One of the best things about being a Craft Test Dummy is that occasionally you’re asked to review a product that you might ordinarily pass up only to find that it’s awesome and much more versatile that you expect. Such is the case with the Anybook Reader by Franklin Discovery.
When I went to the website to find out more about it before I agreed to do my review, this is the description I found:
AnyBook reader is a unique tool for children, parents and grandparents that helps make reading fun and more enjoyable. AnyBook reader uses a simple touch, record and playback process that allows you to read any story and record your own voice while you read it. This way, your child can hear your voice anytime they want to read.
Um… Ok. My kids are old enough to read on their own… so I thought that this might not be for me.
But then my wheels started turning…. and I started thinking about scrapbooks, art projects, and even family photos and history…. I quickly did a 180 degree turn and jumped at the chance to try it out.
So I got the package from Franklin and opened it up. This is what I found inside:
You get instructions, the pre-recorded sound stickers, the “blank” stickers, and the Anybook Reader…which I like to call the “recording wand.” (Because it’s pretty magical!) What you DON’T get is batteries. Make sure you pick up two AAA batteries before you get started.
What really sets this product apart from most record-your-voice book sets is that you don’t buy a special book or card or scrapbook. With the Anybook Reader, it will read…well, anywhere you can put a sticker. This means you aren’t limited to BOOKS! You can place your stickers on your kids art, family photos, and anything else that might have a “behind the scenes” story. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
To try it out, I thought I’d start with a traditional book…with a twist. I sing to my little one at night, and it’s a little ditty composed by Ella Jenkins (she taught it to me at a workshop when I was a Music Therapist, lo those many years ago.) The actual text comes from the book “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. But the point is that I sing my little girl that song at bedtime, and sometimes I travel…so I decided to record that book (with singing) to get my feet wet.
Success! The instructions (which also include photos and auditory cues) were spot-on and I was a-stickern’ and a-recordin’ like a pro! And just to let you know, my daughter LOVED it…she went back and activated the stickers with the song part over and over. I actually had to hunt her down and get the Anybook Reader back so I could go on with the next part of my review!
The next thought I had was….”What if you have an altered book…and there are stories behind the pages?” So I used the Anybook Reader to record the stories of “What Art Means To Me”- an altered book I did as part of my portfolio to get into the Master’s of Art Therapy program.
I mean, the book is a visual story, but I wanted to share WHY I used some materials, and what some of the sub-text was. Now, on this project the stickers kind of stick out like a sore thumb…if I was making this today, and I knew I was incorporating the Anybook Reader, I’d create little flaps that blend in with the page and then put the sticker underneath.
By the way, the stickers have a special adhesive that will allow you to remove the sticker without damaging the book. It sticks pretty tight, though- I had to scrape it off with a fingernail. No worry of it just dropping off the page and getting lost. The only drawback is that you can’t write on or alter the stickers- it interferes with the encoding.
Here’s a little video of my experience:
Let’s talk price, shall we? The set I reviewed has a 60 HOURS of recording capability (and yes, you can erase, too.) It also has TONS of stickers- I can’t see me running out in the foreseeable future. (Although you can order extra stickers separately, too.) This kit retails for only $59.99USD and is available online and at the big bookstore chains. Hello! I paid more than that for a set of markers recently!
If that’s too much for you, there is another option- there is a 15-hour version of the Anybook Reader and it’s only $39.99. For me, that puts it in the sweet spot for gift-giving…and Mother’s Day IS coming up!
This product is so innovative that it was up for the CHA Innovation Showcase- and only 20 products make that list in the hundreds that apply. Sadly, it didn’t win, but maybe it should have!
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Drew says
Good review. I have purchased the 15 hour model to introduce my 3 year old to his books. I can not locate the stickers anywhere and am hoping that your relationship with Franklin might lead me in the right direction. The Franklin sit is now defunct and the Anybook Reader site only leads back to Franklin when inquiring about additional stickers.
Regards,
Drew Cabrera
Jenny says
Thank you so much, Drew. I did a quick Google shopping search, and it looks like you can buy refill sticker packs here:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=6010739&kw=6010739&en=froogle&p=1013824&cm_mmc=CBDfeeds-_-froogle-_-software-_-6010739
Good luck!
SR Chalup says
Thanks for this great article. I had no idea this kind of tech existed at the consumer level, and have about a zillion uses for it. I have a LiveScribe Pulse Pen for recording sound + writing notes, and it turns out that they make a sticker pack for it that lets you do the same thing with your LiveScribe pen. I am going to have fun!
One thing I could easily see doing with these stickers, related to crafting, is to read aloud a bunch of steps keyed to a sequence of stickers. Create a little 3×5 card for projects, patterns, etc that you use again and again, and instead of fishing thru your notebook or your computer files to remember the steps and how many stitches or which part of the glue is 1/3 and which is 2/3, just scan the sticker!
I don’t knit (yet) myself, but having seen patterns for it, I can imagine how much easier it might be to just scan the next sticker and hear your own voice say “Now purl 3 and knit 4, and remember to keep the tension up when you go around the corner this time” instead of trying to find the right line in the long text!
Have a great New Year!
Jenny says
Thanks for the great ideas! -Jenny
Franklin AnyBook Reader says
Hello Jenny,
thanks for the wonderful review! I’ve linked back to it on the AnyBook Facebook page: Facebook.com/AnyBookReader
In case anyone is still looking for additional stickers for their AnyBook Reader, you can always purchase them on Franklin.com. Here’s a direct link:
http://www.franklin.com/das-200b
Hope that helps!
-AnyBook Reader PR team
Diane says
How can the reader work for a child with grandparent in a different country? Each would need their own pen but could one pen read a sticker recorded with another pen?
Could grandma record a story and post the recorded sticker overseas?
Jenny says
Diane- you’d need the person recording to send both the dots and the reader. The Reader records the messages internally, so a different reader would not be effective. In short, you’d have to ship the whole system. Hope this helps.