Once upon a time, when parents read aloud to their children, they had to do the sound effects themselves. Crash! Bang! Ouch! But in today’s digital and mobile era, there’s an app for that.
Thankfully, good old-fashioned books are still with us, although selling them has become much harder. In Germany, publisher NordSüd, with the help of the agency Jung Von Matt, found a way of making them more attractive. Some of its books can be paired with an app which knows when the reader reaches a key point in the story, then adds the appropriate sound effect. So a walk through the snow or a terrifying roar are brought vividly to life!
For young children whose parents are reading aloud to them, it’s a fun experience during their bedtime story. And for slightly older children who are learning to read, it’s a reward that encourages them to finish the story. From now on, we’ll truly be able to say: “That sounds like a good book.”