Mia Reading: The Bugaboo Bugs - NR

Mouse teaches reading in beautiful computer game.

Publisher: Kutoka Category/Genre: Computer Software - Learning Adventure Platform: Mac/Windows Price: $25 Online Enabled: No Graphics: Fabulous. It's like watching an animated movie. Playability: Easy. Just point and click. Reading Level: None Release Date: 12/15/2007 ESRB Rating: NR

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this game has no offensive material. It's engaging, educational, and completely free of violence. Plus it showcases some of the best animation found in a children's video game. With four levels of difficulty, it can be played by kids ages 5 to 9.

Families can talk about how the world looks different when viewing it from the point of view of a mouse. Who was your favorite character? Mia? Scary the Spider? Marty the Mouse? Which of the 12 games is your favorite?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jinny Gudmundsen

In MIA READING: THE BUGABOO BUGS, kids go on an learning adventure with an adorable little mouse. Mia's house has been invaded by the Bugaboo Bugs, careless insects that leave messes. Fearing that the humans who share the house with Mia and her family will notice the pests and decide to call an exterminator, Mia decides to do something to convince the bugs to move on. As kids play through the adventure with Mia, they will encounter 12 educational games that reinforce reading and writing skills taught in kindergarten through third grade. The games can be played on four levels of difficulty. As Mia seeks help and advice from others, most of the characters she meets have a game they need her to play before they can help her. In one, to get a bee's help, you place lights on a board in a sequence to either create letters or, at the higher levels, words. In another, you sort out picture stamps so that they create a story. The games cover associating words with images, phonics, spelling, sentence structure, vocabulary, reading comprehension, word recognition, rhymes, logic, and more.

In the landscape of kids' technology, this software game stands out. It offers endearing characters that are fascinating to watch and even more fun to interact with, stunning graphics, an engaging storyline, no violence, and age-appropriate educational activities that are fresh in their approach to learning.

Another plus is that this software is replayable since the 12 educational activities can be played separately from the adventure, and enjoyed after kids have completed the adventure.

If your kids enjoyed this software, you might want to check out another Mia title: Mia: The Kidnap Caper, which teaches kids foreign languages. Also good for this age is the JumpStart World series for kindergarten, first, and second grades.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Mia is a mouse that is kind, clever, and inventive.
	Commercialism This is part of the Mia the Mouse software series.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value Features 12 outstanding reading games that teach associating words with images, phonics, spelling, sentence structure, vocabulary, reading comprehension, word recognition, rhymes, logic, and more.