A speech activated book having a cover disposed to receive an elongated housing. The speech-activated book could also include at least one page disposed along a portion of a binding area of the book. The page includes text having at least one trigger word. The speech-activated book could also include an audio circuit that, in response to detecting an audible representation of the trigger word, could provide an associated sound effect stored in memory. The elongated housing could be secured to the cover by at least one of: glue, an adhesive, a heat-set binding, a screw, a tab, a wire, a spiral connector, a rivet, a staple, a fastener, and a retainer.