One More Story: An Online Library You (and Your Kids) Will Love!

OneMoreStory.com

One more story, please! How many times have you heard your little one say these words?

If you’ve heard it on more than one occasion, try OneMoreStory.com — a virtual bookshelf full of award-winning literature from authors such as Ezra Jack Keats, Donald Crews and more.

Aimed at ages 2-9, the site lets your child choose between having the book read to him/her or reading it alone. Under the narrator mode, the words are highlighted as the narrator reads the story. Plus, original music accompanies the reading.

If your tot is ready to read, pick the “I Can Read It” option which mutes the sound and lets them click on unfamiliar words for pronunciation tips.

Created by a former Sesame Street producer and his late sister (a former teacher) to help enrich a child’s love of literature, One More Story currently features 56 books. Click here to see the whole e-library (they’re currently adding a book a month). You can also check out how it works here.

A three month subscription is $15, a six month subscription is $27 and a year’s subscription is $44. It’s the perfect gift for mini book lovers!

–Nancy

Comments

This is a great site that I will use in my 1st grade classroom! StoryLineOnline.net is another free site (donations accepted) that has actors from SAG reading wonderful stories aloud.

- Kate on November 14th, 2009

ugh … this looks like one more way for Americans to not parent their children. If you can’t make time to read to your kids at bedtime, like seriously, why did you have them? For show?

Maybe this would be good for a classroom setting, but if I’m getting a laptop to read my kids stories before they go to bed …

- NikNak on November 15th, 2009

I can’t believe this would be considered a good thing per what Kate said. Kids spend way too much time on the computer these days, being sedentary, and to add yet another reason to be on the computer is just wrong, imo. Kids should have the opportunity to be actively playing, away from the telly and computer. They should have opportunities to go to their local public library and get a dozen books (for free!) and have the wonderful snuggly feeling of sitting on the sofa or laying in bed holding the book while someone holds them in their arms and they read the story together. Big, fat fail to this OneMoreStory.com!

- eternalcanadian on November 16th, 2009

My son has been using onemorestory.com for over 6 months now and I find that it is a wonderful teaching tool. My son is quiet and gets nervous when he doesn’t know how to pronounce a word… especially because I cannot always help him because my first language is Spanish. One More Story has a feature that allows him to click on any word and have it read to him so he can learn the proper prononciation, while avoiding the pressure and humilation that he says he feels in class. — don’t know it until you try it

- Jorge P. on November 16th, 2009

Ah, the naysayers. You are always some of the first ones to comment. I honestly, truly do not think people are using this site INSTEAD of reading to their children. Here’s how I would use this (and will, as I just got a one year subscription): I have 3 small children. Mornings and getting home from work are hectic times. I would MUCH rather my children have a great book read to them instead of watch cartoons or play unsupervised. I can bring my laptop into my room with me and have them “read” a book while I get dressed, or set the laptop on the kitchen table while I cook dinner. My kids get plenty of outside playtime and Mommy and Daddy reading time. This is just a little extra help, and a wonderful way for them to eventually work on their reading skills.

- mammaducky on November 17th, 2009

I completely agree with mammaducky! I have been in the educational technology field all my working life, and I think this program is a winner! It is a great addition both in school and at home. Young readers need as much auditory feedback as possible. It is how they acquire language and become excellent communicators – reading, writing & listening. Just as mommaducky is overwhelmed at the end of her day, so are our classroom teachers. One More Story will make an excellent learning center in a grade K-3 classroom, and learning centers are the ideal teaching methodology, in my opinion, because they enable little learners to continue their self-motivated learning. I hope this company thrives with subscriptions!

- Andrew on November 18th, 2009

I think this is a great way to make them want to read. Children will go over the same story many times and with the highlighted words learn to recognize them. Better than watching cartoons!!! All the book are interesting and well selected with excellent illustrations. They will run around when they are full of energy but the children need their quiet time too.

- Eva on November 18th, 2009

I find it’s nice but a) once you have had a subscription they spam you constantly (I got to this article from today’s spam–have not subscribed to their service for years–and I don’t so much mind them sending email but there’s just so MUCH of it that I spamlisted them), and b) you can’t control the rate at which you turn the pages, it’s very slow… so kids who have already read the book and want to go faster or just turn to a certain page have to be very patient. It’s a similar issue to the Kindle, which I love in many ways, but where paging to a certain page is a pain. (I haven’t tried other e-readers so I don’t know how they work).

- Tori on November 18th, 2009

To those of you unfamiliar with the site, you really should visit it with your kids and check it out. We began subscribing to the site two years ago when my daughter was 4; she fell in love with it before we even finished the first story! Much of the time we listen/read stories together, but my daughter also enjoys being read to during times I’m unable to – like when she’s eating her breakfast and I’m in the shower! She now reads two levels above her peers, something I think was due in part to One More Story. Check it out, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed – and no, I’m not an employee of One More Story, we’re just big fans.

- Liv's mom on November 18th, 2009