Illustrated by Kyle Beckett, this adventure story introduces young readers to Apollo, a shelter dog who longs to find a home, and Andi, a 7-year- old girl who’s into astronomy — two daring characters who team up to outrun a space monster. Apollo the Spacedog gives readers a glimpse of Andi’s vivid imagination, with action scenes brought to life through the magic of augmented reality (AR). By scanning the AR icon, readers can watch Andi and Apollo transform into pirates sailing the high seas or arctic explorers riding a giant polar bear. Readers will also unlock a special surprise when they scan the book's cover.

The book was printed in partnership with Canon, with the interior pages printed on the Canon ColorStream 6000 Series color inkjet press and the cover was printed on the Canon ImagePRESS C10000. The crisp production and super smooth paper worked together perfectly to produce an unforgettable story with the highest quality AR markers. The book was finished with a saddle stitch binding so that it could easily lay flat, an important attribute to support stable AR experiences.

To celebrate the publication of Apollo the Spacedog, Sylvamo worked with local schools and literacy partners to connect area kids with shelter dogs at the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. There, the kids got to practice their reading skills while helping to socialize the dogs and make them more adoptable — a win/win for readers and pups alike!

Unique inkjet projects like this one are what we love to feature on Dots & Pixels. Submit your best digital inkjet design work and we’ll feature it in an upcoming Project Spotlight.