Published by Dorling Kindersley Multimedia. My First Incredible Amazing Dictionary is a comprehensive, thoughtful, and action-oriented CD-ROM. Highly recommended, for pre-school to grade 2. $59.95. ISBN 1-56458-902-1. Windows.
This product lives up to its name! It defines 1,000 words and illustrates them through sound and movement. As with most Dorling Kindersley products, the graphics, both cartoon and video image, are superior. Images remain clear and detailed even in motion. People from all ethnic groups are represented in the entry illustrations. The fine sound quality adds to the presentation as well.
My First Incredible Amazing Dictionary does an
excellent job of representing whole concepts and linking related
ones. For example, in the entry for dog, when the illustration
is clicked on, different breeds and sizes of dogs appear,
relaying the idea that all these different creatures fall under
the category of dog. Relationships such as part to whole and
opposite are shown. In the entry for earthquake an icon appears
for the related concept natural disasters. [Top of
Page]
Quiz Games
Three quiz games are included. In What's That
Noise?, players need to match the noises to the animal
or object. The Spelling Game can be played at
three levels: more letter spaces are filled in at the easier
levels. The player gets six tries to fill in the remaining
letter spaces.
Guess What is the most fun. In it players are
asked questions about dictionary entries and must click on the
correct answer. In some ways this game rewards even wrong
answers. If a player answers that squirrels have sunglasses
instead of tails, they do not receive cheers, but are "rewarded"
by a picture of a tail-less squirrel donning a pair of
sunglasses!
The games are just a bonus; the real star is the dictionary itself. This CD-ROM is in the perfect format for a dictionary for very young children. It reads the definition to the child, illustrates the concept, and allows for the repetition children require. [Top of Page]
Ease of Use
Any young child possessing mouse skills can use and enjoy
My First Incredible Amazing Dictionary. The
interface is easy to use; a child can just click on a letter and
a pictorial index appears.
Once inside an entry, a child can
page forward and back or call up a random entry by clicking the
"surprise me" icon.
For older children there is a "Quick Search" option in which they
can type in the word or find it a listing. [Top
of Page]
Minimum System Requirements: IBM or compatible PC with 386SX or higher microprocessor. 4 MB RAM. SVGA 256 color display. CD-ROM drive. Sound card, loudspeakers/headphones, mouse.
Installation: easy installation, ready in a few
minutes. [Top of Page]
Other Reviews
Haskin, David. "A Way with Words." CD-ROM World. December, 1994. Page 74:
"DK's My First Incredible, Amazing Dictionary spells
delight."
CD-ROM World. January, 1995.
Rated number 3 in top 20 Children's CD-ROMs.
Reviewed by Jacquelyn Dimsdle,
graduate student at UT Austin.