                               THE INTRODUCTION

Once you've started the program, you and your child will see the 
Introduction, lasting less than two minutes, which tells the story 
of the Electric Reading Land quest and introduces you to the 
characters who will be traveling with you on your journey. You 
meet the Imagination Space Station (ISS); Jimi Jupiter, the space 
traveler who is called upon to save the ISS; and Mick the Helpbot 
and Keith the Audiobot, who will lend a hand during your quest 
to discover the Secret of Words.

When the Introduction is over, you will see a box in the center of 
your screen that asks the player to type in his or her name. Help 
your child to complete this task. After you do this and click on 
"Okay,"  you will be at the U.S.S. Jimi Main Hub, the spaceship's 
playroom and command center. It is from the Main Hub that you 
will select which places on Earth to visit and the games to play 
there. Mick asks your child to click on anything to begin, the 
signal that you may begin to play one of the Electric Reading 
Land games.

NOTE: 
If your child would like to replay the Introduction at any
time, he or she may single-click the electric guitar pointer 
on Keith the Audiobot. The Introduction will then replay 
automatically. Younger children may enjoy experiencing this 
lively segment repeatedly. If you are getting into the game on 
another occasion and would like to skip the Introduction, simply 
press the ESCAPE (ESC) button.

NOTE: 
How to return to the program on another day: When your child
enters the program on another occasion, a box in the center
of the screen will ask your child "Are you [the name of 
whoever last played]?" Answer "Yes" if the name listed matches 
the current player. If someone else had last used the program, 
answer "No" and you will see a list of those who have played it. 
Click on your name and you will see the Main Hub on the screen. 
If someone is trying the game for the first time after others 
have used it (i.e., their name is not among those on the list), 
click on "Cancel" and then the person will be asked to insert 
his or her name.


                                THE MAIN HUB

Before you and your child examine the objects and characters in 
the Main Hub, notice the small red electric guitar that moves as 
you move your mouse. This serves as the pointer, replacing the 
arrow or cursor in standard programs. Your child makes game 
selections by positioning the tip of this guitar on an item and 
single-clicking your mouse or left mouse button.  

NOTE: 
When you complete or wish to discontinue a particular game, you 
must always return to the Main Hub before going on to the next 
one. You can accomplish this by clicking on the spaceship icon 
that will always be in the lower-right corner of the game screens.

In the Main Hub you see Jimi Jupiter and his two robot friends, 
Mick and Keith, the Helpbot and the Audiobot. Tell your child 
always to watch for Mick while playing with Electric Reading 
Land. Mick is the guide to places on Earth and provides the 
information required to play the games. 

Take time with your child to examine all of the pictorial details in 
the Main Hub. Some of these objects are Discovery Items, 
which, when you single-click on them, will undergo a temporary 
visual and audio change. Your child will enjoy finding the 
Discovery Items and activating them. To start, have your child 
single-click the guitar tip on the horn of the Stingray bike (at the 
top of the stairs). 

As pointed out in the Introduction, there are three screens at the 
top of the Main Hub. These are Jimi's command screens, which 
represent possible destinations on Earth or game choices. From 
left to right, they are Dino Beach and Dragon Park, the two 
teaching screens representing the more advanced word games, 
and the Phonics Toy, a preliminary word game. The book icon 
just below the red planet represents the Storybook. As your child 
successfully completes the Dino Beach or Dragon Park games, 
the story will grow in length. When the Storybook is completed it 
recharges the Imagination Space Station and your child and Jimi 
have saved it.

The question mark in the lower-left corner of the screen 
represents the Parents' and Teachers' Guide of the program. 
This icon appears at all times. By single-clicking on it, you will 
receive simple instructions on how to access the guide, which you 
can do at any point during the program. 

NOTE: 
It is through the Parents' and Teachers' Guide that 
you may exit the program. Click on the "Exit Program" 
command and you will leave the program and return to DOS.

NOTE: 
Another way to exit the program is with the "Allow Exit" option 
in the Parents' and Teachers' Guide. When the Allow Exit is on, a 
small globe appears next to the question mark in the Main Hub. 
You can click on the globe in order to discontinue the program 
and get out of the software. When Allow Exit is off, the small 
globe disappears and the only way for you to exit the program is 
through the Parents' and Teachers' Guide. If younger children will 
be using the program by themselves, even for short periods of 
time, you may wish to turn off this option, to prevent them from 
accessing your hard drive accidentally.


Printing Note:  
You can print this file, for your personal use, by loading 
HELP.TXT into your text editor.

Copyright 1993 D.C. True, Ltd.

