We got sent by EA Games a Nintendo DS game to review, now we have a DS in our house but Oliver is too young and I'm sure a 'younger then me' opinion was wanted on the game. So my niece Carmen was more then happy to bring her Nintendo DS around to play the game and review it.

The game we got sent was a Flip Interactive Book, which turned the Nintendo DS into a reading book! The best thing about the Flip interactive book was that it was Enid Blytons Faraway Tree Stories. Now all book lovers have heard of Enid Blyton and so have many children! It was only a few weeks ago I educated Carmen in the wonders of The Magic Faraway Tree, when we read it to Oli before his bedtime.

So we were both rather excited to be able to read the book via the Nintendo DS!

We made some milkshakes & sat down to explore the game together. :)

As soon as it started up ( I was impressed at how quick it loaded up! No waiting around!) it gave a tutorial on how to select a book (6 to choose from!) . Carmen selected 'The Enchanted Wood'.

It then showed you how to turn the page.. She found this easy to grasp by using the instructions given on screen.

It highlights names and once clicked on , shows a picture of that character. Carmen told me it provided her a picture in her head of what they looked like, which I thought was great - it meant she could put a face to a name whilst reading through the FLIP book. There was noises and images provided to accompany the words & actions being displayed.

She found it so easy to turn the page and found the illustrations made it interesting & fun to read.

It allowed her to collect items like feathers , musical notes , mushrooms and flowers which were hidden within the pages and she got to unlock bonus content such as recipes and fun activities as she went along.

It looked like she was reading a actual book as she held the DS a way a book should be held. New dawning for books? I think so!

It bought a fantastic story by a brilliant author to life!! EA Games have found a great way to educate children in the wonders and joys of reading.

Carmen's Overall score.. 5/5!

We sat for a good couple of hours reading & exploring Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree Stories.

It got her so excited about reading which is what is so great about this game/book!! Anything encouraging youngsters to read is a hit in my FLIPPING book! (Get it?!)

Another amazing bonus to this game is that she could share chapters with a friend via the DS wireless communications. These FLIP Books are going to go down a storm , especially with Christmas just a week away! Carmen's already added Cathy Cassidy FLIP to her Christmas list!

And guess who got a BIG hug for letting Carmen keep the Faraway Tree Stories FLIP book! :)

Check out the other titles available in the Nintendo DS FLIPS range:

Cathy Cassidy

Artemis Fowl

Ghoul For School

And there's more to come in 2010!!!