‘I wonder,’ he said to himself, ‘what’s in a book while it’s closed. Oh, I know it’s full of letters printed on paper, but all the same, something must be happening, because as soon as I open it, there’s a whole story with people I don’t know yet and all kinds of adventures, deeds and battles. And sometimes there are storms at sea, or it takes you to strange cities and countries. All those things are somehow shut in a book. Of course you have to read it to find out. But it’s already there, that’s the funny thing. I just wish I knew how it could be.’
Bastian, the Neverending Story
We live in an age of wonder. Every day, new innovations and inventions change the way we interact with the world around us and with each other. Many of the marvels we read about in the science fiction stories of our youth are suddenly, magically possible with a little clever engineering and a healthy dose of imagination.
This guide will show you how to create your own never-ending story book using a Raspberry Pi and a touch screen display. Speak your request out loud, and the book will write you an original story based on your prompt. The software uses Open AI to leverage ChatGPT, a language-based AI, to fill an endless storybook with imaginative stories.
This code includes an editable prompt file called bookprompt.txt, so you can dictate the character names, story length, writing style, or any other parameters you'd like. Your daughter will love reading stories about herself and her cat as they adventure through an endless world of imagination, in the style of Dr. Seuss!
What will you imagine?
Additional Parts & Materials
- A book that's at least 2 1/2" thick and larger than 8"x6"
- A right-angle USB cable - this makes an easier fit inside the book
- A slim USB battery - I tried a few and this one fit best
- 1/4" Craft foam to use as support inside the book
- Decor: book corners, metallic vinyl sticker paper, uv resin, scrapbook supplies and findings to match your aesthetic
Tools
- Jig saw & drill for hollowing out the book (or a very sharp knife and a lot of patience)
- Very sharp knife - I like this one from OLFA
- USB Keyboard for ease in programming the Pi
- E6000 glue, hot glue, white glue, mod podge. You're gonna need lots of glue.
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