Reading Website Review: Tumblebook

About TumbleBook

TumbleBook is a suite of online, multi-functional reading applications designed for use in schools or in public libraries. Although this is a Canadian technology, all of the materials are adapted to U.S. educational standards and aligned with the Common Core. 

Grade Level: All

There are various Tumblebook collections, each designed for a different age group. They include:

• TumbleBook Library: Elementary Grades
• TumbleBook Cloud Junior: Grades three to six
• TumbleBook Cloud: Middle School through High School 
• AudioBook Cloud: All levels (including adult)

Content Areas: Reading (with additional math skill practice if desired)

Price: Varies depending on product and subscription level

Our Take:

The TumbleBook Library is a collection of over a thousand online, animated talking picture books designed for elementary aged students. In addition to the collection of books, the TumbleBook Library infuses games, videos and other activities to help increase student enjoyment in learning. Popular children’s books by authors such as Robert Munch and Melanie Watt are available.

TumbleBook Cloud and TumbleBook Cloud Junior are online collections of ebooks and chapter books, non-fiction books, graphic novels, educational videos, and audio books. Both versions offer full narration capabilities, and sentence-by-sentence highlighting so kids can follow along. Word highlighting is thought to improve student vocabulary and decoding abilities.

AudioBook Cloud is an online collection of over fourteen hundred audiobooks. The genres of audiobooks offered span from literature to science fiction to best sellers. Audiobooks are an alternate format for readers to engage in texts, and can be especially beneficial for students who struggle with reading decoding.

Advantages for Teachers or Librarians:

TumbleBook Library

• Includes lesson plans, quizzes, educational games and puzzles related to both math and language skills for your students.
• Has a common core portal that aligns content with common core standards
• Has ESL and Special Education adaptations to help all types of learners engage with the content
• Remote access is available so your students can have access to the resources at home, thus making TumbleBooks an alternative in your home reading program. 
• Books are available in French and Spanish as well as English

TumbleBook Cloud and TumbleBook Cloud Junior

• Includes lesson plans, quizzes, educational games and puzzles related to both math and language skills for your students.
• Has a common core portal that aligns content with common core standards 
• Includes features for ESL and Special Education students in order to help all types of learners engage with the content. For example: 
• Text highlighting
• Adjustable text size
• Adjustable spacing and line size
• Adjustable font
• Ajustable background color
• Optional narration
• Both applications offer the ability for your students to attach notes while they are reading, thus improving their comprehension of the material.
• Remote access is available so your students can have access to the resources at home. 
• Students are able to bookmark their spot so they don’t lose their place.

AIM, CAST, and Audible

We have had several encounters this past week with different ways to access books and curriculum in ways that benefit learners of all kinds. 

First, Dr. Yellin has been "reading" a new book, League of Denial, about the role of the NFL in denying the dangers of concussions among football players. Long a reader of e-books on his iPad, he is accessing this book via Audible.com, which is an Amazon subsidiary that provides audio versions of popular books. There is a membership fee, which entitles members to one "free" book per month, and there is a free 30 day trial. 

Yesterday's mail brought the Winter issue of the magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, ED. The cover story was about CAST - formerly The Center for Applied Special Technology - and how Dr. David Rose and CAST's other founders forever changed the conversation about how books and other educational materials can and should be made accessible to all learners and created the field of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  It's a fascinating and well-written piece and is available online. Dr. Yellin is a proud member of the CAST Board of Directors.

Finally, a colleague shared a resource from the National Center for Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM), a CAST initiative. This resource, an extensive article entitled, An Educator’s Guide to the Acquisition of Alternate Format Core Learning Materials for Pre-K–12 Students with Print Disabilities, includes detailed information on resources teachers and administrators can use to locate and obtain materials for all kinds of learners, including those who need large print, Braille, and audio materials. The article describes the needs of teachers at specific levels and in specific situations and contains extensive discussions of the benefits of each resource and how and where it can be obtained. 

Whether you try an audio book, gain a better understanding of UDL, or learn how to obtain a book for a child who has difficulty accessing print materials, we hope our encounters this week prove helpful to you and the students you care about.

Photo: Michael Casey

Recommended Reads: The First Part Last

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Grades: 7 and up

Awards: Printz Award, Coretta Scott King Award

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Bobby tells his story in an unconventional way. Sections are titled either “then” or “now,” to show how he simultaneously copes with his challenging reality and reflects on the events that led him to his current situation. And Bobby’s situation is a tough one indeed: he is raising his infant daughter alone. Bobby’s memories of learning that his girlfriend Nia was pregnant, being advised by everyone to put the baby up for adoption, and trying to wrap his head around the idea of a baby are interspersed with his new reality of caring for baby Feather. His parents, loving but disgusted with his choices, have made it clear that it is up to him to take care of the baby, and he struggles to finish high school while coordinating her care. A twist near the end reveals why Nia is no longer a part of his life (we won’t give it away), and the book ends as Bobby finally gains a sense of clarity about his new role.

Adult Themes: Surprisingly few, given that this is a book about teen pregnancy and parenthood. Occasionally there is language that some may find objectionable, however.

Our Take: Few novels for young people explore the realities of teen parenthood, and fewer still do so from the perspective of a teen father. This theme coupled with The First Part Last’s unconventional layout makes this novel an unforgettable book. Johnson’s writing style is simple and poetic. Most characters are well developed, and she is able to convey a visceral sense of Bobby’s fatigue and confusion, but also of his wonder at his daughter and the aching love he feels for her. And don’t worry – Bobby is in awe of little Feather alright, but The First Part Last in no way glorifies teen parenting. Bobby’s confusion, heartache, isolation, and exhaustion ring loud and clear from virtually every page of this book.

While we think The First Part Last would be a great book for any adolescent, it’s a particularly good choice for at-risk readers for several reasons. For one, the story itself is compelling and the characters are relatable. Also, the text is arranged in short paragraphs and even individual sentences that form their own paragraphs, so the pages are appealingly sparse; there are no intimidating dense blocks of text here. While the reading feels accessible, some readers may need a bit of support while they get used to the interspersed plot lines. We highly recommend this book. Its simplicity allows even struggling students to get through it, and its complexity ensures that the story will stick with them long after they finish it.

Watch Now: Dr. Yellin Dyslexia Webinar from Learning Ally

A recording of Dr. Yellin’s webinar from earlier this week for national nonprofit Learning Ally, Dyslexia: Diagnosis, Planning and Support for Struggling Readers, is now available for viewing online. The one-hour program was seen live coast-to-coast by hundreds of parents, students, and educators, and is featured on the Learning Ally website, where it will remain available for future viewing. Learning Ally provides accessible media such as audiobooks to students with learning disabilities and visual impairments. 

In the program, Dr. Yellin provides a detailed explanation of what is meant when we talk about "dyslexia"; an in-depth look at the many types of subtle learning variations that may be at play when a student is struggling with reading, spelling, or other challenges; and insight into why understanding each learner's individual strengths as well as weaknesses should be an essential component of educational planning. He also answers many questions from viewers.

“When parents, teachers and practitioners understand how developing appropriate strategies and interventions can improve children's reading skills and boost self-esteem, and when they have a deeper understanding of the root causes of a student's reading symptoms,” notes Dr. Yellin, “they can help to grow resilient, improved learners with a rekindled love of reading.”

Watch the video below:


Dyslexia: Diagnosis, Planning & Support for Struggling Readers from Learning Ally on Vimeo.

Thanks to all of the great people at Learning Ally for making this webinar possible.

Comparing Text-to-Speech Programs

Audiobooks are a great tool for students and adults with reading difficulties because they allow poor readers to access content aurally instead of through print. Almost every book is available in audiobook format if you know where to look. Unfortunately, more and more reading takes place on screens instead of on pages. Students and professionals must read electronic documents and webpages with as much, or more, frequency than books, and these texts aren't available on CD or mp3. Luckily, there is an alternative: text-to-speech programs can read electronic text to weak readers, thus by-stepping the decoding process that can be so taxing.

To help you compare some of the available text-to-speech programs side-by-side, we've compiled a handy chart. Our chart includes both very high quality, expensive programs, and also more basic, less expensive (or even free!) options. Some may find that a very basic program meets their needs, while others will be impressed by the versatility and wide number of features available in some of the more sophisticated packages.

Click-through the chart image to view in large scale, or download the PDF.

Did we miss a good option? Please share your recommendations (or your experiences with any of the programs mentioned above) in the comments.