 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
MrsP
Common Sense Media says
Adds some excitement to storytime for little ones.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this free storytelling site offers lightly entertaining children's stories read by an animated character named Mrs. P.
What's it about?
Actress Kathy Kinney played cantankerous secretary Mimi Bobeck on The Drew Carey Show. But on MRSP.COM, Kinney -- one of the site's co-creators -- dons a pair of reading glasses as Mrs. P., a storyteller with an Irish brogue and a dry sense of humor. Mrs. P sits in her flash-animated study, surrounded by quirky, clickable objects. Click on her bookcase and Mrs. P will read whichever book you choose. There are fairy tales aplenty, along with other children's classics like "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." Older kids can check out Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" (but maybe not right before bedtime).
Is it any good?
Though a high-tech endeavor, MrsP.com aims to preserve the very low-tech pastime of reading and storytelling. The sophisticated animation and high level of interactivity are undoubtedly digital age, but Mrs. P. also employs some delightfully old-fashioned touches, like prefacing her tales with personal anecdotes. The stories are light on illustration, compelling kids to use their imaginations to flesh out the tales. Well done overall, with the promise of more stories to come.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about fairy tales and why they remain so popular hundreds of years after they were written. What kind of lessons can you learn from characters like Jack, Goldilocks, and Little Red Riding Hood? Also, why do you think this site shows Mrs. P reading the stories rather than turning them into animations? How does hearing a story and not seeing it encourage you to use your imagination?
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