World War II Infantrymen: An Interactive History Adventure by Steven Otfinoski is available in both print and e-book (Kindle app) format and offers an engaging way to explore the role of individuals during World War II. The digital version could potentially excite readers even more; studies such as those conducted by Foley (2012) have shown that young people are keen to access digital texts. In both editions of the novel, readers can choose to be ‘an American infantryman in the Philippines, ‘a British soldier in North Africa’ or ‘an American soldier in the D-Day invasion in France’ (loc. 123). Although the text is fictional, archival images are used and various facts about the Vietnam War have been embedded. These elements mean it would be an excellent resource to use as part of the NSW History curriculum because World War II is a key area of study (Board of Studies, 2012).
Interactive novels have existed in print form for decades, but unenhanced e-book versions of this format provide new functions for readers. Texts such as Otfinoski’s novel use the simple navigational tools found in most e-books to allow readers to make a choice and skip to the appropriate page by clicking a hyperlink. Traditionally, readers would have to manually turn to a page to discover what would happen as a result of their choice. Although this provides ease of access, a benefit of all e-books (Guernsey, 2011), this style of navigation could hinder the reader’s comprehension of the storyline as they are unable to physically flip back and forth between pages and develop connections through contextualisation (Jabr, 2013; Pope, 2010). One way the publisher has reduced these navigational issues is through the inclusion of a ‘back’ button in the body of the e-book. Children and teenage readers need to be able to go back to previous pages and sections in order to clarify information and reaffirm their understanding of the plot (Pope, 2010). A hyperlinked contents page also allows individuals to quickly navigate to specific sections of the novel.
Another effective feature is the text-specific glossary. Important terminology is underlined and presented in red, and readers can click on the word to read a footnote. They can also navigate to the glossary at the end of the book. This feature helps young adults connect with the text, expand their vocabulary and develop their comprehension skills (Dalton, 2014; Edwards, 2013; Serafini & Youngs, 2013). Interruption to the reading experience is limited as glossary terms are not prevalent and clicking on the word will quickly produce a pop-up footnote that can be easily be removed after it has been read. In addition to this feature, the e-book utilises the regular dictionary function of the Kindle, which as Serafini and Youngs (2013) have mentioned, is a key benefit to e-books. Notes and highlighting, another common aspect of e-books, reduces a problem identified by Jabr (2013): readers often prefer print books because they like to be able to annotate the text. Students can also see quotations that have been highlighted by a large number of people. These highlighted sections draw the reader’s attention to important elements of the story and add a social element to reading.
Access to the internet is useful in the case of this e-book as other online experiences are provided by Capstone Press. At the end of the story, readers can click on the FactHound website link and find other website links relevant to the topic they are studying, in this case, World War II. School students can increase their knowledge as they are able to explore the topic in more detail. The hyperlink function mimics the information retrieval processes in which teenagers participate during their daily lives. Interactivity in this form is a key aspect of effective digital texts as students’ comprehension is enhanced when they are able to explore known environments or participate in familiar practices (Edwards, 2013; O’Connell, Bales & Mitchell, 2015). By excluding external hyperlinks from the body of the text, the author ensures students are not distracted from the main story (Dalton, 2014). Unfortunately, many digital texts lack narrative consistency and students become confused (Pope, 2013).
In order to study the text, readers would need to purchase the novel and download it to their devices for $8.71. The Kindle software used to read the e-book is beneficial because it is free and works on various devices and operating systems. The low price makes this text a viable option for schools, although the short length of the text might be a deterrent for some teachers. Therefore, the text would be most useful for struggling readers, especially as its engaging interactive elements, visuals and glossary options promote comprehension. The sensory experiences offered during the use of digital devices also help increase the motivation of low-ability students (Mcclanahan, Williams, Kennedy & Tate, 2012). Overall, this is a recommended text for use in the classroom, although more sophisticated texts or extension options may be necessary for stronger readers.
References
Board of Studies. (2012). History K-10. Retrieved from https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/
Dalton, B. (2014). E-text and e-books are changing the literacy landscape. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(3), 38-43). doi: 10.1177/0031721714557451
Edwards, J. (2013). Reading beyond the borders: observations on digital ebook readers and adolescent reading practices. In J. Whittingham, S. Huffman, W. Rickman & C. Wiedmaier (Eds.), Technological tools for the literacy classroom (pp. 135-158). Retrieved from IGI Global.
Foley, C. (2012). Ebooks for leisure and learning. Scan, 31(4), 6-14. Retrieved from https://doms.csu.edu.au/csu/file/2fc4cb65-f36a-4273-a71e-d9970c96d4e9/1/foley-c.pdf
Guernsey, L. (2011). Are ebooks any good?. School Library Journal, 57(6). Retrieved from https://www.slj.com
Jabr, F. (2013, April 11). The reading brain in the digital age: the science of paper versus screens. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/
Mcclanahan, B., Williams, K., Kennedy, E., & Tate, S. (2012). A breakthrough for Josh: how use of an iPad facilitated reading improvement. TechTrends, 56(3), 20-28. doi:10.1007/s11528-012-0572-6
Pope, J. (2010). Where do we go from here? Readers’ responses to interactive fiction. The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 16(1), 75-94. doi: 10.1177/1354856509348774
O’Connell, J., Bales, J., & Mitchell, P. (2015). [R}evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries. The Australian Library Journal, 64(3), 194-208. doi:10.1080/00049670.2015.1048043
Otfinoski, S. (2013). World War II infantrymen: an interactive history adventure [Kindle edition]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com.au/World-War-Infantrymen-You-Choose-ebook/dp/B00E3SYFCE
Serafini, F., & Youngs, S. (2013). Reading workshop 2.0. Reading Teacher, 66(5), 401-404. doi:10.1002/TRTR.1141