Books Come to Life with the VTech V.Reader (with Giveaway)

VTech is at it again. On the heels of introducing the awesome MobiGo, VTech has just announced the V.Reader – an interactive, animated e-book system for kids, similar to an adult e-reader, only better.

V.Reader at a Glance

The V.Reader Animated E-Book System makes reader vivid and fun for your child! With animated characters, kids discover the joy or reader and take a journey into a world of imagination as they touch and play their way to learning core reading skills, while playing interactive reading games.

• Interactive stories with touch screen play
• Great stories featuring your child’s favorite characters
• Storytelling comes alive with animation and sounds
• Ideal for kids who are learning to read
• Downloadable stories are coming soon – many free

Our Experience

When I first learned about the V.Reader I was very excited – on behalf of my son. My husband has an eReader that he thoroughly enjoys and I knew my son (who is also a gadget dude) would be into the V.Reader. As soon as it arrived, we ripped the box open to start exploring. There is really so much to the gadget that it’s hard to describe everything so I encourage you to watch the introduction video about the V.Reader on Vtechkids.com.

Even with all the activities, my son’s favorite thing to do with the V.Reader is Watch the Story. Page by page, the V.Reader reads a book aloud as animated graphics move along with the plot. The words appear alongside the pictures and the colors change as the story is told so little eyes can follow along. The Story Dictionary is an interactive feature  to help with vocabulary – select words are highlighted and when you tap the word the definition appears. You can also access the Dictionary separate from the story.

There are also a number of Reading Games, ranging from story comprehension to phonics to counting and colors. The V.Reader animated stories are recommended to different age groups and I assume the games and vocabulary words are different for each age group. For example, the games on The Little Engine That Could recommended for 3  to 5 year olds are perfect for my son, but I’m sure those on the Scooby Doo story cartridge (for ages 5 to 7) would be over his head.

My primary complaint with the V.Reader is the size of the screen. The entire gadget is approximately 7 inches by 8.5 inches but the screen is only 3.75 by 2.5 inches. Granted my son does not need to be nearly as close to the screen as he is in the photos below, but the screen should be larger than it is.

It’s worth mentioning the construction of the V.Reader is great. There is a plastic cover that goes over the front so you don’t accidentally push buttons or damage the reader when not in use. But, the cover does have an opening so when you’re Watching the Story and not playing games you can navigate the story and turn the pages. In addition to a full QWERTY keyboard, there are also large colored buttons to help navigate the way around the story and activities.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… My son loves exploring books on the V.Reader and I am really impressed. It’s perfect for times when I can’t read to him, like when we’re traveling. The compact size and lightweight make it easy to take along on airplane or car trips. The V.Reader has a lot to offer for the $60 price tag.

Or Not to Buy… In theory, the idea of an electronic gadget that replaces actual paper books makes me sad. My husband loves his, but there’s something special about reading books with children that is irreplaceable. In practice, the screen should be bigger on the V.Reader.

Shop! The VTech V.Reader is available exclusively at Target online and in stores with a suggested price of $59.99. You can also pre-order a reader in pink or blue from Amazon for delivery on July 1. It will be available in stores nationwide in August.

Win! A VTech V.Reader!

How to Enter: Check out the “Animated stories & Accessories” (on the right hand side of the V.Reader page) or browse the V.Reader stories at Target and tell me one book you’d love to explore with the V.Reader.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

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Disclosure: Giveaway ends July 14. Open to US mailing addresses. Thanks to VTech for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prize. Opinions here are my own.