Thursday, July 22, 2010

Review- Sesame Street eBooks

This past month I have had the opportunity to access more than 100 Sesame Street eBooks online at http://ebooks.sesamestreet.org/ owned and operated by Impelsys, Inc.

These books include...

  • eBooks (63): Books that allow you to read aloud at your own pace
  • Audio eBooks (25): eBooks that include fun Sesame Street audio narration, text highlight, sound effects and music
  • Interactive eBooks (2): eBooks that allow children to interact with the content in playful and educational ways
  • Animated eBooks (26): eBooks that bring to life beloved Sesame Street characters and stories, in full-color animation (currently one book for each letter of the alphabet)

It costs $39.99 for a FULL YEAR and you get access to all the books.   Plus, new books get added periodically throughout the year as they are developed.  If you would like to check them out, you can access 5 free titles at http://ebooks.sesamestreet.org/free or use the widget above.

So, here is my honest opinion of the website

Positive(s):

  • Get Access to All Books – You don’t have to purchase books individual like other eBook websites.  They are all included in the yearly subscription fee.
  • Quality – The digital illustration, audio narration and storylines were pretty good.  I prefer some storylines better than others, but that is a personal preference.
  • Easy to Use – I felt the e-reader was very easy to use and to figure out for an adult.  Kids that have more experience with computers than my 2.5 year old son could probably handle using the e-reader all by themselves...it was that easy. 
  • Keeps Child’s Interest – My son LOVED the website and would go through every single book in one sitting if I let him.  He really enjoyed the songs at the end of some of the audio books.
  • Reading Tips – This section is great for parents who have never taught reading before.  The tips that they suggest are things that I actually used when reading to my students when I was a public school teacher.

Negative(s):

  • Majority of the books are just eBooks (Books that allow you to read aloud at your own pace). Would love if they had more Audio Books available…I would use it more if it replaced books on tape/CD.
  • Limited Text Highlighting – One of my favorite features, but it was only available in the audio books. 

Overall, this is a quality website that fans of Sesame Street will enjoy.  It is worth checking out the free books I mentioned above and then deciding if $3.33 a month is worth it for you and your family.

A Mommy Talks Review Disclosure:  The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by Impelsys, Inc. for the sole purpose of product testing. I do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. All opinions expressed are my own.

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