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USER’S GUIDE
ABOUT RIVERDEEP – THE LEARNING COMPANY
Riverdeep – The Learning Company provides highly motivating, dynamic, curriculum-based
Internet and CD-ROM learning experiences for the K–12 market. Our products feature
interactive, problem-solving approaches and real-world applications that help develop your
child’s underlying thinking skills and creativity, while reinforcing important areas of the basic
curriculum, such as reading, writing, and mathematics.
Since 1980, The Learning Company’s award-winning titles have consistently produced the
highest quality of educational software available. Every product under the Reader Rabbit
brand undergoes extensive research and testing, with input from parents, children, and
professionals in education. Each product features a precise balance of educational content and
entertainment value, so your child has fun while learning!
© 2001-2005 Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited, and its licensors. All
rights reserved. Contains Macromedia Flash MX and Macromedia Director.
Made with Macromedia is a trademark of Macromedia, Inc. Uses Bink Video.
© 1997-2005 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. Uses Miles Sound System. © 19972005 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. Contains INM Impressario. Portions of code
are Copyright © 2003 - 2004 used under license by Integration New Media,
Inc. Reader Rabbit, The Learning Company, and Riverdeep are registered
trademarks of Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. Windows is either a
registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United
States and/or other countries. Pentium is either a registered trademark or
trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Adobe and
Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT RIVERDEEP – THE LEARNING COMPANY.......................................................... 2
HARDWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS......................................................................... 4
SETTING UP & STARTING THE PROGRAM........................................................................ 5
INSTALLING THE PROGRAM ........................................................................................................... 5
STARTING THE PROGRAM ............................................................................................................... 6
TLC LAUNCHER................................................................................................................................. 7
HIGH FLYING ACT............................................................................................................................. 7
INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM ........................................................................................... 8
SIGNING IN......................................................................................................................................... 8
THE INTERACTIVE STORYBOOK ........................................................................................ 9
READING THE STORY ....................................................................................................................... 9
STORYBOOK PAGES........................................................................................................................ 10
PLAY A GAME................................................................................................................................... 10
HEAR A WORD ................................................................................................................................. 10
SOUND OUT A WORD ..................................................................................................................... 11
SPELL A WORD ................................................................................................................................ 11
LET’S TAKE A TEST! ........................................................................................................................ 12
RESULTS PAGE ................................................................................................................................ 13
READING TIPS ....................................................................................................................... 14
TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................................................................ 15
WINDOWS® ...................................................................................................................................... 15
MACINTOSH® .................................................................................................................................. 18
CONTACTING RIVERDEEP – THE LEARNING COMPANY ........................................... 20
TECHNICAL SUPPORT.................................................................................................................... 20
CUSTOMER SUPPORT .................................................................................................................... 20
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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HARDWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
NOTE: In the interest of product improvement, information and specifications
represented herein are subject to change without notice.
Processor
Operating System
Hard Disk
RAM
CD ROM
Video
Audio
Network Servers
IBM & Compatible
Pentium II 300 MHz or better
Windows 98SE; ME; XP Pro; XP
Home; 2000 Service Pack 4;
120MB Hard Disk Space
64MB RAM (recommend 128MB
for 2000 and XP )
16x CD-ROM drive or better
800 x 600 high color 16-bit
(thousands of colors)
Sound-Blaster® 16 or compatible
sound card with headphones
optional
Printer
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
Macintosh
G3 350 MHz (500 MHz recommended
for OSX)
Mac OS 9.2.2; OSX 10.2.8 or later
120MB Hard Disk Space
64MB RAM, virtual memory enabled
128MB RAM for OSX
16x CD-ROM drive or better
800 x 600 16-bit (thousands of
colors)
Standard Macintosh sound with
headphones optional
Printer
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SETTING UP & STARTING THE PROGRAM
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook runs from your CD-ROM
drive. However, you need 120 MB of free hard disk space to store some program files.
INSTALLING THE PROGRAM
Some program files for Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook will be
installed on your computer, including the TLC Launcher.
WINDOWS®
AutoPlay usually is enabled when you install Windows on your computer. (See your
Windows documentation for more information.)
To install the program with AutoPlay on:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process. Once you’ve
completed the setup, the program will run automatically any time you insert the
program CD into the CD-ROM drive.
To install the program with AutoPlay off:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click MY COMPUTER.
3. Double-click the CD-ROM icon.
4. Double-click PLAY.
5. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process.
MACINTOSH®
To install the program with the AutoPlay extension on:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process.
To install the program with the AutoPlay extension off:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the READER RABBIT icon in the open window.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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STARTING THE PROGRAM
WINDOWS®
To start the program with AutoPlay on:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. At the TLC Launcher, click PLAY.
There are two ways to start the program with AutoPlay turned off. You can choose to follow
either set of instructions.
To start the program with AutoPlay off (Option 1):
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click MY COMPUTER.
3. Double-click the CD-ROM icon.
4. Double-click PLAY.
5. At the TLC Launcher, click PLAY.
To start the program with AutoPlay off (Option 2):
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Click the START button. Then choose PROGRAMS, THE LEARNING COMPANY,
READER RABBIT, and READING LEARNING SYSTEM INTERACTIVE
STORYBOOK in that order.
3. At the TLC Launcher, click PLAY.
MACINTOSH®
To start the program with the AutoPlay extension on:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. At the TLC Launcher, click PLAY.
To start the program with the AutoPlay extension off:
1. Insert the program CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the program icon.
3. At the TLC Launcher, click PLAY.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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TLC LAUNCHER
Click Play and join
Reader Rabbit and his
friends in Reader
Rabbit Reading
Learning System
Interactive Storybook.
Launcher screen
HIGH FLYING ACT
Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion are at the Wordville Fair to perform their High Flying Act.
Unfortunately, their plank breaks during their performance.. They are going to need a new one
in order to avoid disappointing the audience. Ratbeard, the Pirate, has the plank they need, but
he wants to trade it to Reader and Sam for prizes from the fair. Reader and Sam have a fun
day at the fair playing games and gathering prizes. They need to win just enough to trade with
Ratbeard for a new plank. Once Reader and Sam have their new plank, they can perform their
High Flying Act.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM
Join Reader Rabbit, Sam the Lion and their friends at the Wordville Fair. Listen and read
along to the story of their day at Wordville Fair. Take part in the fun by playing activities as
you listen and read.
The Interactive Storybook invites you to participate in activities that help build your spelling
and reading skills. These educational and entertaining activities will help you to develop your
reading comprehension skills systematically. After reading with Reader and Sam, undertake a
challenge to see how much you can recall from the story.
Get ready for an exciting, educational adventure with Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion in
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook.
SIGNING IN
To begin your adventure with Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion, you must sign into the
program. First, click NEW PLAYER. Type your name into the sign-in list, then click the
START button.
Click here to exit the
program
Click here to sign in a
new player.
Click here to delete a
letter.
Click here to begin
your adventure.
Use the arrows to
scroll through the
sign-in list.
Click a name in
the sign-in list
to choose it.
Click the letters of
your name to sign in.
Sign-in screen
To rejoin the fun where you left off when you last played, find your name on the list and click
it. If you don’t see your name, click the arrows on the side of the list until you find your name.
Then click START to continue on your way.
When the sign-in list contains 99 names, it is full. To enter a new name, you must first remove
a name. Click the name you want to remove, then press Ctrl + Backspace. This will
permanently erase that player’s adventure information from the hard disk.
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THE INTERACTIVE STORYBOOK
READING THE STORY
After signing in you are taken to the first page of the story. As the text is read to you the
sentence or clause being read is highlighted. You can play the activities on each of the pages
by choosing one of the buttons below.
Thinking Question: When you click on the Light Bulb you’ll hear a
Thinking Question. These questions are for you to think about while
you look at the page and will help you to recall the story later.
Play a Game: Click on the Star Button to play an educational game
associated with the page you are on. Each of the games is fun and
helps develop your memory, word-building and spelling skills.
Play Music: If you click on the Musical Note, you’ll hear a nice song
played by the critters at Wordville Fair.
Hear a Word: Click on the Speak Button and then click on any word
from the text read aloud.
Sound Out a Word: Click on the Ear Button to hear certain words or
parts of words from the text sounded out for you. You can choose any
of the highlighted words or parts of words.
Spell Word: Click on the Spell Button and then click on any word
from the text to have it spelled out for you.
Read Text: Click on the left Read Button to have the text on the left
page read aloud. Click on the right Read Button to hear the right page
read aloud.
Next Page: Click on the Next Page button to navigate forward
through the worksheets one at a time.
Previous Page: Click on the Previous Page button to navigate
backwards through the worksheets one at a time.
Exit: Click this button to exit the interactive storybook.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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STORYBOOK PAGES
Whenever you arrive at a new page in the story, the words on that page are read aloud to you.
As each sentence or clause is read, it is highlighted in blue so you can read along with the
narrator.
PLAY A GAME
Click the
Button. Then
listen as the narrator tells
you what you have to do to
play the game.
{Note the color of the
Button.}
HEAR A WORD
Button. Then
Click the
click on any word to hear it
sounded out for you.
{Note the color of the
Button. When a button is
selected, it changes colors.
The speak button is
automatically selected when
you arrive at a new page.}
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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SOUND OUT A WORD
Click the
Button. Then
click on any word or part of
a word highlighted in blue
to hear it sounded out for
you.
{Note the color of the
Button.}
SPELL A WORD
Click the
Button. Then
click on any word to hear the
word spelled out for you.
{Note the color of the
Button.}
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LET’S TAKE A TEST!
Show Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion how great you are! When you have finished the
interactive storybook, you will be invited to take a test. Here is where the “Thinking
Questions” will come in handy. There are a total of ten tests, TEST A through TEST J. Each
test consists of five questions, which are read aloud. The tests will assess your reading
comprehension, phonics and vocabulary skills.
For some
questions the
featured letter
combination
or word is
displayed at
the top.
Each question
has four
choices from
which you
choose your
answer.
Exit:
Click the Exit Button
at any time to leave
the test.
OK:
Click OK after you have made
your choice. The button is
‘inactive’ until you have made a
choice.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
Megaphone:
Click the Megaphone
Button to have the
question repeated.
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RESULTS PAGE
When you have finished the test you will be able to see how you did on the Results Page. The
Results Page will tell you which questions you got right and where you need to improve. You
will be given an overall score for the test. You can also print the Results Page either for
yourself or to share with family and friends.
The Results
Page shows
you how you
did on each
question.
The Results
Page gives
you an overall
score for the
test.
[AM1]
Print:
Click the Print Button if you want
to print your Results Page.
Exit:
Click the Exit Button when you
have finished reviewing your
Results Page.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
Megaphone:
The
Megaphone
button is
inactive when
viewing the
Results Page.
page 13
READING TIPS
Children learn to read in a variety of ways. You can use the following tips and activities to
extend and encourage your child’s learning while away from the computer.
•
Read books aloud to your child every day or as often as possible on a regular basis.
•
Read other things aloud—cartoons, signs, labels, cereal boxes— anything at all!
•
Model reading behavior. Make sure your child sees you reading and understands how
important this activity is in your life.
•
Talk with your child. Talk about activities, funny things, television shows. Listen
closely. Talking helps children learn to use language.
•
Invite your child to make up stories from pictures in storybooks and elsewhere.
•
Take your child to the local library often. Take advantage of reading hours with the
librarian. Have your child pick out books even if he or she can’t read them.
•
Tape-record favorite stories—or find books on tape or CD—so your child can listen to
them over and over.
•
Put letter magnets on your refrigerator and encourage your child to practice naming
letters, identifying sounds, and putting letters together to form words.
•
Have your child write letters in all kinds of ways and places—for example, in the
sand, with their fingers on your back, or by using his or her body to create the shapes.
•
Make an alphabet book. Have your child dedicate one page to each letter and create a
book that shows letters and pictures of things that start with the letter’s sound.
•
Encourage your child to draw pictures that tell stories and to “read” the pictures.
•
Help your child make up silly songs and poems that use a specific letter or letter
sound.
Play with rhyming words and non-words. Say a word such as cat and ask your child to come
up with rhyming words, both real and imaginary. Write down the words, or have your child
write them down.
Play letter games with your child, such as finding objects with names that begin with specific
letters, or guessing games where you try to guess a word from its beginning letter.
Encourage your child to name letters and read words out in the world. You’ll see your child
gaining confidence and recognizing the importance of reading in daily life.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Try this first! If you have problems running the program, try cleaning the CD. Gently remove
any fingerprints and dust using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth dampened with water or a CDcleaning solution. Avoid using materials such as tissue, which can scratch the CD.
If you have additional questions, please visit The Learning Company Web Site at
http://support.broderbund.com
WINDOWS®
1 The Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook program icon does not
appear in the Start menu.
Make sure the product is already installed. Reinstall the program if necessary.
2
You see a message telling you that there is not enough available space on the hard disk.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook requires 120 MB of hard
disk space for the program’s data and executable files. (Additional hard disk space will be
required to save player information for more than five players.)
Create some free hard disk space by removing some files after backing them up.
3
You see a message telling you that there is not enough memory to run the program.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook needs at least 64 MB of
installed memory (RAM) to run. Your computer’s memory may be filled with other
programs that are running in the background.
Close any other applications that are running, and restart the program.
4
The mouse doesn’t seem to work.
There are times in the program when the animation or sound cannot be interrupted. You
will see the hourglass cursor on the screen, and any key presses or mouse clicks will be
ignored.
Check that the mouse is properly connected to the computer.
Wait until the animation or sound stops and your normal cursor returns. Then try
pressing the keys or clicking the mouse again.
5
Program speed is very slow.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook needs at least a Pentium II
300 MHz computer with a 16X CD-ROM drive for basic performance.
Close any other applications that are running.
Remove non-essential applications from your Startup folder.
Make sure that you have the latest Windows video drivers for your graphics card.
(Contact the video card manufacturer for the latest drivers.)
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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6
You do not hear music, sound, or speech.
Check that the speakers are properly connected to your computer.
Make sure that they are getting power and are turned on, and that the volume is turned
up. Make sure that your sound card is Windows compatible and is properly installed
for Windows. Be sure that the sound card is specifically designed to work with the
version of Windows that you are using. Also check that the volume is properly set.
(See the manufacturer’s documentation for information relating to your sound card.)
Make sure the mixer level setting is correct. Click the START button. Choose
PROGRAMS from the Start menu. Next choose ACCESSORIES. Then choose
ENTERTAINMENT and choose VOLUME CONTROL. Make sure that the sliders
on the mixer control panel are all the way up and that no mute buttons are selected.
7
Strange graphics appear; the game action stops unexpectedly.
Make sure you have the latest Windows video drivers installed. (Contact your video
card manufacturer for more information.)
Remove non-essential applications from your Startup folder.
8
Colors don’t look right.
Adjust your monitor’s color and brightness.
Turn off your screensaver.
Close any other applications that are running.
Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers installed. (Contact your video card
manufacturer for more information.)
9
Nothing prints.
Make sure the printer is plugged in and switched on.
Check the indicator light on the printer to be sure the printer is “online” or “selected.”
Make sure the printer cables are connected tightly.
Make sure you have selected at least one print item from the Printing area. Where
applicable, make sure you have selected either COLORED IN or OUTLINED.
Make sure you have the latest printer drivers installed. (Contact your printer
manufacturer for more information.)
10 When you print, pictures or text look faint, blurred, or streaky.
Check your print quality settings. (See your printer documentation.)
Replace your printer’s ink cartridge.
11 The printer displays an “out of memory” message.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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Make sure your printer has at least 1 MB of memory.
12 You are not able to connect to our online Web sites.
This feature requires an Internet browser. In some cases, you may need to start the Internet
connection before you run the program.
Make sure that you have a browser properly installed. (See your browser and
Windows documentation for more information.)
Make sure that the files with an .HTM extension (for example, “bookmark.htm”) are
associated with the browser of your choice. To check this, double-click on any .HTM
file.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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MACINTOSH®
1 You do not see the Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook program
icon on the desktop.
Make sure the program CD is inserted in the CD tray, printed side up.
2
You see a message that there is not enough space on the hard disk.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook requires 120 MB of hard
disk space for program data files. (Additional hard disk space will be required to save
player information for more than five players.)
Create some free hard disk space by removing some files after backing them up.
Adjust the Virtual Memory setting to take less hard disk space.
(See your Macintosh documentation for more information.)
3
You see a message telling you that there is not enough memory to run the program.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook requires at least 64 MB of
installed memory (RAM) to run. Try to increase available memory and then start the
program again. (Depending on which Internet browser you use, you may not be able to run
both your browser and the program with only 64 MB of RAM.)
Quit any programs that are running.
Turn off or remove from the System Folder non-Apple® control panels.
Reduce the size of the disk cache in the Memory control panel. (See your Macintosh
documentation for more information.)
Turn off AppleTalk®.
Increase virtual memory.
4
The mouse doesn’t seem to work.
There are times in the program when the animation or sound cannot be interrupted. You
will see the watch cursor on the screen, and any key presses or mouse clicks will be
ignored.
Check that the mouse is properly connected to the computer.
Wait until the animation or sound stops and your normal cursor returns. Then try
pressing the keys or clicking the mouse again.
5
The music and voice in the game are too loud or too soft.
Choose VOLUMES from CONTROL PANELS. Adjust your system’s speaker volume
as needed by selecting the Volume setting.
6 You do not hear music, sound, or speech.
Make sure that the Volumes setting in the Sound control panel in Control Panels is not
set to zero.
If you have external speakers, make sure they are turned on and getting power and that
they are properly connected to your computer. Also check the speaker volume.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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Turn off or remove from the System Folder non-Apple control panels and extensions.
(Leave the CD-ROM drivers.) Restart your computer.
7
You hear popping noises in the game sounds and character voices.
Check the speaker connection to the computer.
Close all other applications.
8
The program window seems small.
The program window may not fill the entire screen.
Some monitors are not able to display the program at the optimum display setting, so
the program may not fill the entire screen.
9
Program speed is very slow, or sounds and animations do not play smoothly.
Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive Storybook needs at least a G3 350MHz (500 MHz Recommended for OSX) Power Macintosh computer with a 16X CDROM drive for basic performance.
Close all other applications.
If you must have virtual memory on, reduce the amount of virtual memory allocated.
10 Nothing prints.
Make sure the printer is plugged in and switched on.
Check the indicator light on the printer to be sure the printer is “online” or “selected.”
Make sure the printer cables are connected tightly.
Make sure you have selected at least one print item from the Printing area. Where
applicable, make sure you have selected either COLORED IN or OUTLINED.
11 When you print, pictures or text look faint, blurred, or streaky.
Check your print quality settings. (See your printer documentation.)
Replace your printer’s ink cartridge.
12 You are not able to connect to our online Web sites.
This feature requires an Internet browser. You may need to start your Internet connection
before running the program.
Make sure that you have a browser properly installed. (See your browser and
Macintosh documentation for more information.)
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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CONTACTING RIVERDEEP – THE LEARNING COMPANY
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have questions about your Reader Rabbit Reading Learning System Interactive
Storybook program, please refer to the Troubleshooting section. If you do not find an answer
to your question, visit our Web site at: http://support.broderbund.com
Click Product Support. Select the product name from the alphabetical list and check to see if
the problem you are experiencing is listed among the FAQs. If you need to speak to a
technical support representative, click CONTACT US and scroll down to the Technical
Support area for the appropriate number.
You may be asked to provide the following information:
•
Your contact information (name and e-mail address, plus phone or mailing address if
you wish)
•
Description of the problem you’re having
•
Product name and version number (the version number is often printed on the CD
label)
•
Brand of computer
•
Operating system (for example, Windows 98SE or Mac® OS 9.2.2)
•
Processor type and speed
•
RAM memory (in MB or megabytes)
•
Video card manufacturer
•
Sound card manufacturer
•
Printer type
•
Hard disk space remaining
•
Background programs (antivirus programs or screensavers)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
If you are not completely satisfied with this product, Riverdeep–The Learning Company will
gladly refund your purchase price. Return the complete package to us at Broderbund; Returns
Department; 120 Hidden Lake Circle; Dock Door #9; Duncan, S.C. 29334, within 30 days of
purchase. Include a copy of the sales receipt, packing slip, or invoice showing the store name
and location. Please enclose an explanation for the return. The refund schedule for shippable
product is 90 days and 60 days for downloads or unlocks. Limit 1 per household. Dealer,
wholesalers, and their immediate family are not eligible.
Reader Rabbit® Reading Learning System – Interactive Storybook
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