Created by Cali with Insights From a Partnership with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cali, the female-founded children’s brand bringing stories, songs and learning to life through interactive books, today announced the launch of Cali Reader, a first-of-its-kind screen-free physical audiobook. Designed to help emerging readers build foundational literacy skills, Cali Reader combines independent play with the tactile experience of reading a real book.
Cali partnered with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop to inform the development of the Cali Reader, with additional support from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. The Cali Reader was created with early literacy and child development at its core. The device uses technology to bring kids closer to reading, not another screen.
Cali Reader transforms storybooks into interactive, multisensory read-along experiences. Kids snap a compatible 32-page book into the Reader and press the paper pages to hear the story aloud while following hand-drawn illustrations. Each book features three educator-designed games and word-recognition activities, while loved ones can record up to 60 seconds of their own voice on every page. With intuitive controls and 10+ hours of battery life, Cali Reader is designed for reading and play at home or on the go.
“As a parent, I never wanted technology to replace books. I wanted to find a way for technology to make kids more excited to pick one up,” said Carinne Meyrignac, founder of Cali. “Cali Reader gives children the independence to explore stories on their own while keeping the experience rooted in something wonderfully simple: holding a book, turning the pages and discovering the joy of reading.”
Early research also points to Cali Reader’s potential to support developing readers. In a randomized controlled pilot study with 85 first-grade students, children using Cali Reader made significantly greater gains in reading enjoyment, phonics, oral reading fluency and vocabulary than a control group. On a test of reading fluency, Cali Reader users averaged 93 words read correctly compared with 78 among the control group. Greater use of Cali Reader was associated with stronger vocabulary, listening comprehension and reading accuracy.
Cali Reader is now available for pre-order via calisbooks.com and Amazon, with orders shipping mid-October. Exclusively on calisbooks.com, a limited-time launch offer includes the Cali Reader and three stories for $99 (a $154 value): one of The Three Little Pigs, The Little Mermaid or Jack and the Beanstalk, plus two stories of their choice.
For more information, visit calisbooks.com or follow @calisbooks.
About Cali
Cali is a children’s brand reimagining how kids engage with stories, music and learning through thoughtfully designed, screen-free experiences. Founded by Carinne Meyrignac, Cali blends technology with books and play to encourage independent exploration, build confidence and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Its portfolio includes Cali sound books and the new Cali Reader.
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SOURCE Cali
