Our Mission

At Read to Me, we help families strengthen bonds through the power of storytelling, and the joyful ritual of reading favorite books together, even when they are apart.

Being read to is an important bonding experience for young children. But many families find themselves separated by distance, due to work commitments, split custody, military deployment, or other circumstances.
It is our utmost dream that no child misses out on hearing a bedtime story in the familiar and comforting voice of a loved one. While that might not be possible, we’re doing our best towards that end.

The Recordable Book Buddy is our contribution to this. Your child's passport to a world where storytime never ends, and familiar family voices never fade. With our easy-to-attach device any child’s picture book is transformed into a heartwarming narrative by a loved one. Be it bedtime, travel time, or anytime — even when you’re miles apart, your voice can be right there with them, turning each page. 

Bond Strengthening

At Read to Me, we help families strengthen bonds through the power of storytelling, and the joyful ritual of reading favorite books together, even when they are apart

Responsible Technology

We use technology responsibly, minimizing side effects, and keeping the experience as close to the real thing as possible. 

Supports Healthy Routines

Healthy bedtime routines encourage better, more restful sleep, which in turn encourages better learning outcomes , and physical health.

Good for Growing Minds

Attention is directed at the book- not the device- helping foster an interest in books and giving little eyes and brains a break from the constant stimuli of screens.

Bond Strengthening

At Read to Me, we help families strengthen bonds through the power of storytelling, and the joyful ritual of reading favorite books together, even when they are apart

Responsible Technology

We use technology responsibly, minimizing side effects, and keeping the experience as close to the real thing as possible. 

Supports Healthy Routines

Healthy bedtime routines encourage better, more restful sleep, which in turn encourages better learning outcomes , and physical health.

Good for Growing Minds

Attention is directed at the book- not the device- helping foster an interest in books and giving little eyes and brains a break from the constant stimuli of screens.

  • Photo of Read to Me Co-Founder Zephyrus White

    Zephyrus White

    Zephyrus grew up in wide open prairies of Kansas surrounded by books. In the pre-internet world of his youth books were not only a source of knowledge and entertainment, but also a window into the greater world.
    Books opened his eyes to a world of possibilities. Those possibilities led him to adventure; theatre, writing, traveling the world, Harvard Business School, performing with the Metropolitan Opera, managing a micro hotel in Vermont, publishing a book... And here, creating Read To Me.
    Zephyrus’ dream for Read to Me is that it will help open other children’s eyes to their own world of possibilities.
    Our founders are multifaceted. To learn about his other ventures, visit:
    www.zephyruswhite.com 
  • Photo of Read to me Co-Founder Arden Ariel

    Arden Ariel

    It's all about connection. Arden designed her first electronic device at four. When she pressed the red button to connect the circuit, its light bulb went on. It was a fitting allegory: connection creates light, life, and ideas.
    As a busy consultant, student, and single mom, she treasures the time she can spend reading to her son. She co-designed Read to Me to keep that ritual when she can't be there. She hopes it will allow other children to feel connected with their loved ones through the delight of reading together- even when apart.
    After age four, she went on to design circuits as an electronics engineer in the US Navy. She’s currently completing her degree at Harvard.
    Our founders are multifaceted. To learn about her other ventures visit:
    www.ardenariel.com 
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Making The Book Buddy

WHEN IT ALL BEGAN

1978-ish

In a small house in Kansas, my siblings and I would gather on the shag rug and listen to our parents read to us. Those books transported us to new worlds, stretching our minds with ideas, cultures, philosophies, and possibilities. Our grandmother, who lived far away, also read to us by recording her voice on cassette tapes and sending them along with books. We called her Grandma Goose- like Mother Goose the fabled storyteller. We were always so excited when a package from Grandma Goose would arrive. We’d snuggle on the reading rug, listening to her voice as we turned the pages. We cherished those wonderful moments.

Grandma Goose reads young Zephyrus a book

A SAD DISCOVERY

2017

When I wanted my little niece to experience the same magic, hearing her great-grandmother read to her, my sister and I unpacked the books and cassettes from storage. We soon discovered that those old tapes had degraded, and Grandma Goose's voice was lost along with them. It was an incredibly sad moment. This sparked the idea for the Book Buddy, a device that could record and preserve a loved one's reading without becoming obsolete.

Zephyrus reads book The Whisper to his young niece
Zephyrus reads a storybook to two children

THE IDEA

2020

During the pandemic I spent hours reading to my little niece and nephew. One day I heard my partner Arden reading one of my favorite children’s books to her son. She had her own set of silly voices which made "Shh, We Have A Plan" seem like a completely different book than when I read it.  It was a vivid reminder how personal the act of reading to a child is. 

Mother reading to young son in bed

DESIGN & MANUFACTURING

2021

I remembered my idea, and shared it with Arden, who had an engineering background from her time in the Navy. Excited, she began designing the Book Buddy. Within a month, she had created a simple, elegant solution: a self-contained device that easily attaches to books, records voices, and is durable enough for children. Two prototypes and a patent application later, our first batch of Book Buddies arrived from the factory- despite global supply chain disruptions and a microprocessor shortage!

Our founder with stacked cartons of newly manufactured Book Buddies

THE REAL TEST

2022

We tested the Book Buddy by sending it to Arden's grandparents, who returned it with a recording of "Three Billy Goats Gruff." When Alexander, Arden's son, heard his great-grandpa's voice, he laughed himself silly. I could also see nostalgia and memories from Arden’s own childhood on her face as she listened. We knew we had something special, and couldn't wait to share it with the world.

Boy upside down on sofa with Recordable Book Buddy and The Billy Goats Gruff
Arden's Grandparents laughing joyfully