Books are an important part of our family life. We have at least one bookshelf in just about every room in the house, and we read stories every day.

When I was a child, I had book and tape sets. They were so nice, but I remember growing impatient as I waited for the chime to signal that it was time to turn the page. I also was very curious about things that were going on in the pictures, but there was no way to interact with them.

So when I found out about the Leapfrog Tag Junior, I thought it would be perfect for my two-year-old daughter because it not only allows children to listen to stories, it also allows them to interact with their environment.

The unit itself is white and green. It is much chunkier than the original Tag system (intended for older children)- instead of being pen shaped like the Tag Reader, the Tag Junior has more of a bulb shape. It is very easy for small hands to grip.

The setup process is straightforward and easy to complete. You will need an internet connection in order to use the system because the stories are downloaded onto the reader using a USB cable. You can even assign a child’s name so that the unit will greet your child by name when it is turned on or off. Of course, you can use any USB cable to connect, but the good folks at Leapfrog are kind enough to include one.

As I have just said, you have to go online to retrieve the audio content for the books, but it is worth poking around for additional content. You can print free worksheets that supplement the activities your child does in the book and you can even trace his/her learning path to see what activities s/he has been doing with the Tag Junior and what skills are being learned.

Using the Tag Junior is easy, once you have completed the setup process. Simply place the Tag Junior reader over the lines of text and it will read the entire line. Place the reader over the pictures, and you will be treated to sound effects and questions that reinforce the concepts being taught in the book. There are no buttons to push to activate the reading; as long as the system is on, it will read.

Speaking of the on/off switch, my one complaint is that it is a little too easy for a child to turn it on and off. I like that it is easy for my daughter to play with this toy independently, but my daughter was so amused by the Tag Junior greeting her by name that she repeatedly turned it on and off instead- and then got frustrated when it wouldn’t read (because she had turned it off). It would have been nice if you had to hold down the on/off switch for a couple of seconds to get it to power down.

My daughter enjoys playing with her Tag Reader. As a parent and book lover, I am very happy with the selection of books. They are sold separately, and can be found at places like Target or online at Amazon. The books are about $10 apiece, but there are frequent sales and Leapfrog also puts out coupons for the books (and even the system itself!). I love that they are sturdy board books that do not rip when handled with overzealous hands.

Because the Tag Junior system is intended for toddlers and preschoolers, the books are not fictional stories. They focus on concepts, and many feature popular characters. Most of the books have been created specifically for the Tag Junior, but there are a couple of books that made the transition from traditional book to Tag book.

Each book covers a different concept- Curious George teaches colors, Dora the Explorer teaches counting to ten, Winnie the Pooh teaches children about action words and the Backyardigans teach children about opposites.

As for existing books, David Shannon’s (in)famous David character teaches children about the five senses, the dinosaurs in the “How Do Dinosaurs…” series of books teach children about playing nicely with others and the Bill Martin/Eric Carle collaboration “Panda Bear Panda Bear What Do You See” teaches children about endangered animals.

My daughter’s favorite book is the ABC Animal Orchestra. This teaches children the alphabet by assigning a musical instrument-playing animal to each letter. There is an accordion playing armadillo, a gorilla with a gong- and more! If you touch the animal on each page, you will be treated to a few bars of music featuring that instrument. Touch the animal a second time to learn the name of the animal and the instrument, and touch the animal a third time to hear a fun animal sound.

I am just thrilled with the Tag Junior System. I love that the books are readily available and I love that it teaches my daughter valuable concepts like letters, numbers, animals, and more! I definitely think that this would be a worthwhile purchase for toddlers and young preschoolers.