary schools across Germany, and is fast gaining popularity with teachers in UK schools.

Helen Gibson, foundation stage/ KS1 leader at Sowerby Community Primary School in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, says:"Onilo Boardstories are very engaging for the children in my class as they add another dimension to reading. The Boardstories go at a steady pace which gives children time to read and process their thoughts."

There are now 40 Boardstories available, with another 20 stories to come by January 2014 including a picture book retelling of Alice in Wonderland; an interactive Three Billy Goats Gruff; The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, and Julia Donaldson’s Day Monkey, Night Monkey.

Rebecca Van Dal, Onilo’s Business Development Manager, said: “The Onilo vision was to improve children’s literacy so we set up a social business tocreate a digitally enhanced media-based reading experience alongside traditional books in order to expand the possibilities teachers have for teaching literacy in the modern classroom. Children are increasingly using modern technology such as the internet and that’s why we make resources that are ideal for the interactive whiteboard but can also be read at home – all you need is a connection to the internet.

“Approximately 75% of primary schools in the UK have interactive whiteboards yet there are still very few professional companies providing educational resources so Onilo aims to fill that gap. Onilo is fast-becoming loved by children, teachers and librarians alike.”

Onilo, which is part of German publishing house Oetinger, launched in the UK in January 2013 from its London base, and is now being used in pilot schools across the UK. Onilo is CPD-certified and a member of British Education Suppliers Association (BESA) and the National Association for Special Education Needs (NASEN), as well as working with The National Literacy Trust.