Cuddlebook is a unique reading app designed to bring bilingual families closer together through the magic of storytelling. With AI-powered narration and story generation, the app helps children and parents enjoy stories in multiple languages, nurturing both language skills and family bonds.

Our team partnered with the founders of Cuddlebook to bring this vision to life, combining thoughtful design, cutting-edge technology, and a deep commitment to inclusivity.

In many bilingual or multilingual households, finding books that support language development in both languages, and are engaging for children can be a challenge. Families often struggle to find content that reflects their cultural identity while fostering shared reading moments.

Cuddlebook set out to solve this by creating an inclusive digital reading experience where families could read, listen, and even generate new stories together in multiple languages.

Key challenges we addressed:

• Making storytelling accessible and enjoyable for diverse families
• Supporting language learning without feeling like “homework”
• Designing for parents and children of varying literacy levels

We took a prototype-first, feedback-driven approach to building Cuddlebook. Moving quickly from concept to tangible experiences that real users could interact with and respond to.

While we conducted light initial research to understand the needs of bilingual families, we prioritised early prototyping as the fastest way to learn what truly resonated with both parents and children.

Our process includes:

• Rapid Prototyping: We designed and built interactive prototypes from day one, allowing us to test ideas in real-world scenarios early and often.
• User Feedback Loops: Instead of assuming what families wanted, we put prototypes in front of bilingual parents and their kids to gather direct, actionable feedback.
• Iterative Design: Insights from real users shaped every iteration—from visual design choices to feature prioritisation.

We crafted a suite of features designed for joyful, meaningful, and educational experiences:

• AI-Powered Narration: Stories come to life with natural-sounding narration in multiple languages, helping children follow along at their own pace.
• Story Generation: Families can co-create new adventures by generating custom stories together, powered by safe, family-friendly AI.
• Dual-Language Reading: Switch between or display two languages side by side—supporting both heritage language preservation and new language learning.
• Family Profiles: Parents and children can save favorite stories, track progress, and share reading time in a secure, family-focused environment.

At the heart of Cuddlebook is a belief that stories can bridge generations, cultures, and languages. We designed every screen and interaction to foster togetherness:

• Warm, Playful Visuals: An inviting, whimsical design aesthetic to engage young readers without overwhelming them.
• Accessibility: Read-along features, adjustable text sizes, and color-blind-friendly palettes make the app usable for all.
• Cultural Sensitivity: We worked closely with bilingual families to ensure that content and visuals were inclusive and diverse.

This wasn't just an app—it was an opportunity to create joyful rituals that families look forward to.

Cuddlebook was built using React Native for seamless cross-platform performance on iOS and Android.

Key technical highlights include:

• AI Narration & Story Generation: Integrated using custom-trained models and large language model APIs tailored for children's content.
• Cloud-Based Library: Ensuring stories, profiles, and progress are securely stored and synced across devices.
• Performance Optimisation: Designed for smooth playback and interactions, even on lower-end devices.

While still in early adoption, Cuddlebook has already received enthusiastic feedback from families and educators:

• ✅ Increased parent-child reading time reported in early user studies
• ✅ Positive impact on language retention and vocabulary development in bilingual households
• ✅ Users praise the app for “bringing joy back into nightly storytime”

We're currently gathering more quantitative data as the user base grows.

Cuddlebook has ambitious plans to expand its library, introduce gamified learning experiences, and integrate voice interaction features. Our team remains involved in ongoing updates and future scaling efforts.

Together, we're building not just an app, but a movement to make bilingual storytelling more accessible, magical, and family-centered.

Cuddlebook is a reflection of how we work:

• ✅ The power of AI with human-centered design
• ✅ Prototype quickly and real customers fast
• ✅ Iterate on real feedback and create real value

If you have a vision for an app that can make a difference, let's bring it to life together.