EYEDISCOVER has created a fun, multi-sensory way to enjoy reading aloud and learning about new things. At first glance A Lion’s World might seem like a basic story time read aloud to share but, with a special code this book can be unlocked revealing a unique audiovisual encounter.

Within the 24 pages of this story your child will learn all about the lion’s features, habitat, and activities.  The physical features include extremely descriptive words paired with age appropriate similes to help them gain a better understanding of this fierce cat. For example, the author doesn’t just say the cat runs but compares its running to that of a racehorse.  The family dynamics are also discussed, teaching your child the duties of the male and female lions.  The pictures are bright, beautiful portraits showcasing the lion in its natural habitat. The close ups allow your child to really see the facial features all the way down to the spotted nose. After the story ends there is a statistics page that includes six facts about the animal. A keywords page provides an index of various sight and content words used throughout the book. I like that the reading fluency and comprehension aid was provided to show parents and teachers other ways you can use this book to help young readers.  While reading the book and with the online version I had our four-year-old point to the sight words on the screen or on the pages.

This book also features access to the EYEDISCOVER Optic Readalong video content library. After entering the book’s special code on the website, you will be prompted with a security question. The security question will ask you to use your printed book and give them a word from a provided page number.  The page number is different each time and the answer is not case sensitive.  It is suggested that you use this option with your tablet, whiteboard, computer, or laptop. I did try this option on my cell phone and noted that it only worked perfectly with the Google Chrome browser. Once the web page loads, the book will begin, and the story will be read aloud. You do have to click the arrows to continue on to the next page in your story. If you do not click the arrow to continue on to the next page then the current page will be read again. With all clicks included, it takes approximately five minutes to enjoy the online version of this book.

I liked that they incorporated sounds and actual footage of lions to enhance the video version experience of this tale.  For example, when the narrator mentioned the lion roaring they played the sound and you could see the lion’s mouth open wide as he called out.  The video footage included is not the same as the pictures provided in the book providing varying views of the big cat’s perspective and ensuring both experiences are equally enjoyable.  The aforementioned statistics and keywords pages are not included in the read aloud portion.

Our younger two children enjoyed their firsthand view of A Lion’s World via the book and Optic Readalong. This unique EYEDISCOVER experience not only provided great early science information but catered to our children’s imagination by bringing the story to life.

-Product review by Ta’Neisha Kemp, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July, 2018