Read with Me DVD! (Read with Me DVD!)

Fisher-Price and Scholastic produce READ WITH ME DVD!, which transfers classic books to interactive DVDs. It helps kids build story comprehension and vocabulary skills with more than 100 activities and interactive questions with each book. The system comes with one DVD book and a large-button controller, and requires a DVD player and a television. Adults must synchronize the controller to their DVD player by following a series of verbal commands issued by the controller.

In "Read and Play" mode, the book's pages appear on the television screen; words are highlighted and pictures move as the story is read aloud. Children interact with the book by pressing buttons on the controller. Most questions relate to what's happening in the story or the traits of the characters, and sometimes words are defined. The other modes of play are "Story Games," "Read to Me" mode to hear the story without interruption, or and "My Turn to Read" with no narration.

The system comes with either The Little Engine That Could (best for ages 3 to 5) or Where the Wild Things Are (best for ages 5 to 7). Additional DVD books, costing $14.99 each, include Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Miss Spider's Tea Party, Curious George Goes to the Chocolate Factory, Giraffes Can't Dance, Corduroy, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Since this system uses the DVD player to cycle to different tracks in response to kids' pushing buttons, its slower pace works best with preschoolers or older children who are patient.