Doodle in the Google eBooks Web Reader

Thursday, June 09, 2011 at 1:57 PM

Posted by Diego Puppin and Derek Lei, Google Books Software Engineers
As the young (and young at heart) know, books aren't simply meant to be read - sometimes they're meant to be marked up, colored in and scribbled all over. Up until now, however, you couldn't really do that with digital books. Today, we're introducing Doodle Mode for a select group of Google eBooks. Take a virtual crayon to these digital books and go wild: draw pictures and diagrams, connect the dots, or underline words.

To get started, select any of ebooks, available for purchase, in the list below from "The Everything Kids'" series, which is the first line of ebooks to have Doodle Mode. Open them in the Google eBooks Web Reader. The Web Reader works in all modern browsers and lets you read Google eBooks without having to download them. (Note, however, that Doodle Mode does not yet work with Internet Explorer browsers.)

Once you've chosen and opened an ebook, go to the upper-right hand menu and click on "Doodle Mode" to begin. A box will appear, showing you where you can start doodling.


Use your mouse to click inside the box, and you'll start drawing with the crayon. You can use Doodle Mode in the Web Reader whether you're accessing it through your computer or iPad.

Doodles aren't saved, so you're free to doodle again and again on the pages of the ebooks without having to worry about using them up. (But if you do create a particularly stunning doodle, be sure to take a picture or a screenshot.)

Giulia, Diego's six-year-old daughter, tried her hand at Doodle Mode...



...and created some instant masterpieces:


From The Everything Kids' Connect Dots Puzzle and Activity Book

From The Everything Kids' Mazes Book



Doodle Mode is for all ages, so go ahead and give it a try. You just might be a budding professional Google Doodler...

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