It's no secret that I love my Kindle. It goes with me practically everywhere, and I shop through Amazon's free Kindle books on an almost-daily basis. (On a side note, if you haven't yet discovered Amazon's 25 Days of Free, in which they give away 25 holiday songs before Christmas, it should bring a smile to your face.)
And my latest perusal of Kindle's freebies brought me "House of Danger," by R.A. Montgomery, also known as the sixth title in the Choose Your Own Adventure series. And it was while reading this classic format from my childhood that I realized -- Kindle is perfect for CYOA (as we like to call it in the book-reading biz).
Not only does the Kindle version include the photos you'll find in the original bound version, but when it's time to choose which not-so-great option you should take, there's NO WAY TO CHEAT. You simply click on your chosen direction, and the Kindle immediately takes you to the appropriate chapter. There's no flipping through, trying to figure out how to get to that option where you don't die a grisly death; you simply have to depend on your own good sense.
Of course, I died in my very first try. My own good sense isn't worth much in the House of Danger, I suppose.
Either way, I think Kindle should tap into this market. Of course, the CYOA books are made for children, most of whom don't have an extra $300 to blow on a Kindle, but this could be a great way to get parents and kids to enjoy the Kindle together, and hook 'em while their young.
And if this leads to more adult versions of this kiddie classic, I'm all for it. I'm picturing a noir detective novel, much like "House of Danger," but without the killer chimps or giant man-eating plants. (Have I already said too much?) Perhaps a good femme fatale and down-on-his-luck protagonist, instead?