(not rated)
by Cindy O'HoraThe classic novel now on CD, with plenty of added niceties
This is an exceptionally fine product. I'm really glad I bought it.
This is the well loved story on CD. You may chose to read it yourself or have the page read. The text is a comfortable size for reading. It is read in a clear and inflective manner which draws you into the story. The background music enhances the experience and does not draw attention away from the story.
The hand-drawn illustrations enhance the tale at every turn. Anne comes to 3-D life when you click on her picture. The actress does a wonderful job of passionately portraying Anne. The animations are not toys, and do not repeat what was just read in text. They enhance and enrich the tale. I almost jumped the first time I clicked on one. Anne is so very real even in my Performa 637 with its old processor.
Enrichment tools at the bottom of each page 
offer a text read feature, a return to the index, access to a glossary, and a switch to the other language version. You navigate by moving the mouse to the side of the page and clicking.
I found this product very inviting. For children who have not yet found the magic of a good book, this may just be the ticket. I am a voracious reader. I have been skeptical about the value of books on CD. It is tough to read them in a tub of warm, rose scented water. I can't curl up with it in my favorite arm chair with my lap quilt and a cup of cranberry tea. Yet, I found this a real page turner and enjoyed many pages as I wrote this review.
Si vous parlez francais ou etudiez Francais, cet live et une bonne opportunite pour vous pratiquez votre adresses. My apologies to French speaking people everywhere if the previous sentence is not up to snuff. It has been twenty years since j'ecrive en francais. Pardonnez moi.
This CD includes a French version of the book, as well. What a resource for those of us trying to learn/ teach/ recall French. It should be mandatory reading for middle level French classes.
The sole improvement I would suggest is that Anne tell you how to navigate when the book opens. I have been computing for 8 years. I have used many books on CD. I kept going to the bottom right corner of the page to turn it. This causes the tools to appear and does not turn the page. I consulted the Read me and found no directions. I did accidentally discover that the top and high sides always turn the page. If I were new to books on CD, I may have given up before I figured out how to turn the page.
The CD comes with both a Power Mac version and a "one for the rest of us" :).
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 SRP: $25 |