Lincolnwood, Ill. - February 6, 2004 - Publications International, Ltd. (PIL) announced today the debut of three brand new electronic learning products that expand the fastest-growing category for children, and strengthen PIL's own line of highly successful electronic learning aids. ActiveTOUCH, 200 Questions & Answers and Color-Along Sound Activity Books will debut in 2004, and will offer parents several innovative, yet affordable options for providing their children with powerful learning opportunities that are both fun and engaging.

ActiveTOUCH^TM
ActiveTOUCH is a first-ever stylus-driven, stand-alone interactive book for kids aged 3 to 8. Each ActiveTOUCH unit features a 24-page, full-color soundbook, which teaches colors, shapes, numbers, letters, phonics, spelling and reading. Powered by proprietary MicroGrid^TM technology, ActiveTOUCH's stylus-driven play pattern guides children through a series of learning activities. A selection of ActiveTOUCH titles will launch at retailers nationwide in July 2004. Each title will feature an all-time favorite children's licensed character that captures children's interest and guides them through learning and fun. Affordably priced at $16.99, ActiveTOUCH's debut includes "Elmo's A-B-C Rhyme Adventure," "Elmo Counting," "Barney's Counting Party," and "Scooby-Doo's Fishy Phonics Mystery." A convenient, "take-along" handle makes each lightweight ActiveTOUCH ideal for independent play and travel.

200 Questions & Answers
200 Questions & Answers is a unique new interactive book, which blends sound technology, learning activities and popular licensed characters for kids aged 3 to 8. Each 20-page book features a must-have character license and poses questions that teach colors, shapes, numbers, letters, phonics, spelling and reading. One unique feature of this new format is that all questions and answers are read in their entirety so that even pre-readers and beginning readers can learn by answering the questions. Children are prompted to select the best answer using lighted color-coded buttons. Affordably priced at $16.99, 200 Questions & Answers debuts in August 2004 at major retailers nationwide with "Pooh's 200 Questions & Answers," "Elmo's 200 Questions & Answers," "Dora the Explorer's 200 Questions & Answers" and "Blue's Clues 200 Questions & Answers."

Color-Along Sound Activity Book
Blending two of young kids' favorite activities - coloring and music - the Color-Along Sound Activity Book series is the first-ever coloring activity and soundbook for children ages 3 to 8. Each 32-page book features high-quality paper, rather than traditional newsprint, and guides children through a series of ten coloring and learning activities, accompanied by ten melodies. On each two-page spread, a popular licensed character prompts the child to perform learning and coloring activities, such as connecting the dots, drawing and finding shapes and coloring letters and numbers. As the child engages in each activity, a melody plays through the soundbook's high-quality sound system. At $6.99 each, the Color-Along Sound Activity Book series will launch in May 2004 at major retailers nationwide with six licensed properties, including Finding Nemo, Elmo, SpongeBob SquarePants, Disney Princess, Dora the Explorer and Tonka.

"For over three decades, we have offered consumers and our retail partners a strong combination of creativity, value and quality in children's book publishing, and we are now extending that formula to interactive learning - at a time when value is driving purchasing," Cunnion said. "Furthermore, our business model helps our retail partners achieve fair margins, while other toy manufacturers' pricing is out of synch with the consumer."

As the nation's third-largest children's book publisher for the 0 to 6 age group, PIL has built a reputation for its strength in electronic soundbooks, which are, in general terms, printed books with sound features that enhance a child's reading experience. PIL's collection now features more than 500 soundbook titles. Based on its strength in sound technology and licensing, PIL sought to bring its creative expertise to the growing electronic learning category with the widely successful launch of Story Reader^TM last fall. The sleeper success of the 2003 holiday season with nearly one million units and five million titles sold in 4Q alone - Story Reader unit sales success matched or exceeded the product launches of the toy industry giants. PIL also holds more than 50 popular licenses in children's books - more than any other children's book publisher.

"Like all PIL products, ActiveTOUCH, 200 Questions & Answers and Color-Along Sound Activity Books are priced to appeal to millions and millions of parents who want to provide their children with the finest quality early reading and learning experiences," said Cunnion. "It's part of our goal to get as many great reading opportunities into the hands of as many children as possible."

For more information or to request a photograph or product samples, contact Sarah Kelty or David Schulte at Healy Communications, Inc. at 312/440-3900; skelty@healyco.com.