A sound surprise

Not since Eric Carle’s The Very Quiet Cricket (opens in a new window) (Philomel) chirped at me have I been as surprised when I opened a book.

Frankly, I read a lot of books for young readers, so one specific title doesn’t usually surprise me…but that changed this week when I opened a book called The Adventures of Cali (opens in a new window) (Omniscent Corporation).

The book talked to me — literally.

Inside the book was a small device called the “iRead2You Interactive Voice Recorder” (opens in a new window) which can record up to a four minute message. It can be placed inside a book as it was in Cali or record a message about the book.

Just think of the possibilities!

Books read on video are used to unite military parents and their children (opens in a new window), but this device may make that even easier.

It can also help connect incarcerated parents (opens in a new window) with their children.

Children can practice reading aloud and then listen to themselves.

Young readers can be encouraged to listen for a specific part of a book or make verbal recommendations, sort of a mini-commercial for a book.

What do you think of this little device? Is it a wonderful development or another gimmick? How might you use it with children to encourage reading and connecting with and through books?

I think you may find it a sound surprise!