One of my favorite things to ask teachers and professors is “what is your new favorite app right now?” When I asked this question to one of my favorite professors a few years ago, their face lit up as they told me I had to try reading with Novel Effect, a great tool for reading with audio that they had recommended for students with print disabilities. At first, I wasn’t sure if the students I worked with would like it— many of them prefer reading books in large print or having people read to them, and didn’t really care for audiobooks. However, Novel Effect quickly became one of my new favorite apps too, and I have recommended it to many students that have visual impairments, including students with cerebral visual impairment/cortical visual impairment (CVI). Here is an overview of options for reading with Novel Effect and low vision, including accessibility settings and how to find supported titles.
What is Novel Effect?
Novel Effect is a free app that uses voice recognition technology to add music, voices, and sound effects as books are read out loud in real time. There are soundscapes (audio tracks) for over 1,000 different books and poems for children of all ages (including Spanish titles), with new stories added frequently. Users do not have to read at a specific pace or in a specific order to use Novel Effect, as the soundtrack goes at the reader’s pace and can pause automatically if needed.
Related links
- Novel Effect: Read Aloud Books on the App Store (apple.com)
- Novel Effect: Read Aloud Books – Apps on Google Play
- Novel Effect: Read Aloud Books – Novel Effect
- Titles in the Novel Effect app (maintained by developers)
Account and permissions
A free account is required to access Novel Effect, which requires users to provide an email and password. Audio data is sent to the developer by default, though this can be turned off under the “More” menu within the app.
Novel Effect requests the following permissions:
- Microphone
- Searching items
- Notifications (can be turned off)
- Background app refresh (to run the app in the background)
Interface
When first opening Novel Effect, users are taken to the home page, which features several categories of books, poems, and other text available on the Novel Effect app, with some available as free eBooks within the app. There is also a search bar at the top of the screen to search for different titles that are available on the app. If users have played audio for a book in the past, they can access the soundscape track again by going to the “My Library” section at the bottom of the screen.
Novel Effect Accessibility
Novel Effect’s interface is colorful and supports system font/dynamic text, and I didn’t need to turn on the screen magnifier to enlarge anything during my testing sessions, though part of this is because I was able to quickly develop motor memory and not rely on text labels for everything.
When I tested Novel Effect with both VoiceOver and TalkBack, both book titles and icons were both correctly labeled and read out loud, making it possible to independently open a book. However, the scrolling display/slideshow of book titles and icons was not recognized by either VoiceOver or TalkBack. Users can access the search feature to search for a book title and select a title from a list, or they can refer to the list of titles provided in Google Sheets to find a title they are interested in.
Related links
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Android Phones
- How To Use VoiceOver With Low Vision
- Titles in the Novel Effect app – Google Sheets
Where to get free accessible books
While Novel Effect does have some free eBooks in the app, most of the books available in Novel Effect can be found at local public libraries, school libraries, bookstores, or similar stores. For users looking to get accessible copies of books available on Novel Effect, I recommend searching on the following sources:
- Bookshare
- eBook services available from public libraries
- NIMAC/Accessible Instructional Material providers (Virginia has AIM-VA)
- eBook websites (may cost money)
- Other accessible library services such as BARD, state libraries for the blind, etc
Some of the students I have worked with preferred to have a family member read from a standard copy of a book, and just listen to the sound effects with Novel Effect instead of following along with text. Others would use a line tracker or index card to follow along with large print books.
Related links
- How To Create Accessible Summer Reading Lists For Print Disabilities
- How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
- How To Request Multiple Library Cards For Digital Content
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
Testing Novel Effect with the Gettysburg Address
When my professor and I tested Novel Effect, we decided to use the Gettysburg Address, since we already had a large print copy of the text. After selecting the title in the app and hitting the play button, I waited a couple of seconds for the audio to download and then heard a musical tone that indicated the app was ready to go. The audio started playing as I read the lines of the speech, with appropriate historical music and sound effects. I didn’t have to shout for the app to hear me, and read at my own natural pace, listening to each sound effect as I continued to read.
I had expected to get startled by loud noises or sounds (which happens to me easily), but because I was in control of my own reading speed I didn’t find myself feeling anxious from the loud noises like I had expected.
Related links
- How I Access Historical Documents With Low Vision
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Listen To History
- Taking Online History Classes With Low Vision
Fun ways to use Novel Effect
Looking for some creative ways to incorporate Novel Effect into lessons or activities for students with visual impairments? Here are some of my favorite ideas!
- Practice reading braille or large print books out loud with accompanying sound effects
- For visually impaired kids (inclusive of blind and kids with low vision), try incorporating Novel Effect into read-aloud story times, as the audio can serve as a fun supplement to the illustrations. This would be a fun strategy to try for students with CVI who may not be able to see visual illustrations
- Practice reciting a poem or historical text, or upgrade a presentation or lesson by incorporating the sound effects. This would make for a fun activity at the elementary or middle school level!
- Having students practice reading from other eReader applications, which can display text in a larger font size
For students that access information non-visually or students with multiple disabilities that use an active learning approach, Novel Effect can be paired with real objects or tactile models to help engage further with text content. When I was working with a student that has CVI, I had a few objects that they could explore by touch since they couldn’t see the 2D abstract illustrations in the original book.
Related links
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- Meet The Cast: Supporting Literacy For Students With CVI
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
More reading apps like Novel Effect
- TumbleBooks: Audio Narrated Picture Books For Low Vision
- Sora Free Audiobook Summer Reading Programs
- Amazon Kindle App and Low Vision Accessibility
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Read
- Reading Independent Titles With Kindle Unlimited
- Reading Magazines With The Libby App And Low Vision
- Audio and Nonvisual Entertainment Ideas For Blind and Low Vision
Published June 11, 2019. Updated January 2025