If you have someone in your life who’s just learning how to read, this post is for you! I wanted to highlight a category of ebooks on Hoopla that are great for kids who are brand new to reading. They are called Read-Alongs, and they are a fun way to read a story while the story reads to you.
There are actually two types of Read-Alongs in Hoopla. One is classified as an ebook and simply shows the pages of the book with audio narration over it; plus, the words are each highlighted as they are read. To find these from the main page of Hoopla, click on Ebooks (in the app) or Browse and then Ebooks (on a computer). Then under Categories there should be a Top Category called, “Read Alongs Are Now on Hoopla!” You should have 325 different options! You can also search for “read-alongs” and look for the ones that say “ebook.” Here is one called I Want to Be a Doctor by Laura Driscoll.
The other kind of Read Along is categorized as a movie in Hoopla. They may have some extra fun animations as they also show the pages of the book, highlight each word, and have a narrator read to you. You can find them by going to Movies (or Browse and then Movies). Then go to Categories and look for the category “Read-Along Titles.” There are 234 to choose from! You can also search for “read-along” and look for the ones that say “movie.” Here is one of these called Dreamers by Yuyi Morales.
There is a huge variety of Read Alongs to choose from – fiction and nonfiction, award winners and stories with licensed characters, long and short stories, covering an array of interests and abilities. Some of these Read Alongs might work with younger kids who are too young to be learning to read. They may just enjoy looking and listening. There also may be some that are enjoyable for older, more experienced readers as well. Remember that we offer Hoopla for Floyd County residents, and you can now download up to 12 titles per month! Check out these Read Alongs and see what you think!
Happy reading!
-Teresa Moulton, Public Service Reader
