Reader Rabbit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reader Rabbit
Genres	Educational
Publishers	Encore Software
Creators	Leslie Grimm
First release	Reader Rabbit and the Fabulous Word Factory 1983
Latest release	Reader Rabbit: Jumpsmarter 2018
Spin-offs	The ClueFinders

Reader Rabbit is a popular educational game series that started in 1983. It was created by The Learning Company. The games are made for children from babies up to nine years old. In 1998, a related series called The ClueFinders was made for older students, usually aged seven to twelve.

The games help kids learn important skills like reading, spelling, and math. The main character in all the games is a friendly rabbit named "Reader Rabbit."

How the Games Are Designed

Story and How to Play

The Reader Rabbit games follow the adventures of Reader Rabbit and his friends. Some of his friends include Sam the Lion and Matilda the Mouse. Reader Rabbit himself is a grayish-blue rabbit who is the main hero in every game. He often wears a red T-shirt or a red and blue striped sweater.

Most games in the series are "point-and-click" adventures. This means you click on things on the screen to play. Players use items they find and talk to characters to solve puzzles. At first, these puzzles were mostly about reading. Later games also taught other subjects. The games show different pictures or scenes, and you click on certain spots to move around. Clicking other spots can make characters talk, play a song, or start a mini-game.

Art Style and Characters

Over the years, many talented artists have worked on the Reader Rabbit games. In the early 1990s, artists like Shaowei Liu hand-painted the backgrounds. These paintings were then put into the computer for the games. Later, artists like Frank Cirocco drew the characters and front parts of the scenes.

By 1997, Reader Rabbit and his friends got a new look. Fred Dianda worked on the characters and backgrounds for many games in the late 1990s. He would start with sketches and then color and animate them on the computer. For newer games on phones and tablets, Federico Miniaci has worked as a concept artist.

Music and Songs

Each Reader Rabbit game has fun songs. These songs help tell the story and show what the characters are thinking. Composer Scott Lloyd Shelly created music for many of the games. Some songs from Reader Rabbit Preschool were even translated into different languages like French and German. In 2000, a video called Reader Rabbit Sing-A-Song Adventures was released. It featured many of the best songs from the series.

Learning Goals

Learning is a very important part of the Reader Rabbit games. The creators always try to make sure the games are both fun and educational. Teachers, parents, and reading experts help research the games. This makes sure the software is good for learning, fun to play, and easy to use.

The games teach many subjects, including reading, phonics (how sounds and letters work), math, and memory skills. In 1999, a special learning system called A.D.A.P.T. was added to the games. This system helped the games change to fit each player's needs. It would Assess (check) what you could do, Develop (build) your skills, Adjust (change) the difficulty, Provide (give) help, and Track (follow) your progress.

Games in the Series

Video Games

Many Reader Rabbit games have been released over the years on different computer systems and consoles. Here are some of the main titles:

Game Collections

Over the years, many Reader Rabbit games have been sold together in special collections. These bundles often included several games or extra learning materials. For example, Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby and Toddler (1999) included two games: Reader Rabbit Toddler and Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby. Another collection, Reader Rabbit's Complete Learn to Read System (1999), came with multiple discs, guides, and storybooks.

Other Products

Besides video games, the Reader Rabbit series also includes other fun learning tools:

• Cassettes and DVDs: There have been music cassettes like Reader Rabbit's Sing Along Favorites. DVDs such as Reader Rabbit: Wordville Soup (2004) and Reader Rabbit: The Great Alphabet Race (2005) were also released.
• Workbooks: The Learning Company published many Reader Rabbit Giant Workbooks. These books helped kids practice skills like rhyming, spelling, phonics, and math. They were later re-released as Reader Rabbit: Let's Learn books.
• Leapfrog e-books: Some Reader Rabbit e-books were made for the LeapPad learning system. These books focused on phonics and included stories like Sam's Sweet Surprise and The Great Word Chase.

Images for kids

• 

  The logo for the Reader Rabbit series.

See also

In Spanish: Reader Rabbit para niños