New Coloring Book Transforms Apple's History into Screen-Free Educational Tool for Children

Gabriele Gobbo, founder of Italiamac and a veteran of the European Apple community, has announced the U.S. release of 'The Adventures of Cupertino: A Read & Color Tribute to Apple's Story.' The 74-page book represents a deliberate effort to bridge generational gaps by transforming Apple's technological evolution into a hands-on, screen-free activity for children. Having already achieved significant popularity 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 book now aims to reach a global audience through worldwide availability on Amazon.com.

The book's content is structured around 13 carefully selected historical milestones from Apple's history, designed not merely as a chronological record but as a conversation starter between parents and children. Gobbo emphasizes that the selection includes both iconic successes and what he terms 'glorious failures.' While mainstream children's media often focuses exclusively on contemporary devices like the iPhone, 'The Adventures of Cupertino' dedicates pages to lesser-known products such as the Apple Pippin game console from 1996, the Newton MessagePad from 1993, and the suspended G4 Cube from 2000. This approach, according to Gobbo, is intentional: to demonstrate that innovation is inherently a 'messy, beautiful process' involving experimentation and occasional setbacks, not just a series of polished final products.

Content within the book spans from Apple's origins, featuring the wooden Apple I from 1976 and the original Macintosh, through what Gobbo calls 'cult classics,' and into the modern era with the iPod's click-wheel, the lamp-like iMac G4, and the iPhone. Beyond coloring pages, the book incorporates educational activities like word searches and 'Draw Your Own Device' prompts, extending engagement beyond passive reception. The physical format—a paperback measuring 8.25 by 8.25 inches—is tailored for child-friendly use, promoting tactile interaction absent from digital screens.

The project aligns with Gobbo's broader professional mission in digital literacy and education. As Vice President of the Digital Security Festival, a 2025 GoBeyond Award winner, and recipient of the 2023 'Golden Communicator' MCC Digital Award, Gobbo applies his experience from university classrooms to create educational tools that foster active understanding. He explicitly frames the book as an antidote to 'Digital Sleepwalkers'—a term describing children who passively consume digital content without engaging with the underlying technology or creative processes. 'I wanted to create a tool that explains the magic of innovation without the distraction of a screen,' Gobbo explains. 'It is about understanding the machine, not just staring at it.'

The release of this independent, unofficial educational tribute arrives amid growing societal concern over children's screen time and passive media consumption. By repackaging technological history as an interactive, analog activity, the book offers a tangible resource for parents and educators seeking to cultivate curiosity about technology's origins and development. Its availability on major global platforms like Amazon.com facilitates broad access, while its proven reception in the Italian market suggests potential for similar success internationally. The book stands as a case study in merging nostalgia with contemporary educational needs, using a beloved corporate narrative to foster critical, active learning in a new generation.