Item Reviewed: VTech V.Reader Reading System (including the Mr. Men & Little Miss book)

Price: $59.99 for the Reading System, $19.99 for books

Availability: Available exclusively at Target now and available for future date pre-order at Toys R Us (estimated ship date 07/17/10).

Product Description:

With the V.Reader Animated E-Book Reader children will discover the joy of reading while seeing well-loved characters like Shrek, Toy Story, Olivia & Disney Fairies in stories with vivid animations.

Your child has two play option, they can listen and follow along to the story as read byanimated characters; or touch the screen and play reading games to learn each word or sentence. While reading the story and playing game, children develop the necessary building blocks to grow from a pre-reader to a confident and fluent reader. The V.Reader teaches reading comprehension, vocabulary, phonics and word building, along with a story dictionary that describes word definitions in a manner that’s easy for them to comprehend.

The cartridges for the V.Reader are age graded for 3 to 5 year-olds and 5 to 7 year-olds and each story cartridge includes a fully narrated and animated story, 8 reading-skill games and a story dictionary.

Product Features:

• 4.3″ color touch screen
• Plays fully animated stories with story narration, character voices, vivid graphics and exciting music and sounds
• Includes 3 ways to play: Watch the story, reading games and story dictionary
• USB port and SD memory card slot for expansion
• Durable, kid-tough design
• Parents can track progress
• 11 software options (which will be added to in the near future) that include: The Little Engine that Could, Shrek, Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3, Olivia, Mr. Men and Little Miss,
  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney/Pixar’s Cars, Dora the Explorer, Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies and Scooby-Doo
• Downloadable Library: More than 100 additional stories (in addition to the books you can buy) will be available for download on the VTech websitea download library located on the VTech Web site (http://www.vtechkids.com/)

Trying out the new VTech V.Reader…

We recently had the opportunity to try out the new VTech V.Reader and I have to say that when I found out we were going to get to try something new from VTech I was so excited… not just because my little one would get to try out something new, but because she would be trying out more of a “big kid” toy from VTech.

Up until now, the VTech items that our family has purchased or received as birthday and Christmas gifts have been “Infant & Toddler” VTech items. Some of our household’s favorite VTech items over the past couple of years have been the 3-in-1 Smart Wheels, the Touch & Teach Turtle and the Winnie the Pooh Slide ‘n Learn Storybook, but as you can see… these are items all geared at babies and toddlers and we have a soon to be preschooler in our house- one who just so happens to be learning how to read & has fallen in love with the new VTech V.Reader!

What the PPP family thinks?

My little one will be 3 and a half tomorrow and she is in love with the new VTech V.Reader! She likes it so much that she woke up one morning and wanted to carry it to breakfast with her. It’s a great size, durable and very kid friendly… she can turn it on and off and navigate to the story and games with absolutely no help from mom or dad.

Basically the V.Reader is sorta like one of the grown-up readers (i.e a Kindle, etc.). As a parent I love the fact that a child can “read” a story or have it “read” to them. They flip pages and one of my favorite features is the story dictionary. My little one clicks on the words and is given definitions to words and since she’s a repetitive learner or in that repetitive learning stage… she can click them as many times as she wants to hear the definitions.

In addition to the story and dictionary, each story cartridge also has 8 reading skills games (the story that’s included with the V.Reader, “What’s That Sound” only has one). We have really enjoyed all the games on the Mr. Men & Little Miss book. The games are really silly and a lot of fun, but my little one really learns from them… which is how learning is supposed to be- FUN!

I think the VTech V.Reader is a great addition or enhancement to our at home learning (and soon to be Preschool in the Fall- how time flies). It’s a way to make learning fun and let her see all the learning she does on a daily basis at home and out and about in action. For instance when she can read or recognize letters, numbers and shapes in a game, you can literally see the confidence wash across her face… that look is just priceless!

I know we will have the V.Reader and get lots of use of it for years to come. We are already making a list of the first books we want to pick-up and the titles that would be good ideas for Santa and the grandparents this Christmas.

This giveaway is now closed & a winner will be announced shortly… be sure to check back for more great giveaways on PPP!

Think the V.Reader sounds great? Want to win one?

You can be one of the first to own the VTech V.Reader. It’s valued at $59.99 and designed for ages 3 to 7.

One winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries to have a VTech V.Reader delivered directly to them. This giveaway is open to U.S. mailing addresses only and will end on July 17, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.

How To Enter?

Main Entry: leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. Make sure you leave your e-mail address if you do not have an e-mail attached to the profile you use for blogging comments.

Comments without an e-mail address attached to the profile or e-mail listed will not be considered valid. Also, be sure to leave your e-mail in the following format: youremail (at) gmail (dot) com in an effort to avoid spam.

Bonus Entries:

Earn a bonus entry for each of the following that you do or have done. Leave a separate comment for each…

1) Tweet About It:

http://twitter.com/vtechtoys and @pennypinchingp on Twitter, and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

You could win the new VTech V.Reader from @vtechtoys! Enter now on @pennypinchingp at http://clicky.me/BR! #giveaway

2) Share this on your Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the VTech V.Reader giveaway on Penny Pinching Parent! Stop by & you can enter too at http://clicky.me/BR!

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