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Google And Disney Read Books To Kids

Before I learned to read, I used to listen to recorded read-along books.  I had a stack of them about twelves inches high and each book came with a cassette tape.  The majority of these books were Disney read alongs, particularly of Disney movies released in the 1980s and earlier.  All of the Disney read-along books had red cassette tapes, unlike the others which were white and there was the odd yellow one for a My Little Pony book.  I would sit for hours going through the pile and although I didn’t know how to read, I loved listening to the narrator and hearing the cue to turn the page.  The cue was either a fairy chime, bells, or some sound effect that coordinated with the story.  Remember?  “Turn the page at the sound of the fairy godmother’s magic wand.”

I must say Disney paid attention to littlest detail even back under the Miller and Eisner epochs.

Google is one of those companies people have a love-hate relationship with, sort of like Disney.  People love to hate Disney as much as they adore certain aspects of the Mouse House.  Other than some technology, Google and Disney have yet to combine their resources for world domination, but I must say that their recent teammate is wholesome and nostalgic.   Also Kristen Bell is amazing!


I’m sold!

Google Nest providing sound effects for Disney books is a sensational new reading tool, especially for kids who have difficulty reading or for parents trying to get their kids off the screen and onto the page.  The old read-along books were exactly like this, except not as intelligent.  I had to rewind and fast forward to get to my favorite parts.  Other than Kristen Bell, I find the NLP AI amazing at recognizing speech to cue the proper sound effects.

Disney is using its popular Disney Golden Books series to tell stories with the Google Nest.  Only certain Disney Golden Books are compatible with the Google Nest Disney mini read alongs.  It’s hard to believe a book has to be compatible, but c’est la vie.  Disney is also genius in this deal, because it will promote their book sales and no one can argue with the educational value.  A book is a book, even if it is a book inspired by a movie.

If readers so choose, they can also purchase a Disney shaped Google Nest smart speaker.  It is utterly adorable with the trademark Mickey Mouse ears and the red pants with buttons, but I don’t like smart speakers.  They vibrate too much of an Orwellian Big Brother atmosphere and with the mouse ears, it makes me think Disney is listening so they can make the perfect plan to wipe out my life savings with merchandise and themed vacations.

For the naysayers, who will say that the Google Nest Disney story time is taking away kids’ imaginations I call a solid BS.  I read the Disney read-alongs and look at me, I’m making references to George Orwell-one led to the other.  There are vast metaphors I could also make between Orwell and Disney, but that’s completely another story.  See!  I’m smart!