Book-and-record set: Difference between revisions

'''Book-and-record sets''' are a form of entertainment for children, consisting of a picture storybook (often in [[comic book]] format, with drawings or photos) and an accompanying recording (originally in the form of a [[vinyl record]];, later in [[cassette tape]] and [[compact disc]] formats) to be played while following along with the book. The record and book complement one another, with the record usually a [[radio theater]]-style version of the story or a [[soundtrack]] recording, and the book providing visuals and text to the story. Often a tone or other kind of cue in the recording will prompt the reader to turn pages.

Book-and-record sets are popular as teaching tools and aids to reading, and as a simple form of [[multimedia]] entertainment. [[Cartoon characters]] are common subjects (or stars) of the stories, as are comic book [[superhero|superheroes]] and other [[Franchise (media)|media franchises]], characters and personalities. Occasionally popular children's or family movies are adapted for book and record; the stories may either be re-presented by a new cast of performers, members of the movie cast, or the audio taken directly from the moviefilm, with narration added.

[[Walt Disney Records|Disneyland Records]] and related companies produced several such works, as did [[Peter Pan Records]] (and its offshoot [[Power Records (Peter Pan records)|Power Records]]) and others, from well before the dawn of [[long-playing records]] and the [[45rpm single]] until the digital age. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, [[Capitol Records]] produced many book-and-record sets for children, ranging from everything from [[Bozo the Clown]] to the classical music fantasy ''[[Sparky's Magic Piano]]'' originally produced on 10-inch and 12-inch 78 RPM records. A "picture storybook" of the 1982 moviefilm ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' narrated by [[Michael Jackson]] became a highly prized [[collectible]], after it went out of print. Newer sets may still be found among recordings for children.