Have you heard about Wonderbooks? These are print books with a ready-to-play audiobook located on the inside cover. Children can experience the joy of a printed book while receiving the learning bonus of a book read aloud; more words heard means increasing language skills, kindergarten readiness, and reading skills. They’re also a fun way to add to your “read books” total for NOPL’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
Wonderbook’s format offers a way to engage both sight and hearing, providing a multi-sensory experience to help boost learning. For example, when kids see and hear vocabulary, they learn to match oral sounds with written words. Although the library offers read-a-loud eBooks through other digital services, such as Libby and hoopla, a print book may help kids absorb what they’re reading at a more emotional level. Researchers have concluded that children learn more from reading print books than words on a computer screen. Reading a physical book is a tactile experience, which means it’s activating the senses, such as sight, touch, and even smell, to help retain information that much more.
Playaway designs Wonderbook’s technology, a brand the library has used for adult audiobook players. Playaway offers its handy features in Wonderbook too, such as providing a USB charger and headphone jack. In addition, Wonderbook uses an outside-facing speaker, so no matter what page you’re reading, you can hear the story loud and clear. These books are great for early readers, preschool through 2nd grade, and we have some Wonderbooks for older kids too! They are just like any other children’s read-aloud book, offering page-turning prompts so kids can easily follow along. This helps children learn to read on their own and build their confidence in their reading skills.
