CHILDREN’S EBOOKS history
In 2007, Children’s Ebooks was established to create and sell beautifully illustrated digital children’s books. Anne Garton began writing children’s stories and educational books for primary and secondary school students in 1993, publishing her work through a range of traditional Australian publishing companies. In 2006, a friend suggested she bring her children’s books online, a turning point that led to the creation of Children’s Ebooks the following year.
Since then, Anne has focused on producing a growing collection of classic children’s ebooks designed for modern reading. These kids’ ebooks are available for Kindle, iPads, tablets, mobile phones, and computers, allowing children to download and read stories anytime, anywhere.
Children’s Ebooks was created to give families easy access to high-quality digital books for kids, combining engaging storytelling with the convenience of online reading across all devices.
Anne’s own children loved playing computer games, but she began to worry that too much screen time was limiting their interest in reading. Rather than fighting technology, Anne chose to embrace it. She decided to publish her children’s stories as ebooks, instead of traditional paperback books, so her children could continue using their computers while also discovering the joy of reading digital books for kids.
With a growing collection of stories ready to share, Anne initially illustrated her own ebooks, but it soon became clear that bringing these online children’s books to life would require the help of talented illustrators. The first person she called was her father, Derek Garton. Trained as a graphic artist in his youth, Derek had spent a lifetime drawing and painting as a passion.
All of Derek’s illustrations are created entirely by hand, using pen and watercolour paints—no computer graphics. His beautifully detailed artwork adds warmth, colour, and timeless charm to Anne’s illustrated children’s stories.
Anne also collaborated with a gifted young artist, Cailin Carrier, who was eager to be involved. Not long after, talented cartoonists Leigh Brown and Rebecca Hughes joined the crew. Their creative styles helped bring Anne’s kids’ ebooks to life. You can learn more about these wonderful contributors on the Authors and Illustrators page.
When the Children’s Ebooks website first launched in 2007, there were just six ebooks available online. Today, the collection has grown to seventeen digital children’s books, with seven more currently in development. A dedicated team now supports the production of each story, including Anne’s husband, Greg, who has played a vital role in sustaining and growing the Children’s Ebooks brand.
In Anne’s words:
“I write because I love to put the ideas and stories in my head onto paper. I hope that in some small way they bring happiness to the people who read them. If my stories make just one person’s day a little brighter, then I’ve made the world a better place. What more could a writer ask for?”
We hope you enjoy exploring Children’s Ebooks and sharing our digital children’s stories with the young readers in your life. At Children’s Ebooks, we are passionate about inspiring a love of reading through our digital storytelling.
