Kid Works Deluxe v2.1

$90, Windows, Macintosh

Teaches: reading, writing, creativity

CTR Rating: 88%

CTR Review

Hey teachers and parents of homeschoolers -- are you looking for a large-font, talking word processor and storybook maker that could also work in the classroom? Kid Works, sold for $90 and up at www.knowledgeadventure.com/school is a good option.First, a brief history on Kid Works is in order. Back in 1986, Kid Works was published by Davidson & Associates, as one of the first and only writing and creativity options for the IBM PC and Apple IIe. While it was not nearly as popular as the more open-ended KidPix (Broderbund/The Learning Company), it provided teachers with a nice computer-based whole language activity. Ten years later (1996), Knowledge Adventure, who acquired Davidson, re-designed Kid Works using a stylized interface that was not as easy to use as the original version. Fast forward another ten years to 2007, and you have that same 1996 version, with a slightly better interface (it could still be better) and the ability to run on the latest version of Windows or Mac OSX.Classroom-friendly features include the ability to install the entire program on a computer's hard drive (so no CD is necessary) and the ability to store work for each child, by way of a sign-in feature, with no Internet connection. New features include the ability to import JPG graphics, some new graphics in the clip art gallery, updated text-to-speech abilities, as well as the ability to record a student's voice. It is easy to print work on booklet-sized pages. Weaknesses include some confusing menu icons (the draw and write icons both look like a crayon) and a limited page/screen size. All in all, however, this is an important new update to a classic creativity tool that will function well in both preschool and early elementary classrooms.