Audio books in 17 languages for elementary students

Audio books available on an online platform, accessible to everyone.

Expertise Youth content

As part of a mandate led by Quebec’s Ministry of Education, “Une école montréalaise pour tous” set out to give elementary school students simplified access to reading through digital books.

In the past, the story bag consisted of CDs and physical books lent to parents, but the evolution of technology and teaching needs led to their conversion into digital formats.

Sparkling was brought in to modernize this offering by digitizing and enriching the content, adding multilingual narration and bringing it all together on an interactive platform.

The mission

1. Multilingualism and inclusion

2. Modernizing access to reading

3. Educational innovation

Project description

The “Une école montréalaise pour tous” project is part of a broader effort to modernize the educational offering for Montreal’s elementary schools.

Originally, the story bag came in the form of CDs and physical books, but faced with the evolution of technology and the changing needs of teachers and students, the decision was made to turn it into a digital resource.

To do so, Sparkling took the existing concept and carried out two distinct mandates:

In 2022 and 2023, the digitization of 8 books into digital audio format, on the Book Creator platform;
In 2025, the complete creation of 2 new audio books in 17 languages, from translation to sound mixing, including narration.

Two new books in the story bag

Sparkling worked with the school service centre and publisher Les 400 coups to identify two standout titles: “Si j’avais Su” and “Chez Gladys.” These children’s tales and stories were chosen for their educational potential and their literary value.

The main task was to transform the physical materials into interactive digital files. Using Book Creator, we assembled the content by integrating multimedia elements, including illustrations, text and, above all, audio tracks in 17 languages.

Access to reading, for everyone

One of the biggest challenges was managing the multilingualism. The two books had to be available in 17 languages, which meant not only translating the texts faithfully, but also recruiting a network of translators and narrators around the world.

Sparkling set up an efficient coordination system to manage the 16 translations, in addition to keeping the original French version. With 17 language versions, the digital books let children from diverse cultural backgrounds access quality stories in their own language, strengthening inclusion in schools.

Each audio version was synchronized with the text and enriched with subtle sound effects, including a small sound signalling a page turn to guide the user through their reading.

Digitizing the books on Book Creator

The digitization phase demanded a high level of technical rigour. We worked on the quality of the images and the readability of the text to ensure an optimal experience on the digital platform. The files were optimized for smooth navigation, whether on a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Access to the books is through a QR code or a direct link, making it easy for students and teachers to reach them.

Working with the Une école montréalaise pour tous team

Collaboration with the educational teams was essential to adapt the content to the expectations of the end users. Regular feedback made it possible to fine-tune the presentation, particularly in terms of layout and usability.

Sparkling was able to create a friendly, intuitive interface in which the educational content is presented in a clear and interactive way.

10 books digitized in three years

The success of this project also lies in the management of content volumes. Across all previous and current mandates, Sparkling assembled a total of ten digital books, bringing continuity and educational consistency to the offering aimed at students.

The entire process, from the initial conversion to integration on the platform, demonstrated our ability to manage complex projects while respecting technical constraints and deadlines.

The “Une école montréalaise pour tous” project is a perfect example of how digital innovation can transform access to culture and education.

By converting traditional materials into interactive, multilingual digital resources, Sparkling made it possible to offer Montreal’s elementary schools a modern, inclusive educational solution, easing comprehension and sparking an interest in reading.

This project reflects our expertise in managing complex content and supporting institutions through their digital transition, opening the door to new possibilities in education and accessibility.