Grammy® Winner Alicia Keys To Introduce New Interactive Storytelling App "Mookey" At The 111th American International Toy Fair

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys will attend the 111th American International Toy Fair on Sunday, February 16th, 2014 to cut the ceremonial ribbon and take part in a press conference following the opening ceremony.  The press conference will include a question and answer session and introduce the new interactive storytelling app "Mookey," the latest extension of her magical children's property The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee.

Singer/songwriter/producer, entrepreneur, humanitarian and app co-creator Alicia Keys, along with Jessica Walton, have teamed up with Bento Box Interactive to develop a series of storytelling app experiences for tablet and mobile devices under the The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee franchise. The apps engage children 4+ on an interactive journey through stories, journaling, games and beautiful, original music scored by Keys instilling important values for the target audience.

Mama Mae, voiced by Della Reese, is a grandmother who guides her granddaughter LeeLee through each vibrantly illustrated story.  Through the strength of her personality, Mama Mae and her stories inspire and enlighten children of all ages.  The important and special bond between grandparents and their little loved ones is emphasized in this family oriented app.

"Mookey" is the newest installment in the Mama Mae series, and this particular story touches on self-acceptance and bullying in a meaningful way.  In the story, children will be introduced to Bali, an imaginative boy, his not-so-imaginary-friend, Mookey and his pushy cousin, Ankita. As they follow along, children will learn about courage, acceptance, and forgiveness in the face of bullying.  The app has the ability to facilitate conversation on the issue among families, children, as well as teachers. Thought-provoking and empowering, the Mookey" app is a tool that uses creative play to help youth positively express themselves through a range of interactive activities. 

Set in the jungles of India, "Mookey" features an alluring soundscape, magical sets, and a story that appeals to both girls and boys. The "Mookey" digital app will excite, entertain and educate youth of all ages! "Mookey" also features a new song written especially for the story by Keys and performed by Arealyah Paul, titled "I Wanna Dream."

"Alicia Keys: Mookey" is available on the Apple App Store as a free to play download for iOS devices.  The full version can be downloaded for the special launch price of $1.99 via an in-app purchase. Visit the Apple App Store at: http://www.appstore.com to download.

The 2014 NYTF schedule for this special event is as follows:

Sunday February 16, 2014, Javits Center, 655 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 /  Tel: (212) 216-2000

10:00 – 10:15am - Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in the Crystal Palace 

10:30am – 11:00am - Press Conference with Alicia Keys, Scott Greenberg (BBI Co-Founder and CEO) and Makeda Mays Green (Educational advisor for BBI/AKW), moderated by TIA's Marion Bossard 

ABOUT BENTO BOX INTERACTIVE:
Founded in 2011, Bento Box Interactive ("BBI") is a spin-off from Emmy™ nominated animated production company, Bento Box Entertainment, ("Bob's Burgers", "The Awesomes") combined with a strategic investment from Colombia based company Ennovva.  BBI is focused on building a digital platform to distribute literary and entertainment properties to consumers through social and mobile media. Using this strategy, BBI develops, publishes, and markets immersive storytelling experiences across various media and formats, ranging from audio-enhanced e-books to apps for mobile, tablet, and other digital devices.  Previous releases include:  Alicia Keys Presents:  The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee, The Paper Fox, and the Sweet Pickles series.  For more information on Bento Box Interactive, visit www.bentoboxinteractive.com

ABOUT AK WORLDWIDE:
AK Worldwide, Inc. serves as the base of operations for all of Alicia Keys' endeavors in and out of the entertainment industry. Keys, 15-time Grammy Award Winning singer, songwriter, and producer founded AK Worldwide in 2009 with the mission to invest in the "business of inspiration". Through the company, Keys nurtures projects she is passionate about from philanthropic initiatives to film, and digital productions. In 2012, AK Worldwide launched the interactive children's app series, The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee in partnership with Bento Box Interactive. Most recently, AK Worldwide produced the Film Independent Spirit Award nominated feature, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. 

For more information on Mama Mae & LeeLee, please visit www.mamamae.com, join the Mama Mae Facebook community at http://facebook.com/MamaMaeAndLeeLee and Google+ community at https://plus.google.com/u/0/110094268134910534543/posts
, and follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mamamae ,  Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/mamamaeleelee , and YouTube at http://youtube.com/mamamae .

To access press materials, please visit http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/kit/f2jx.

For more information on the 111th NY14 Toy Fair ribbon cutting ceremony, Alicia Keys press conference, and The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee app series, please contact:

Always In Entertainment:
Jennifer Stein: 917-733-2704 
Dave Malacrida: 310-770-3146    
[email protected]

SOURCE Bento Box Interactive

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