If your child is like just about every other kid over the age of eight and has a Nintendo DS, you can easily and inexpensively turn it into a Kindle or Nook for around $20. Buy 100 Classic Books, a DS game available at Target, Walmart, Toys R Us, Game Stop, and everywhere else Nintendo games are sold.
My eight year old had a $20 Toys R Us gift card so she combined that with a sale to score 100 Classic Books for a net cost of $12 recently. She brought her DSi on a recent trip to New York and this kept her entertained for large portions of the flights and airport downtime.
The DSi screen is fairly small but 100 Classic Books is surprisingly readable. Turning pages is as simple as touching the screen with a finger. You can place virtual “bookmarks” in up to two books at a time. The range of books is very good and even more are available for download. Eva jumped right into A Secret Garden and wants to read Alice in Wonderland next.
Verdict? I wouldn’t run out and buy a DS specifically to use this game as a poor man’s Kindle, but if your child already owns the Nintendo hardware, it’s a very well-spent $15 to $20.
