Wednesday 8 October 2014

Perfect Christmas Present for an Early Reader Under 40 Pounds - Magical Book Reader Review

Well let me tell you about the Sparkup Magical Book Reader.

After all, it's that time of year when you start to worry about Christmas presents, even if you haven't yet started buying them. There's the child who has EVERYTHING, and you know you want to get them something educational but you don't know what.

Aaron had seen lots of adverts for this amazing product on TV and kept saying "Mummy I want that". He's always been an avid reader, but even more so now that he started school a few weeks ago. Imagine my excitement when I received an email about the Magical Book Reader and HIS when it actually arrived. Luckily I captured that excitement, the pure joy, on camera:
NewMumOnline receives Magical Book Reader
We have several electronic readers already, but this is by far the best, way superior. So far we have the Thomas Me Reader that comes with 8 hard back books and the Read with Me Scout Teddy that comes with 5 hard back books. They are both much loved, but at 4 years old, the Magical Book Reader is definitely the next step in Aaron's learning and development. You don't have to press a button each time you turn a page (unless you are recording the book) and the book plays, like an audio book, in the voice of whichever family member recorded it. We have yet to pin Daddy down but we will!
Unpacking the Sparkup Magical Book Reader
Getting it out of the packet was relatively quick and easy, once you allow for cutting all of those security strings at the back of the packaging. I loved that I didn't have to put batteries in. The only problem was there was paper around the beautiful hard back starter book and our speed trying to get it off almost ripped a page so be careful there.

Aaron understood the concept immediately and read that starter book about 40 times in three days. It was great as that book enables the child to completely grasp and understand (via a story) what it's all about while the adult reads the User's Guide. 

Reading the User's Guide made me want to get on and record a book, but given that Aaron had been playing with the Magical Book Reader while I had been reading the instructions, he was very unwilling and reluctant to part with it. I didn't want to let him record a book, until I'd tried to myself, so that I could see if it was something I could do, let alone him. That did cause us to lock horns for a few minutes but we did eventually BOTH get to have a play ;-)
The Sparkup Magical Book Reader provides lots of stimulation
I would say, that recording a book TOGETHER, is a great thing to do, as you can hear both your voices when you play it back. These are the ones we treasure listening to the most if I'm honest.

The thing is, it picks everything up, so make sure you are composed and sitting comfortably ready to begin.

Recording is simple. You attach the reader to the back of the book. Turn the reader on. Record the cover. Then press a button to record each page, pressing the round button to stop, while you turn to the next page.

We have by now recorded books in many different sizes and thicknesses - I am VERY impressed.

Once you have several books stored in it (which you can download and back-up) your child, as Aaron, can then grab any book that's stored, and sit down to read independently as below. Magical Book Reader with its little camera, recognises each and every page (if recorded) and knows when the child turns the page, meaning if they skip a page the reader does too.
Children can play with the magical book reader without supervision
One problem I have had, is I am so anxious to stop recording after reading a page (so that it doesn't record the noise of me turning the page) that I am quite guilty of cutting the final word of a page in half, so when you play it back, if the final word on a page is garden, I may have only recorded "gar". So make sure you are composed, and ready to record, relaxed, when you sit down to do it. Experiment! It doesn't have to be perfect first time.

Your child's reaction to hearing it read back is MAGICAL. The two readers I mentioned earlier in this review both come already loaded with the narrator. THIS product, where it is you, or your child's voice, is where the magic comes in. Like I have said above, it is REALLY magical to record a story TOGETHER as it is a joy to listen back to, especially if you are reading the book once again while listening. We did this with our favourite book: Driving My Tractor :-) and we also did so with Old Mother Hubbard.


The Sparkup Magical Book Reader is currently on offer at Tesco for only £29.99 the purchase of which will accrue you 29 Clubcard points! It's a great offer, as when we first received ours everyone was selling them for 40 pounds.

Hey, guess what, 
you can win one here:


If you would like to find other competitions with a closing date in October visit here: Super Lucky Me, click on the button below:


“SuperLucky

This post has also been listed on Prize Finder:
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com - See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/sparkup-magical-book-reader-0#sthash.WAuvP4hV.dpuf

Disclosure: I have been sent two magical book readers. One to review as above, and the second, in order to host this giveaway.

Fancy a new camera? or perhaps want to pick the one to add to your Christmas wish list. Have a look at John Lewis via my affiliate button:

                                           
                                           


Giveaway at NewMumOnline to win a Sparkup Magical Book Reader

141 comments:

  1. Would love to record Stick Man

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  2. My daughter would love Stick man!

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  3. Would have to be the gruffalo

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  4. We have so many favourites but recently enjoyed The Bad-Tempered Ladybird - both kids were in stitches and wanted me to keep re-reading it to the point of my throat hurting (due to silly voice of bad ladybird). So guess that would be the first I'd record!

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  5. I would put my daughter's Peppa Pig books on there so I didn't have to read them 10 times a day!

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  6. roald dahls enormous crocodile

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  7. We'd record Stick Man - we love reading that one together.

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  8. either the Gruffalo or the Gruffalo's child

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  9. "Dear zoo" is a great one, we enjoy reading it

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  10. what a great idea, not sure what book my daughter would like i would probably let her choose.

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  11. My son loves a book called giganasarus so that would be up first!!!!

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  12. It would be for my granddaughter and she has lots of bedtime story books that Daddy reads to her, I think it would be one of these, i'd let them choose x

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  13. Fashion Fairy Princess Rosa in Sparkle City by Poppy Collins my little girl loves it x

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  14. The Gruffalo - my youngest is addicted to the books

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  15. Chocolate mousse for greedy goose :)

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  16. This looks great and your review is AWESOME - so beautifully presented - am envious! XXX

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  17. We are a Famous Five Fan Family.

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  18. Green eggs and ham! I get so tongue tied with that one!

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  19. my son is loving winnie the witch at the moment so that would be first x

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  20. Norman the slug with the silly shell is my sons favourite at the minute

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  21. The Gruffalo = laura jayne bates

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  22. Giraffes Can't Dance - Giles Andreae

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  23. I would record 'The Giant Jam Sandwich' for my grandson.

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  24. The hungry Caterpillar!
    Farhana

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  25. It would have to be my son's favourite which is 'Aliens Love Underpants'.xx

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  26. my son loves the wibbly pig books :)

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  27. My Granddaughters favourite this week is The Grufallo

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  28. The Gruffalo, Anything with Thomas the Tank Engine and some fairytale classics!

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  29. We have a book called 'Whose Bottom'.

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  30. The Gruffalo or Mr Men books

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  31. The Hungry Catterpillar (mark sorrell)

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  32. The Gruffalo ,(Granddads Name)

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  33. Awwww this looks amazing!!We would love to record Stick Man,it's one of the best loved books in our house!!Thanks for this lovely giveaway Angel!Warm hugs and wishes X(Carroll marsh)

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  34. DefinitleyThe Gruffalo. It's a fantastic story but after 20 times or so, the magic gets lost for me a little (not the kids though)

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  35. Hairy Mclairy - my little boy loves it

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  36. My little girl would love The Jolly Postman x

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  37. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

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  38. The hungry caterpillar as it's my daughters favourite book

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  39. The tiger who came to tea!

    Ashleigh

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  40. The Tiger who came to Tea or The Gruffalo both favourites in our house.

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  41. My cheeky daughter! The Gruffalo

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  42. How to Catch a Star - Oliver Jeffers

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  43. The little prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

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  44. We'd definitely record and read The Hungry Caterpillar :) my son and daughter love reading, so this is fabulous! X Whitney Thompson x

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  45. I'd record we're going on a bear hunt.
    Millie would do parts of it, she loves that story.

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  46. The Gruffalo also! Popular choice!

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  47. We have so many books I don't know where I'd start but probably the hungry caterpillar

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  48. danny and the Dinosaur (he loves this story and alays wants it read to him)

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  49. A thomas one, have been a fan for years

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  50. Hairy macleary from donaldsons dairy

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  51. Room on the Broom or one of her Meg and Mog books.

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  52. the gruffalo or room on the broom

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  53. nuddy ned or cinderellas bottom

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  54. got to be the gruffalo its a big hit in our house

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  55. A book called Dogs are my Favourite Thing
    (sam fernley)

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  56. My family's favourite book is a golden oldie called 'Each Peach Pear Plum' by Allan and Janet Ahlberg :)

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  57. Definitely the Gruffalo! We also have a book each night that my daughter loves reading, called "I Love my mummy". I would love to have this recorded for her.

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