I'm wondering whether anyone knows whether the iBook app for the iPad will have anything like "text to speak" like the Amazon Kindle has?

I do not think anyone this side of Apple really knows and besides the info on the Apple website I have not heard much of anything concrete. Everyone wants to know more but Apple is still pretty much mum.

Yup, haven't heard much on that front either but I wouldn't put it past any app to do that... if it's not built in, someone will surely add it.