I’m excited to announce the newest addition to the Youth Services Picture Book collection: VOX Books, which combine print and audio into one reading experience.
VOX Books are essentially picture books you can look at and listen to at the same time. They can be enjoyed by adults and children together, ESL readers, early readers, or children who want to hear the same story multiple times!
Attached inside the cover of each book is a VOX Reader. You can listen to the story through the speaker in the VOX Reader, which is great for sharing a story out loud. Or you can plug your own headphones in and listen alone, making them perfect for car journeys or quiet time. Children can follow the story and turn the page when they hear the special "turn page" signal. Simple volume control buttons and a Play/Pause button make the books easy to use.
When you check out one of our VOX books, the battery will be fully charged, and we’ll recharge it when it’s returned so it’s ready for the next reader. Each fully charged book will last for over 100 listens before it needs recharging, so you’re unlikely to need to charge it at home. But since each book has a universal mini USB port, you can charge it at home with a common 5V charger—no data or Wi-Fi needed.
You can see the titles we have by searching "VOX Books" in the online catalog or by visiting the Youth Services Desk. We’d be happy to show you where they are in the Youth Services Interactive Books collection and suggest our favorite titles.
Sarah Mitchell-Mace is a Youth Services Librarian at the Morton Grove Public Library.