Reader Rabbit Preschool (2024)

Reader Rabbit Preschool (originally stylized as Reader Rabbit's Preschool) is a computer game in The Learning Company's Reader Rabbit series of children's educational games, released on July 9, 1997. It is a remake of Reader Rabbit and Friends: Let's Start Learning!, with updated graphics and four more activities (making eight total). A second version, featuring two more activities (making ten total) and a different plot, was released on June 26, 1998.

Versions & Plots[]

Version 1[]

The first version of the game, commonly referred to as the "carousel version," consists of the same plot as Let's Start Learning!, focusing on Reader Rabbit, Mat the Mouse and the player freeing Wonder Pony by using keys and visiting the Learning Kingdom.

Version 2[]

The second version of the game, commonly referred to as the "carnival version," consists of a completely different plot, in which the player helps Reader Rabbit, Sam the Lion and Mat the Mouse fix up a ruined Carnival Park and earn tickets to enjoy the rides. This version is also implemented in the personalized version of the game.

Characters[]

• Reader Rabbit
• Mat the Mouse
• Sam the Lion
• Tally Cat
• Ben the Ant
• Mit the Monkey
• Ed the Dog
• Wonder Pony
• Wheel Bear
• Arno Moose (single appearance)
• Frank Frog (cameo)
• Bruno the Gorilla (cameo)
• Will the Elephant (cameo)
• Buster the Car (cameo)
• Rex the Monster (cameo; single appearance)
• Tobor the Robot (cameo; single appearance)
• Sis the Snake (cameo)
• Nan the Toucan (cameo)
• Buzz the Bee (cameo)

Voices[]

American Version[]

• Jeanne Hartmann - Reader Rabbit
• Laura Rice - Mat the Mouse
• Pete Shoemaker - Sam the Lion
• Megan Woodruff - Tally Cat, Counting Club Critters
• Greg Walsh - Ben the Ant, Mit the Monkey, Ed the Dog, Scraps
• Jon Olson - Arno Moose
• Sean O'Kane - Body Builders Emcee
• Debbie Rogers - Wonder Pony/Carousel Pony
• Sarah Chapman - Counting Club Critters
• Kalyn Jang - Counting Club Critters
• Meredith Johnson - Counting Club Critters
• Samantha Johnson - Counting Club Critters
• Spencer Johnson - Counting Club Critters
• Marissa Kochan - Counting Club Critters
• Jeffry Lee - Counting Club Critters
• Jenna Rose - Counting Club Critters
• Scott Shoemaker - Counting Club Critters
• Caleb VanRhee - Counting Club Critters
• Alison Drago - ABC Diner Patrons
• Katie Drago - ABC Diner Patrons
• Melissa Drago - ABC Diner Patrons
• Lonnie Eschler - ABC Diner Patrons
• Scott Fischer - ABC Diner Patrons
• Deanna Rischer - ABC Diner Patrons
• Irene Trapp - ABC Diner Patrons
• Rachel Trapp - ABC Diner Patrons
• Rebecca Wink - ABC Diner Patrons

British Version[]

• Charlie Borland - Reader Rabbit, ABC Café Patrons
• Lucy Underwood - Mat the Mouse, Counting Club Creatures, ABC Café Patrons
• Dai Jenkins - Sam the Lion, Counting Club Creatures, ABC Café Patrons
• Caroline Rippin - Ally the Cat, Counting Club Creatures
• Steve Brett - Mit the Monkey, Body Builders MC
• Martin Goldman - Ben the Ant
• John Henry Hughes - Ed the Dog, Counting Club Creatures, ABC Café Patrons
• Greg Walsh - Scraps
• Jon Olson - Arno Moose
• Stephanie Winiecki - Counting Club Creatures

Activities[]

Each activity rewards the player with keys/tickets. In Version 1, four keys are required from each activity to unlock Wonder Pony from the carousel. In Version 2, four tickets are required from each activity to repair the carnival rides.

• ABC Diner (renamed to ABC Café in the UK version)
• Zany Zoom In
• Counting Club
• Pattern Parade
• Crazy Costumes
• Shape Shack (renamed to Shape Shed in the UK version)
• Body Builders
• Mouse Match*
• Coloring Clowns* (renamed to Colouring Clowns in the UK version)

* Only appears in Version 2.

Songs[]

• Jolly Jamboree
• ABC Diner
• Counting Club
• Pattern Parade
• Shape Shack
• Two to Match*

* Only appears in Version 2.

Personalized Version[]

On June 28, 1999, a personalized version of Reader Rabbit Preschool was released, which added the use of A.D.A.P.T. Learning Technology and the Personalized Learning Center as a second disc. This version is based on Version 2, featuring the carnival. In 2000, another version was released, featuring the Treehouse Launcher and the Learning Creations program.

Trivia[]

• The first version of the game, along with Let's Start Learning!, is the only version of the game in which Wonder Pony talks.
• In the UK, Version 1 uses the same title and "flying chalkboard" title sequence as the US version, but is otherwise unchanged from the UK dub of Let's Start Learning!. This is also the case with the Spanish version.
  • Additionally, the title sequence has been scaled down from the 640x480 screen resolution of the late 1990s games to fit the original 512x384 resolution of Let's Start Learning!, causing it to lower in quality, except for the game's logo and copyright information text.
  • Also, the chalk and eraser on the chalkboard tray from the game's logo are on the right side instead of the left side.
• Many of Mat's animations from this game are re-used in Reader Rabbit: Playtime for Baby. Her idle animation was also used in Reader Rabbit Toddler, but with complex shading.
• Version 2 re-uses various clickable surprises from Reader Rabbit Kindergarten.

Known issues[]

• In the Early UK version of Reader Rabbit’s Preschool in 1997, during the gameplay of the ABC Cafe sometimes when loading the ingredients the game can stop working with an error message saying “Reader Rabbit's Preschool cannot read from the program CD. The CD may be dirty or missing from the CD drive. For instructions on cleaning the CD, refer to Windows Troubleshooting documentation in the CD package."

Quotes[]

• Mat: Look! A carousel! I want to ride that pony.

• Reader: I wonder what this key is for?
• Mat: I think it goes here.
• Reader: I knew that.

• Mat: Play the skill house games. Find each carousel key. Unlock the Wonder Pony, and play the game with me.

• Tally Cat: Click on the eyes and then count out loud.

Gallery[]

Releases[]

Version 1[]

Version 2[]

Personalized Version[]

Characters[]

Screenshots[]

Version 1[]

Version 2[]

Other[]

References[]

See also[]

• Reader Rabbit Preschool: Sparkle Star Rescue!, the successor to this game released in 2001.