I got a bit of A Thing for genealogy a couple of years ago, digging into my family history hoping for a duke, pirate or murderer.

No such luck, but it was still a really interesting process, and one I’d like to get my own children interested in at some point. A new iBook called Sycamore Family Tree might help in that regard.

No murderers (thankfully) but there is a grandad who used to be a magician named Stupendo The Great, which I’d have been pleased with!

This is an animated e-book for Apple devices released by Ben and Rebecca Manley, based on a little girl named Hannah Sycamore who “takes you on a guided tour of the family home, from the haunted attic to her basement darkroom”.

So yes, it’s a fun story rather than a genealogy app, and all the better for it. Its illustrations and animation has a real charm, and there are elements for your kids to tap on and interact with too.

It’s a sign that you won’t just be getting those sorts of features in apps from now on: there are also lots of publishers and authors looking to make more interesting e-books for Apple’s iBooks store.

Sycamore Family Tree costs £2.99 on the store, and can be read on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch via the iBooks app.