Jakks Pacific Toymax Telestory Console W/ Dora Cartridge

by Jakks Pacific

Product Features

• Follow Along As Stories Read Themselves
• Interact with the pictures.
• Switch modes and let your child do the reading.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 12.5 x 15.5 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000FQW17E
• Item model number: 59404
• Manufacturer recommended age: 36 months - 7 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,815 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Young readers (and readers-in-waiting) will enjoy supplementing their regular storytime with the TeleStory Console. This simple system allows kids to insert a Dora the Explorer cartridge (other story cartridges are sold separately) into the console (which Mom or Dad has plugged into the TV), and start following along as the story is read aloud. Or, for more advanced readers, switch the mode to enable the child to read the story herself! She can even ask for help with "trouble words." Readers can interact with Dora and her pals on the TV screen and the "pages" of the console. Four action buttons activate visual animations and sounds on the screen, while the Page Forward and Page Backward arrow buttons move the action forward or enable readers to have a page re-read. A scroll wheel can be used to highlight trouble words. And if your little reader spends a lot of time out and about, no TV in sight, you can use headphones (sold separately) to hear the story read aloud from start to finish. The chunky little console is just the right size and weight for small hands. Requires four "AA" batteries (not included).--Emilie Coulter

Product Description

TeleStory brings books to life. Insert this Dora the Explorer cartridge into your Telestory Interactive Storybook System (sold separately) to bring a favorite character to life through your TV. Follow along as stories read themselves, or switch modes and let your child do the reading. Your child can even interact with the characters and images on the TV screen. Includes two full books on the cartridge - "Dora Goes to School" and "At the Carnival."

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging story reading, via your TV, October 9, 2008

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Jakks Pacific Toymax Telestory Console W/ Dora Cartridge (Toy)

The TeleStory sytem connects to your TV via the AV input to allow your child to either listen to a story being read (with words highlighted as they're read) or to read a story on his or her own, in which case a "difficult" word can be highlighted to be read out aloud. I bought our TeleStory system with the two Dora stories for just six bucks at my local Toys R Us -- and it's a really good value, considering each story is long enough to keep a young child's attention for quite a few minutes. Plus, there are animations that are activated by the four color action buttons, so the child will stay busy for a while.

TeleStory can also be used without a TV: you plug in a pair of headphones and let your child listen to the stories. It can be useful on the road, although your child will probably need some help understanding the instructions in the beginning.

There're only 7 story cartridges to choose from, and each cartridge features 2 stories. If you can find them for three or four bucks per cartridge (which shouldn't be difficult), they're a great value. Otherwise, don't pay more than eight dollars for each.

My two-year-old loves Thomas & Friends and he's having a lot of fun playing the 2 Thomas stories over and over again.

My only concern is the system, made in China, feels cheap and may not last a long time. Nonetheless, I think I'll pick up a few more as gifts for friends who have children in the 2-5 range.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, November 15, 2007

By 

Ilene (maryland) - See all my reviews

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Jakks Pacific Toymax Telestory Console W/ Dora Cartridge (Toy)

I purchased this product for my 3yo thinking of making a good deal for the price. Unfortunately the toy is qualitatively below what I expected for the following reasons:

Cartridge: It's very bulky and not easy to insert for a child. Unlike cartridges from other brands, in this case an adult should insert it. The stories are short (less than 10 minutes). Also, I expected that when using it without a TV to plug in, like on a trip or sitting in a waiting room, the cartridge or the device would offer some imaging or pages to turn in addition to just hearing the story in the headphones. Nothing at all. I originally planned to take the tele-story with us on a next air trip, but it's not worthy the weight. A portable DVD player offers much more on a trip.
The images on the Tv are not sharp and bright. It lacks good definition.
There is no interaction with the story itself that the child can control and learn from, only interaction with the image unrelated to the reading . For example by pressing a button the hand of Dora waves-if you can notice it- while the story continue reading by itself.
The cartridges can be found only on clearance shelves of stores, if you find them at all.
My daughter is not very interested in it.
I would not recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Low quality, low interest, September 17, 2010

By 

Jenna Glatzer (NY, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Jakks Pacific Toymax Telestory Console W/ Dora Cartridge (Toy)

First, the problem is that if you accidentally bump into the console, push a button too hard, or breathe on it wrong, it freaks out. The television picture goes all wonky and it lets out a sound rivaled only by the Emergency Broadcast alerts. My daughter almost passed out twice when she heard it.

That aside, there's just not very much that's interesting about this device. Yes, it reads stories, but really, all that means is that it shows a picture of Dora and her friends while an adult who sounds nothing like Dora reads the text. Then kids can press buttons to make the characters do little actions, like waving or rocking in a ferris wheel chair. The text is just like closed captioning, with one word at a time highlighted in blue as it's read aloud. I thought there might be more instructive material here, as it's touted as a program to help kids learn to read. Really, kids who aren't yet readers are just not going to look at the words. It's a waste.

I didn't think this product was even still sold. I don't know how it can compete against the many better products for kids that are out nowadays to help kids learn to read.