Huggly's Sleepover
Reviewed by Cynthia A. Sorrels
Published by Scholastic Inc.

Age Group: Age 2 to 5, Age 4 to 8 Type: Language Arts, Puzzles & Memory Price: 34.99

PC version requires:
486-66, 8 M RAM, 10 M HD, x 2 CD ROM

Mac version requires:
Unknown.

Description:

Huggly's Sleepover is the first in the new "I'm Ready for Kindergarten" series from Scholastic Inc., that's been developed for 4 to 6 year olds. If Huggly sounds familiar to you, it may be from the book series by Tedd Arnold, _The Monster Under the Bed_. Anyhow, Huggly and his pals have to get ready for a sleepover, and they'd like to borrow your pillow for the pillow bounce! Okay? Well, then why don't you come help them get ready and come to the party?! YAY! As the party preparations begin, Huggly takes you to meet his friends, and explains what needs to be done. Throughout the house are items you'll need to take along, but don't worry - Huggly has a bag to hold the stuff.

Features:

• Kids are involved in advancing the story.
• Play is done at their own pace.
• Games can be saved.
• Posters can be printed out, and the child's poster appears in the living room.
• Story incorporates social aspects - emotional readiness and social skills.
• Learning is presented within the context of the story.
• Boosts kindergarten readiness.
• Innovative games and activities.

Technical Aspects:

No problems were found with installation or run-time. The interface is very simple to maneuver, the sound is clear and the sound effects add to the fun. The graphics follow the illustrations from the Huggly books.

Report and Conclusions:

In Huggly's Sleepover, kids will be helping find the four missing pillows for the pillow bounce. Getting to each pillow requires problem-solving skills deluxe! There's a letter recognition game (in outer space!) and pie decorating by completing the sequences. The title does an incredible job of drawing kids in and making them part of the story.

Two stories will need to be readied for the party - kids choose settings, characters, etc. and then the story is read to them. We've probably written 10 stories so far and no two are alike!

Making Monster Pies is an excellent, non-threatening way for kids to explore a range of emotions and even helps in resolving them.

We love Huggly's Sleepover. From the music, to the characters and illustrations, it's a lot of fun. Kids will have a great time with the puzzles and pillow collecting, and the ending is excellent - there's a jukebox, dancing and the much-anticipated Monster Pillow Bounce! My 4 year old daughter has had a blast with Huggly as she worked her way through the puzzles and found games, hot spots and giggles. This is a title that will appeal to boys and girls, and the delightful characters will become fast favorites, too.

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