Little-Known Book Apps for Bibliophiles

If you’re a book nerd like me, you probably already have some technology to read your favorite books on. Whether a Kindle or a Nook, new advances in ebooks have already made these devices pretty irrelevant when you can read all of your e-reader books on your smartphone or laptop through a free app. Now there are plenty of other apps that can enhance your reading experience, whether you’re buying books that are in print or digital.

Literacy Leveler by FikesFarm, LLC quickly identifies what the reading level is for a book. You’ll just need to scan the book’s UPC code into the smartphone camera and the grade level information for the book is shown. Although intended mostly for children’s books, this app is great for everyone who’s looking to get more information about the grade level of a book. Since most popular novels are written at a relatively low reading level, this information is sometimes  nice to know whether just for knowledge, for gift purchasing or for schools and book drives.

Harper Collins Unbound by Harper Collins offers readers additional information about the topics of select pages in select books. The app uses a smartphone’s camera to scan an icon from the book and directs the user immediately to related multimedia content. This is a great feature in nonfiction books for which additional information is desired. It’s like having a free extension for the book on your phone.

Speaky by Sandratra Razafindralambo turns any book, webpage or article into an audiobook. Whether you use this app while you’re driving, working out, or walking the dogs, this app makes multitasking easier than ever.

Interactive apps that provide additional content for printed books are popping up for many successful authors. These apps provide additional content that allows the reader to better understand concepts that were featured in the book. One such example includes Rich Dad, Poor Dad, based on the book by Robert Kiyosaki. It allows app users to learn about concepts like the “rat race” using mini-games and short videos. Although some of the content is just rehashed book quotes, it’s an effective way to gain access to the material from your smartphone or tablet.