Web smarts

www.bookadventure.org

WHAT: Students in grades K-8 can win prizes for reading books.

BEST POINTS: Book Adventure is a free, nonprofit, online reading program designed to encourage children to read more often, for longer periods of time, and with greater understanding. The site enables parents and educators to track a child's independent-reading progress and select literature appropriate for every grade level.

With the help of Rex Reader and Bailey Bookmark, kids have access to more than 3,000 of the most popular and acclaimed children's titles, which they are quizzed on after reading. Points that readers score on quizzes can be used to earn prizes. The top prizes are a family trip to Washington, D.C., or a $500 gift certificate toward the purchase of a computer or a bike and helmet.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The one wrinkle is that children must pass a quiz (untimed) on the content of their book before they can collect their prizes. Parents, children, and educators must register and have e-mail access to use the site. Book Adventure was developed last year by the Sylvan Learning Foundation, an educational organization based in Baltimore.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society