Disney Digital Books attract readers with click of mouse

Teaching children to read is a long process, and one key aspect is keeping them not only interested, but excited about it. That usually means trips to the library, Scholastic book orders from school, Bob Books, phonics games and even Leapfrog reading systems.

We’ve done all that for our 7-year-old and it’s working. He’s doing well with his reading and even has a favorite chapter-book series now. I recently discovered Disney Digital Books, however, and I think that might take him to the next level because it combines reading with his love of technology.

Disney Digital Books is an online service that contains 500 new and classic Disney books with characters that appeal to most kids: classic Disney friends, those from current movies, Playhouse Disney characters and stars of popular Disney Channel tween shows. The books range from beginning look-and-listen stories for toddlers to books for developing readers to chapter books for more advanced readers. The system even has an easy-to-use dictionary feature, so kids can see and hear how to sound out unknown words.

Another cool feature is the story-builder option, in which children create their own Disney stories. Rewards, such as certificates and special online content, are revealed when children reach reading goals. Plus, parents can send encouraging messages to the child’s mailbox on the site. Readers can recommend books to friends, but the site does not allow chatting so parents can feel comfortable that children cannot share personal information online.

Disney Digital Books costs $8.95 for a monthly family subscription, or you can opt to save a little by paying $79.95 for a year. The site offers a free seven-day trial — no credit card is required but you do have limited access until a subscription is purchased.