Used in conjunction with the Leapfrog Tag Reader, this Toy Story book really comes alive and keeps my four year old happily occupied for ages - having fun and learning at the same time!
The appearance and format of the book itself reminds me of the Disney Grolier type stories, with the story being a very condensed version of the Toy Story 3 film. The story is true to the film, however, so this version should not cause any problems for a child who is already familiar with the film itself.
The characters all have their original voices from the film too and my son enjoys just pressing his 'magic pen' on the various characters' pictures just to hear their catchphrases and fun sound effects. He particularly likes the aliens on the final game, especially the ones that sign a surprisingly catchy song! My son does find some of the tasks and activities a little challenging at the minute, although not to the extent that it causes any frustration or spoils his enjoyment. He really likes the final game which involves following clues to find a specific alien, although this is on a timer which makes it quite tricky for him. His older brother is at the very top of the age recommendation for this book and loves playing that game - it is surprisingly addictive! The other main activity (where the child selects different objects to 'create their own story') has proven to be less popular, though. There are also lots of games and activities throughout the story to keep the child interested.
I do find the American accent of the story narrator a little grating, particularly as my four year old is quite slow using his reader at this stage and not always very accurate at 'reading' every single word, giving something of a stilted robotic effect! The narrator for the games and activities uses an English accent, however.
In all, I would recommend this book for any child with a Tag Reader, especially any young Toy Story fans as I don't think they would be disappointed in any way. This is a book that has a lot of features and has the potential to grow with a child at the bottom end of the recommended age range.