Cherokee Trails, by Pharos Games, is the most interesting new game I've seen in 2002! That's a powerful statement because I've looked at a good number of games. But Cherokee Trails is a challenging adventure game that's very educational. Based on the "Trail of Tears" it teaches both children and adults about this forced march of the Cherokee nation of nearly a thousand miles. The game is beautifully done. And while it's filled with historical facts, it's also a great deal of fun to play. You begin your journey in a flea market and magically get transported back in time. The people you meet are fascinating, and each has a story to tell. Each can also help you on your journey. You'll visit the trading posts, go fishing, and lots more. As you travel you'll need supplies and you'd better think about which items you pick. Along the way members of your party will come down with an array of problems like frost bite, poison ivy, and pneumonia. If you've traded wisely, you'll be able to take care of ever yone. And how well you do in the game depends on how healthy your party stays. This adventure will keep you coming back for more! Cherokee Trails, by Pharos Games, is quite simply a beautifully done educational game. It's filled with wonderful scenery, characters, animation, sounds, and music. I've said this before, but I feel it bears repeating. Over the years, I've looked at a lot of games of every different type. And to me, Cherokee Trails is one of the very best educational games I've ever encountered. You owe it to yourself, and your children, to give it a try! Cherokee Trails gets my highest recommendation!

Animated Beginning Typing, by FLIX Productions, is a very cool typing tutor that was created with younger typists in mind. Kids are on computers at an early age and they need to know how to type. It used to be that you didn't take "typing" until High School, but why wait when there's a program as good as this! The program is designed for kids from pre-Kindergarten to 3rd grade and it does a beautiful job of teaching typing. And it does it all with cool animations and sound effects. It starts with where to put your hands and moves on from there. A keyboard right on the screen helps kid to associate what they're looking at with what they're typing on. Animated Beginning Typing really makes learning fun through the use of games! The "Letter Drill" lets the child pick anywhere from 20 to 120 letters to practice. When they finish they get a report on their progress and a cartoon. Another neat exercise is called "Flying Letters" and this one is re ally for the child who's been at it for awhile. Then there's a simple exercise called "Jumping Letters" which is really good for the younger learners to start out with. So, if you have children and they want to use the computer this is a program you need to get! They can learn to type and have fun while they do it! Animated Beginning Typing is a real winner and another excellent product from FLIX Productions! Get it for yourself -- it's one of my favorites!

WinFlash Educator, by Open Window Software, is a powerful educational tool that's perfect for everyone! Yes, I said everyone. It's great for kids, but it's also wonderful for adults. You can use it to learn anything. In fact, I can't really think of a subject where you couldn't use it. WinFlash Educator can be used by anyone to create learning tools for any subject, on any level. It actually keeps tracks your progress so you know how you're doing. And then, it puts more focus on the things you have trouble with! What can be better than that? Nothing! And you can even add sounds, video, and graphics to make your flash card sets really special. You can even take and export your card decks out to a PDA device for PocketPC or Palm and study on the go. WinFlash Educator, by Open Window Software, is quite simply a great program for learning anything. There are several different levels including basic, scholar, and educator. That means you can get e xactly the one that's right for you. And it's great for people of all ages because it gives you the flexibility you need to learn! WinFlash Educator is one of the best educational programs I've ever looked at. So, do a favor for your children, and yourself, and give it a try. I recommend it highly!