100 Classic Book Collection

The 100 Classic Book Collection is an excellent piece of software that turns your Nintendo DS into an eBook reader. With a huge selection of authors, the likes of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, you have your own little private library filled to the brim with such literary classics as Pride and Prejudice, Treasure Island, Oliver Twist, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Romeo and Juliet.

If you’re not familiar with some of the classics have the software prescribe a couple of titles based on the outcome of a quick questionnaire in the Book Guide. You can then read some background info on the books as well as a short biography on the authors.

To browse the books simply hold the DS on its side for your virtual bookshelf, and use the stylus to browse either by title or author. This clever interface extends to reading the books, as you can tap at the bottom of the page to scroll to a designated page number, or at the end of a page to page over or page back. You can also drag the stylus (or your finger) across the screen to turn a page. The text size can be adjusted and the screens are nicely lit at night so a lack of light won’t be a hindrance. You can also use digital bookmarks to keep your place, and scribble additional notes and comments for yourself using the stylus. 

While the dual screen DS displays the books well enough, when reading for extended periods the small screens are a problem. Also, because of the limited screen size the virtual pages on the DS screens hold less text per page than a real book or eBook reader, requiring a lot more turning of pages.

The 100 Classic Book Collection supports Nintendo’s Wi-Fi connection, so you’ll be able to send a trail version of the software via WiFi to friends. This software is a good way to get kids reading and is handy while travelling.