New Coloring Book Uses Apple's History to Combat Digital Passivity in Children

The release of "The Adventures of Cupertino: A Read & Color Tribute to Apple's Story" in the United States represents a unique educational initiative aimed at connecting children with the history of technology through analog engagement. Created by Gabriele Gobbo, a veteran of the European Apple community and founder of Italiamac, the 74-page book has already achieved notable success in Italy, ranking as the #2 Most Gifted book in Science Biographies and entering the Top 20 Bestseller list in Inventions for Kids on Amazon.it. The project is positioned as a direct response to what Gobbo terms "Digital Sleepwalkers"—children who passively consume digital content without understanding the creative processes behind the technology they use.

The book's content is distinguished by its inclusion of 13 historical milestones from Apple's history, deliberately selected to encompass both iconic successes and lesser-known experiments. While it features the iPhone and iPod, it also dedicates pages to devices like the Pippin console, the Newton MessagePad, and the G4 Cube. "I wanted to go beyond the hits," Gobbo stated. "To understand Apple, you have to understand the experiments. It is about showing kids that innovation is a messy, beautiful process." This approach is designed to spark conversations between parents and children about the nature of innovation, including its failures and iterative development.

Gobbo's motivation extends beyond nostalgia, connecting to his professional work in digital literacy. As Vice President of the Digital Security Festival, a 2025 GoBeyond Award winner, and recipient of the 2023 "Golden Communicator" MCC Digital Award, he focuses on promoting active digital education. "I wrote this book with the same mindset I use in university classrooms," Gobbo explained. "I wanted to create a tool that explains the magic of innovation without the distraction of a screen. It is about understanding the machine, not just staring at it." The book includes bonus pages with word searches and "Draw Your Own Device" prompts to further encourage creative participation.

The implications of this release are multifaceted. It addresses growing concerns about children's screen time and passive media consumption by offering a tactile, educational alternative that fosters historical awareness and critical thinking. By framing technology history as a narrative of experimentation, the book challenges the perception of innovation as a linear series of successes. Furthermore, it serves as an intergenerational bridge, allowing parents who experienced earlier Apple products to share that history with their children in an interactive format. The book's availability on Amazon.com worldwide makes this specialized educational resource accessible to a broad audience, independent of official Apple affiliation. This initiative highlights a growing niche in educational materials that seek to demystify technology through hands-on, screen-free learning, potentially influencing how digital literacy is approached for younger generations.