Ever wonder what goes into making a Highlights product? Here’s a look into the making of our new Hello Library, a 24-book reading box set for babies and toddlers. Each book has an accompanying English language audio, and the books' pages are filled with beautiful illustrations that engage children. An added feature to Hello Library that makes the learning experience even more interactive are the 24 expert learning videos that accompany the box set.
The videos were created for parents to learn how to use the library set and were written by Kathleen Hayes. Having taught graduate courses on early childhood education and serving as the first editor-in-chief for both Highlights High Five and Hello magazines, Hayes is an expert in early-childhood education.
“Kathleen was a trooper,” commented Vandana Agrawal, Senior Director of International, who also served as producer on these videos. “We shot 24 videos in the span of eight hours. Considering the retakes we had to do because of taxi car horns, ambulances, and other New York City noises, it’s amazing we got the videos finished in the time that we had the studio for. It took great teamwork to get the scripts prepped and the lighting adjusted, and we still managed to get in three outfit changes! But we were motivated to create great videos that help our parents.”
The purpose of Hello Library is to expose the youngest learners to reading in English, guided by the ones they love. It encourages loved ones to bond with the babies and toddlers in their life through the joys of reading. Each individual book is accompanied by a specific video, which are less about step-by-step instructions than about parents building skills to help their children engage with early language development. We want parents to be equipped with the necessary tools to help their children be their best selves. To learn more about Hello Library and our other products, click here!
