Patent Publication Number: US-5626365-A

Title: Two-way book

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a two-way book which is especially useful when reading aloud to young children. More specifically, the book has a specially designed page format which allows children, typically seated facing the reader, to not only listen to the story being read from the book by the reader, but to simultaneously read along and view the corresponding illustration. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Child care providers and elementary teachers are typically unable to read to the children under their care or in their class on a one on one basis. When reading to a group of young children, the children typically sit opposite and facing the reader. The reader must read the text of each page and then turn the book to face the children so that they can see the illustrations. This procedure is obviously very awkward. Furthermore, the children cannot follow the text as it is read or view the illustrations as it is read, which would both enhance their reading skills as well as their attentiveness. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, a primary object of the subject invention is to provide a two-way book having a plurality of pairs of pages with identical textual and illustrative material thereon. 
     A further object of the subject invention is to provide a two-way book that allows children to follow the text and view the illustrations as the text is read. 
     Still a further object of the subject invention is to provide a two-way book for young children which enhances their reading skills. 
     Yet a further object of the subject invention is to provide a two-way book for young children which increases their attentiveness. 
     These objects are attained by providing a two-way book comprising a binding and a plurality of pairs of pages. The pairs of pages are rotatively attached to the binding and each pair includes a first page and a corresponding second page. Each first page has an illustration and text thereon which corresponds to an identical illustration and text on the corresponding second page. Each pair of pages is movable to a viewing position wherein the first page and the corresponding second page of a pair face opposite one another with the first page facing a listener, the corresponding second page facing the reader of the book and the other pairs of pages therebetween. An alternative embodiment presents side by side pages facing the listener and reader with corresponding indicia on the opposed sides of the pages. This allows the listener to observe the illustration and read the text simultaneously with the reader of the book. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a two-way book substantially in its closed position in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is the two-way book of FIG. 1 in its opened position and showing one pair of pages having identical indicia thereon; 
     FIG. 3 is the two-way book of FIG. 1 in its viewing position, showing the second page of one pair of pages as seen by the reader; and 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view of the two-way book of FIG. 1, showing the first page of one pair of pages as seen by the listeners. 
     FIG. 5 is a rear view of a second embodiment of a two-way book in accordance with the present invention showing a first pair of pages facing the listeners. 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of the two-way book of FIG. 5 showing a second pair of pages facing the reader and having indicia thereon identical to the indicia on the first pair of pages of FIG. 5. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A two-way book 10, as in FIGS. 1-4, allows a group of young children not only to listen to the story being read from the book by a narrator, but to simultaneously read along and view the corresponding illustration. Like any book, two-way book 10 includes a plurality of sheets 12 which present pages of the book in a predetermined sequence so as to tell a story. Sheets 12 are preferably composed of paper material. Alternatively, they could be composed of a cloth or plastic material. Furthermore, like other books, sheets 12 are stacked or aligned with one another and bound by binding 14. 
     Each sheet 12 forms two pages. The top or front surface of each sheet 12 forms one page and the bottom or rear surface forms the other page thereof. Sheets 12 are movable rotatively about binding 14 between a closed or stacked position, as in FIG. 1, an open position, as in FIG. 2, and a viewing position, as in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     In the closed position, sheets 12 are aligned so that the bottom or rear surface of each preceding sheet 12 engages, rests upon and is contiguous with the top or front surface of the next sequential or subsequent sheet 12, except the bottom surface of the last sheet 12 in the sequence which rests against a back cover page of book 10. Accordingly, the top surface of each sheet 12 engages and rests beneath the bottom or rear surface of the previous sheet 12 in the sequence, except the top surface of the first sheet 12 which engages a front cover page of book 10. 
     The bottom and top surfaces in engagement with each other form pairs of first and second corresponding pages 23 and 24, as seen in FIG. 2. Specifically, each bottom surface forms a first page 23 of a page pair, and the top surface of the next sequential sheet 12 forms the corresponding second page 24 of the page pair. Each pair&#39;s first page 23 and second page 24 have preferably identical indicia 20 thereon, which preferably includes text 21 from which the reader reads and illustrative material 22 corresponding to the text. (It is understood that additional text may be on the reader&#39;s pages e.g. comments, teaching aides, etc. which need not be available for viewer display.) Alternatively, indicia 20 may include only text on the second pages 24 from which the reader reads and a corresponding illustration on the first pages 23 for viewing by the listeners as the text is read. 
     Two-way book 10 is opened from its stacked or closed position as in FIG. 1 into its open position as in FIG. 2 by rotating pages 23 and 24 around binding as shown by the arrow of FIG. 1. In the open position, one pair of first and second pages 23 and 24 faces the reader, which is similar to any typical book. However, as previously discussed, identical indicia 20 is preferably printed on both of facing pages 23 and 24. 
     Two-way book 10 can be moved into its viewing position by further rotation of page 23, as in FIGS. 3 and 4, as shown by the arrows of FIG. 2. In this position, a first page 23 of a pair of pages faces the listeners while a second page 24 of the same pair of pages faces the reader. Thus, the listeners can view the illustrative material 22 of indicia 20 and read the text 20 of indicia 20 simultaneously with the reader. This improves the listeners&#39; reading skills since they can follow the text 21 as it is read aloud by the reader, and also increases their attentiveness while listening to the reader since they can simultaneously view the illustration 22 which corresponds to the text 21 as the text 21 is read. The listening children do not have to wait until the reader has completed reading the textual portion of indicia 20 and turned the entire book around for viewing any illustrations. 
     Binding 14 preferably includes a ring member 30 which extends through spaced apart and aligned holes 32. Holes 32 extend along and through the left side 34 of sheets 12, as in FIG. 1. Binding 14 movably and rotatively couples sheets 12 together along the left side 34 thereof when sheets 12 are in the stacked or closed position, as in FIG. 1. Binding 14 allows free movement of sheets 12 about binding 14 between each position. 
     When book 10 is in its open position, binding 14 extends between at least the pair of pages 23 and 24 to which book 10 is opened. When book 10 is in its viewing position, binding 14 again extends along the left side 34 of book 10, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Alternatively, binding 14 may take the form of tape or glue adhered along the left side 34 of sheets 12, or may be any other type of commonly used binding. 
     Second Embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of a two-way book 10a, and only the differences between the first and second embodiments are discussed herein. 
     Unlike the first embodiment which has pairs of identical pages, the second embodiment has pairs of identical pairs 25a and 26a of pages 23a and 24a which rotate about binding 14a. In other words, two pages 23a and 24a are printed on the bottom and top surfaces of first and second adjacent sheets and form a first pair 25a. See FIG. 5. Then, pages 23a and 24a are duplicated on the bottom surface of the second sheet and a third subsequent sheet, respectively, to form a second pair 26a. See FIG. 6. Together, pairs 25a and 26a form a pair of identical pairs of pages 23a and 24a. Each first pair 25a is printed on the two pages immediately preceding second pair 26a. Thus, the first page 23a of second pair 26a is printed on the front or bottom surface of the same sheet of paper as the second page 24a of first pair 25a. This particular formation of pages presents a book which allows the listeners to simultaneously view two pages of book 10a as they are read by the reader. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.