Reading on the iPad

(On September 29, 2011, we will share with our parent community at LCS how the iPad can be used for reading, learning and more. Below we include an outline of the presentation with links to some of our favorite apps – for you to follow up on or read about in case you are not able to attend.)

Hi – I am Tanja Galetti and I am the Elementary Library Media Specialist at LCS. While I love reading “good old” print editions of books, I also have a great interest in exploring all the new ways we can enjoy reading nowadays. A year and a half ago I got a Kindle and thought that there wasn’t anything that could top this. This summer I got an iPad – and I love it! While there are many different ways of reading on the iPad, I want to share four different ways that have worked for me so far more.

Kindle for iPad

• · Free download of app from App Store
• · Requires Amazon account
• · Books are purchased through Amazon.com
• · Text, illustrations in grey shades, no interactive features

iBooks

• · Free download of app from App Store
• · Requires iTunes account
• · Books are purchased through the iTunes Store
• · Text, colored illustrations, audio, no interactive features

FreeBooks

• · Free download of app from App Store
• · Books are downloaded for free through the app
• · Text, audio

Interactive Book Apps

• · Each book is an app
• · Books are purchased through App Store
• · Text, illustrations, audio, interactive features
• · Examples: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Meet Millie

Wonder where I get my recommendations? My secret weapon is Twitter. I follow professionals (e.g. librarians and teachers) who write reviews about the books they read and/or apps they discover, e.g. donalynbooks, shannonmiller, MrSchuReads, iPad_storytime, smartapps4kids.