For parents who grew up tinkering with the Newton MessagePad or lusting after the G4 Cube, explaining the magic of Apple's history to an iPad-generation child can be tough. Gabriele Gobbo, a veteran of the European Apple community, has the solution: turn off the screens and break out the crayons.
Gobbo, who founded Italiamac in 1996 and grew it into a 100,000-member community, announces the US release of "The Adventures of Cupertino: A Read & Color Tribute to Apple's Story." Already a fan favorite in Italy, where it ranked as the #2 Most Gifted book in Science Biographies and entered the Top 20 Bestseller list in Inventions for Kids on Amazon.it, this 74-page book is not a textbook. It is a nostalgic, hand-drawn journey designed to bridge the gap between "Digital Sleepwalkers" (kids who passively consume content) and the active spirit of the original computer revolution.
While most children's books stop at the iPhone, "The Adventures of Cupertino" was written by a true enthusiast for other enthusiasts. The book features 13 historical milestones, explicitly chosen to spark conversation between parent and child regarding both the triumphs and the "glorious failures." "I wanted to go beyond the hits," says Gobbo. "Sure, we have the iPhone. But to understand Apple, you have to understand the experiments. That is why you can color the Pippin console, the Newton, and the G4 Cube. It is about showing kids that innovation is a messy, beautiful process."
Book highlights include the origins from the wooden Apple I (1976) to the original Macintosh, "Cult" classics like the Apple Pippin (1996), the suspended G4 Cube (2000), and the Newton MessagePad (1993), the modern era with the iPod click-wheel, lamp-like iMac G4, and the iPhone revolution, plus bonus pages with word searches and "Draw Your Own Device" prompts for kids who finish coloring.
The project reflects Gobbo's broader mission as Vice President of the Digital Security Festival (2025 GoBeyond Award winner) and winner of the 2023 "Golden Communicator" MCC Digital Award: helping families move from passive screen consumption to active engagement. "I wrote this book with the same mindset I use in university classrooms," explains Gobbo. "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 Adventures of Cupertino: A Read & Color Tribute to Apple's Story" (74 pages, 8.25 x 8.25 in, Paperback) is available now on Amazon worldwide. This is an independent and unofficial educational tribute and is not affiliated, authorized, sponsored, or approved by Apple Inc.
