Vooks
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational technology, Streaming media |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Shannon Bex, Russell Hirtzel, Marshall Bex |
| Headquarters | Portland , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Animated storybooks streaming service |
| Website | vooks |
Vooks is a U.S.-based educational streaming service specializing in the creation and distribution of animated storybooks designed for children. This platform merges illustrated picture books with animation, expert voice-over narration, synchronized text highlighting, as well as complementary music and sound effects. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Vooks operates through a subscription-based model and is accessible worldwide via web browsers and mobile applications.
By combining both visual and auditory storytelling techniques, the platform fosters early literacy development. It is distinguished as a child-centric reading resource, differing from typical video-sharing platforms, and is widely utilized by parents and educators searching for digital reading content.
History
Established in 2018 by Shannon Bex, Russell Hirtzel, and Marshall Bex, Vooks emerged from the collaboration between Shannon Bex—formerly a member of the pop group Danity Kane—her brother Marshall, and creative director Hirtzel. Their goal was to transform traditional picture books into animated, narrated digital experiences.
Since its inception, Vooks has grown its collection to feature titles in various languages, including Spanish releases during National Hispanic Heritage Month and stories in Hindi. The company has formed partnerships with services like Amazon Prime Video, Discovery Education, and Kanopy, as well as multiple international airlines, thereby extending its reach across diverse media platforms.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vooks was acknowledged for its role in delivering digital reading resources during a surge in demand for online educational tools.
Awards and recognition
The platform has earned accolades from Academics’ Choice for its educational content and has been highlighted in publications such as GeekDad, Cool Mom Tech, and Smarter Learning Guide for its innovative digital storybook adaptations.