# How LeapPad became America's hottest toy

> A smart book that taught kids to read dominated US toy sales for years, but its maker never found a successor.
- Title: How LeapPad became America's hottest toy · The Verge
- Summary: A smart book that taught kids to read dominated US toy sales for years, but its maker never found a successor. LeapPad was a top-selling US toy for multiple…
- Keywords: leappad, leapfrog, educational toys, children's technology, toy history, reading instruction, technology, culture, became, America's, hottest, toy
- Source: The Verge — https://theverge.com/podcast/1008578/leapfrog-leappad-technology-version-history
- Author: Verge Staff
- Published: 2026-10-11T12:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: leappad, leapfrog, educational toys, children's technology, toy history, reading instruction, technology, culture
## A book that played sounds
For multiple years, the hottest toy in the United States was a smart book that could play sounds and respond to taps and help kids learn to read.

> a smart book that could play sounds and respond to taps and help kids learn to read
## Version History explores LeapPad
On Version History, David Pierce joins Andru Marino and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to explain how the LeapPad worked, why it was enticing to kids and adults, and why LeapFrog could never quite follow it up.
## Part of school tech season
This episode is part of Version History's fifth season about iconic school tech. Previous episodes covered Oregon Trail, the original Chromebook, the One Laptop Per Child program, and Texas Instruments calculators.
## Key takeaway

LeapPad was a top-selling US toy for multiple years by combining reading instruction with interactive sound and tap technology, but LeapFrog could not replicate its success.