Reviewed August, 1995

Broderbund's
The Tortoise and the Hare

See also:
Parent's, Teacher's, and Kid's Reviews and the
Summary Ratings Table

Ease of Install / Use
Installation on a Mac is a no-brainer; you open the package, insert the CD, and click on the tortoise icon. This is the way kids' software - no, make that all software - should be designed.

Balance of Fun and Education
Living Books takes Aesop's short story, and builds it across 13 basic screens. Each of these begins with the narrator, a crow, reading a short paragraph of text. As the story is told, the words are clearly highlighted in short phrases of one to three words, guiding the viewer's eyes. Various actions take place after the narration stops, creating a video-like appearance. The user then has several options: she can explore each screen by clicking on a large number of characters and objects, or by clicking on a symbol in front of the text to have it re-read, or by clicking on any word and having it read alone.

Overall
Living Books' software does the old story justice - and more. This package sets the standard for the electronic book category. The Tortoise and the Hare offers a classic story with a useful message, along with a clear presentation and a captivating variety of exploration opportunities for young minds.

	The Tortoise and the Hare
Ease of Install	* * * * *
Ease of Use	* * * * *
Manual Utility	* * *
Technical Support	n/a
Fun Factor	* * * * *
Educational Value	* * * *
EDITOR'S RATING	* * * * *

PC:

386SX or faster, 4MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, SVGA (640 x 480 x 256 color) monitor, Windows 3.1 or higher, Sound Blaster of Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound card

Mac:

CD-ROM drive, System 6.07 or higher, 256 color monitor, 4MB RAM

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