It’s Time for Some Readin’, Writin’ and Illustratin’

See computer. Hear computer. Hear computer talk. Hear computer read.

Davidson’s “Kid Works” is a wonderful combination of programs that lets children write words, sentences or full-length stories, illustrate and then hear them read out loud. It’s a great way to get children involved in reading, writing and computing.

Designed for children as young as 4 years old, the program’s on-screen writing tablet can represent either the easily recognized large-ruled paper that we all learned to write on or, for more advanced students, a more closely ruled tablet. The simplest way to hear a story is to just type in a few short sentences and click your mouse on the lips icon and let the computer read it back.

Youngsters with limited vocabulary may write their stories by choosing from a pre-assembled collection of pictures (icons) representing nouns such as apples, airplanes, girls, monkeys, etc.; actions such as catch, dance, draw, talk, walk, etc.; and adjectives, such as empty, pink and wet. Then, another click of the mouse will translate the icons to words (or words to icons). Older children may choose to create their own icons--of themselves, their pets or their favorite activity, and use those in a special story. Adults can develop word- and picture-matching games, or create spelling tests with pictures.

In addition, there is a simple painting program that is great for budding illustrators.

Some stock backgrounds are available for beginning artists, but the adventurous can create entire scenes.

Finally, the kids may print out their masterpieces for decorating the refrigerator or gladdening grandmother on her birthday with a message from the heart. Only the finger-paints and glitter are missing.

Kid Works

Rating: * * * *

IBM and compatibles; 8MHz or faster; 640K RAM required; MS/PC-DOS 3.0 or higher; speech device required. List: $49.95.

Computer games are rated on a five-star system, from one star for poor to five for excellent.