Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although kids younger than 4 can probably use this site with some simple pointing and clicking, we don't recommend having kids online who are that young. This well-produced reading portal established by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Your computer must have Macromedia Flash Player to view the movies.
Families can talk about the variety of questions and activities about themes and emotions in each book's companion guide. Families can also discuss whether or not they think the actors did a good job reading a particular book. What did you like the best about how they read the books? How expressive were they? How are expression and acting skills important in reading a book well?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Dana Villamagna
A hip combination of Reading Rainbow and Hollywood, the site features mini-movies of famous actors (including Elijah Wood, Amanda Bynes, Disney twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, Haylie Duff (Hilary's sister), and former SAG president Melissa Gilbert) reading -- with much passion -- different, high-quality children's books on STORYLINEONLINE.NET. In addition to reading the books, many of the celebrities say something before the story begins such as how much joy reading brings to them and their families in their off-screen lives.
A basic video shows the actors sitting and reading the book for about a minute or two and then the story illustrations take over with added music and camera cinematography to create a fun mini-movie experience. Some of the books include The Polar Express, Romeow and Drooliet, and A Bad Case of Stripes -- and are read with so much personal attention it seems as if the actors are sitting next to each kid.
Most of the 17 books featured are appropriate for the preschool and elementary school set. One exception, Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy, retold by Jason Alexander, comes with a warning for parents of younger kids that the story may be too "revealing" for those who still believe in that magical fairy.
Parents might favor reading books in person instead of staring at a computer screen, but this site features excellent book-related questions and activity guides that accompany each book to make the experience more interactive and educational. After reading Me and My Cat, for example, you can "list the things Nicholas could do as a cat that he couldn't do as a boy. Discuss your list with a friend" or "write a Haiku about a cat." One caveat: After families visit this site, parents may need to pump up their storytelling showmanship -- kids may expect Oscar-worthy reading performances at every bedtime.
Fans of this site may also enjoy OneMoreStory.com and Between the Lions.
Reviewed: 04/10/2007
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