TumbleBooks (https://www.tumblebooks.com/) is a digital library service that offers a wide variety of animated, talking picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, non-fiction, educational videos, and more, aimed specifically at children. This review post delves into the platform’s uses and benefits in a children’s library and explores the lessons librarians can learn from utilising this innovative resource.
Uses in a Children’s Library
1. Enhancing Storytime: TumbleBooks can transform traditional story time sessions into engaging multimedia experiences. By projecting animated storybooks onto a screen, librarians can captivate young audiences with visuals, sound effects, and interactive elements. This multimedia approach not only makes story time more exciting but also helps maintain the attention of young children, fostering a deeper interest in reading.
2. Supporting Literacy Development: The platform’s read-along feature, which highlights text as it is narrated, is a powerful tool for literacy development. This helps children with word recognition, pronunciation, and comprehension, making it particularly beneficial for early readers. Additionally, TumbleBooks offers materials at various reading levels, allowing children to progress at their own pace and providing appropriate challenges as they develop their reading skills.
3. Promoting Independent Reading: TumbleBooks encourages children to explore books independently through its interactive features. Autoplay and narrated stories allow children to enjoy books without requiring constant adult supervision, fostering a sense of autonomy and confidence in their reading abilities. This independent exploration is crucial in building lifelong reading habits.
4. Language Learning: With books available in multiple languages, including English, French, and Spanish, TumbleBooks is an excellent resource for bilingual and multilingual education. It allows children to read in their native language or practice a new one, supporting both language preservation and acquisition. This feature is especially valuable in diverse communities and for children learning English as a second language.
5. Supplementing Educational Content: TumbleBooks includes non-fiction titles and educational videos that align with school curricula. These resources are useful for research projects, homework help, and supplementary learning activities, covering a wide range of subjects and making the library a valuable educational support center.
Benefits
1. Accessibility: TumbleBooks is accessible from any device with an internet connection, making it easy for children to continue their reading journey outside the library. This 24/7 accessibility means children can read at home, during travel, or anywhere they have internet access, integrating reading into their daily lives more seamlessly.
2. Diverse Content: The platform’s extensive and varied library ensures there is something for every child, regardless of their interests or reading level. This diversity helps foster a love of reading by catering to individual preferences and encouraging exploration of new genres and topics.
3. Safe Digital Environment: TumbleBooks provides a safe, ad-free environment for children, which is crucial in the digital age. Parents and educators can trust that children are accessing appropriate content, making it easier to promote digital literacy and safe internet practices.
4. Engaging Reluctant Readers: The multimedia elements of TumbleBooks, such as animation and audio narration, make reading more appealing to reluctant readers. By offering a different reading experience than traditional books, TumbleBooks can help overcome barriers and spark an interest in reading among children who might otherwise be disinterested.
For Librarians
1. Embracing Technology: Librarians can learn valuable lessons about the integration of technology into library services. TumbleBooks exemplifies how digital resources can enhance traditional offerings, providing new ways to engage young readers and support their literacy development.
2. Creating Engaging Content: Observing how TumbleBooks utilises multimedia elements to make reading attractive can inspire librarians to incorporate similar strategies in their programming and digital resources. This approach can make library services more appealing and relevant to today’s tech-savvy children.
3. Promoting Inclusivity: By offering materials in multiple languages and catering to various reading levels, TumbleBooks highlights the importance of inclusivity. Librarians can adopt this approach to ensure their collections and programs meet the diverse needs of their communities.
4. Encouraging Lifelong Learning: TumbleBooks demonstrates the potential of digital libraries to foster a love of reading and lifelong learning. Librarians can leverage such platforms to inspire curiosity and a passion for learning, setting the foundation for children’s future educational success.
TumbleBooks is a versatile and dynamic resource that significantly enhances the offerings of a children’s library. Its blend of entertainment and education supports literacy development, language learning, and independent reading, making it an invaluable tool for librarians. Additionally, librarians can learn important lessons about technology integration, content creation, inclusivity, and lifelong learning from TumbleBooks, ultimately enriching their library services and better serving their young patrons.
District of Columbia Public Library. (2024). Tumblebooks. https://www.dclibrary.org/research-and-learn/tumblebooks
Lewis, V. (2023, September 14). Tumblebooks: Audio narrated picture books for low vision. https://www.perkins.org/resource/tumblebooks-low-vision-review/
Tumblebooks. (2024). https://www.tumblebooks.com/