Continuing our conversation on e-readers, here's some news from Barnes & Noble. According to the Wall Street Journal, the retailer will be launching 12,000 e-books geared toward children ages 3 to 8. There will be thousands of chapter books available and by November there should be 100 picture books. Apparently, B&N also has deals with more than 15 children's book publishers to develop enhanced e-books that will include features like "a page with a sky full of falling blueberries, which kids can pop with their fingers." They're also thought to be planning the launch of a color Nook with touch-screen features.
Check out nookkids.com to see some of the book titles and get a sneak peak. As it says on the website, "Storytime comes to life with enhanced NOOKbooks that invite kids to interact with the text and pictures on the page — allowing them to follow along as their adventures are read aloud to them. With NOOK kids children have a whole new way to immerse themselves in their favorite stories and bond with their beloved characters through the largest selection of eBooks available."
So, here's the question...With all the interaction and the option to have the story read aloud, are these books or video games? When kids sit down with their "enhanced" Nooks, should it count as reading time? Will these tools help our kids learn to love reading or even to learn to read?