Sesame Street Reading Games

by Creative Wonders

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004I9WP
• Item model number: 379260
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 10, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,725 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

As Alistair Cookie (Cookie Monster wearing a robe and cravat) welcomes guests to Monsterpiece Theater, he launches a reading adventure that contains the warmth and wit we've come to expect from anything bearing the name Sesame Street.

Cookie directs kids to choose one of two stories to read: "Grover's Travels" or "The Three Grouchketeers." Grover's story is a wide-eyed adventure during which our hero learns about his feelings. "The Three Grouchketeers" is about cooperation, and has a tad more attitude, since it involves Oscar the Grouch. After deciding on a story (younger kids will lean towards "Grover's Travels," while the top of the age range will probably like "The Three Grouchketeers"), kids can either read it straight through, or read a version where activities must be completed to progress. Both stories contain six activities based on early learning fundamentals, and a choice of two levels of play. The tasks are simple and educational: counting in sequence will untie Grover, following Oscar the Grouch's directions arms the Grouchketeers with enough "royal junk" for their mission, and helping Big Bird complete a rhyme makes Grover's getaway balloon inflate.

Text appears above each page, and words light up as a clear-voiced narrator reads the story. Once kids have read through the story, they can use an index function to go directly back to their favorite page or activity without having to sit through the whole "book" again. There are some musical interludes that range from awful (Grover is no Pavarotti) to cute ("Oh I love triangles! They're pointy and pokey and stable!"), and the animation is bright and busy. Our only gripe is that the producers didn't follow the rule of threes--one more story would have given this CD-ROM real staying power.

One of this program's great strengths is its capacity to surprise. "I've got tar in a jar, an iron bar, a fast car, and a Mylar sitar!" intones Big Bird during the rhyming game. On another page, the word "minuscule" crops up, alongside a clickable thesaurus that recites every other word for "small" imaginable. Dozens of cleverly animated hotspots adorn both stories. In true Sesame Street style, Reading Games teaches kids, yet never talks down to them. (Ages 3 to 5) --Anne Erickson

Amazon.com Product Description

This CD-ROM features whimsical interpretations of two classic tales: "Grover's Travels" and "The Three Grouchketeers." Twelve activities--including rhyming with Big Bird and using teamwork with the Grouchketeers--introduce early learning skills like counting and word recognition, while encouraging sharing and cooperation. Your child's participation moves the story along.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Game for Kids, November 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sesame Street Reading Games (CD-ROM)

My Kindergartener really enjoyed this game. He was having problems with rhyming and this really helped him. I would recommend this game to everyone with kids between 3 and 7.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars it does not work, February 7, 2007

By 

C. Chapman "macmom" (seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sesame Street Reading Games (CD-ROM)

windows 95 software does not work on new computers, especially not on a mac.