Recommended for ages 6 months to 3 years, this interactive audio reader features 3 sturdy, ring-bound books that fit easily into a battery-operated reader.
As you flip through the book, the accompanying voice reads out each line on every page. The interactive features are:
- the 3 large buttons at the front and a 2-function toggle switch.
- The “book” icon switches on complementary sounds for the page/book being read.
- The “question” icon features questions associated with what’s being read.
The reader comes with a set of 3 books: Baby Einstein, Sesame Beginnings and Winnie the Pooh. Other Walt Disney character sets have also been recently launched.
Being a fan of traditional print books, I confess that I wondered how this gadget would fare especially in terms of “Your child’s first steps to reading“.
First, I like the sturdy way the Reader’s body, buttons and books are made because they can withstand the rough handling common among older babies and toddlers. The attractive colours caught my toddler’s attention immediately, who asked to play with it as soon as he saw it.
The pages of the Baby Einstein books (just because Sesame Beginnings or Thomas the Train weren’t available!) are toddler and preschooler friendly – his little fingers could turn the pages easily.
At first, he struggled to slide the book in place but once he knew the exact slot, he could do it easily…
The Baby Einstein set has 3 themes: “Discover Colors”, “Discover Music” and “Discover the Sky”. The language of each book is written in rhyme and a chorus of children’s voices sing the nursery rhyme at the end of each book.
My toddler loved the nursery rhymes, probably because they are familiar and also because they were sung by children. After some guidance with the interactive buttons, he soon learned to identify the sounds with the corresponding picture on the book.
For this English teacher, I like the way this Reader has an audio feature to accompany the reading of a book to a young child. It certainly makes the experience more enjoyable and interactive.
THE VERDICT
Personally, I’d find it helpful for children whose first language at home is not English. Also, as the audio voice reads every line on the page, it may help slow readers or even children with learning disabilities who need repetitive reading practice.
For children who prefer to watch TV or play video games, this Reader may interest them in the activity of reading.
However, as the book selection consists of popular TV characters, I doubt it will either encourage them to read more or widen their reading selection. It would be good if a selection of books with broader themes could be introduced.
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