Record a Story Keepsake Storybook Review

When I think of my favorite time of the day that I spend with the kids, it's the time we spend together reading bedtime stories. I love everything about it. I love seeing the joy in their faces while they pick out their favorite books. I love how they run to their places on the couch and start looking at the books before I even get there. I love cuddling with my favorite two little ones, while reading books that spark their imaginations and foster their love for reading. I even love that they still want that time after a super long day and they both fall asleep while I'm reading so I have to carry them to bed.

Being that reading bedtime stories is my favorite time with my kids, it's also the time that I miss most when I'm away. And if I miss it, I'm sure they do too. So when I first heard about Record a Story Keepsake Storybooks, I thought it was an awesome idea! I thought it was great that I could record myself reading to my kiddos and they could look page through the book together and listen to me read it whenever I was away. It'd be comforting to me that I could still read to them, and comforting to them to still hear my voice before going to bed.

I was fortunate to have Publications International, Ltd. contact me and send me their Record a Story Keepsake Storybook,"Good Night, Sesame Street", to review! Take a look at the short video to see how the book already reads when it first comes in the mail:


One thing you may have noticed when I was turning pages was that the book has a tendency to start the music up for the wrong page. The reason it does that has to do with the lighting, so the book should be read in a well lit area. I also didn't show the whole book, if you're wondering why the book seems so short ;-)

I actually decided not to record my voice in the book, since I happen to know a little one who LOVES Elmo that I'd like to give this to. I'm sure she'd rather have her mom or dad's voice over mine. But I took a look at the directions for recording and they're super simple. The directions also tell the reader how to unlock the book so their voice can be recorded and how to lock it again so their voice can't be recorded over. The locking switch is inside the battery compartment, so little fingers can't get to it. Great features! :-)
Since I won't be keeping my review copy, I was looking into which book I'd like for Morgan and Blake:

I like this one for the times I'm gone.

With Christmas coming, I like this one.

Whichever one I decide on, I'm sure the kiddos will love having their mom reading to them whenever they want and especially the times I can't be there for bedtime stories :-)

Be sure to check out their other cute storybook selections here.

Publications International, Ltd is also doing what they can to help keep military families connected this Christmas with their Record a Story Keepsake Storybooks. This is what they have to say about their Operation Record a Story program:

"This fall and into the holiday season, military parents about to deploy will have the chance to arrange for shared story time with their children even after they leave for their tours of duty, through United Through Reading's Military Program. Operation Record a Story, a program sponsored by Publications International, Ltd. (PIL), has donated thousands of books, many from its award-winning Record a Story collection, to the nonprofits USO and United Through Reading. Through these organizations, service members can record the stories for their children before they deploy. The books, along with a DVD of the parents recording the story, will then be shipped to the kids for the holidays."

I think what PIL is doing for military families is wonderful and if you do too, you can find ways to make a donation here.

Buy it!: If you'd like to purchase a Record a Story Keepsake Storybook, they run $16.95 to $19.95 and can be purchase on their website here.

*Disclosure: I was sent a Record a Story book for review and was not compensated in any other way. The views expressed in the post are my own.