Oct. 6--NOT JUST FOR KIDS -- Disney is making a loud move into the world of online reading. Last week, the mouse house launched DisneyDigitalBooks.com, a site with over 500 titles ranging from "Winnie the Pooh" and "Cars" to "Hannah Montana" and "High School Musical."

How does it work? The site uses browser-based technology, so almost anyone can use it easily. It requires no download, and the system requirements are low enough that most households with a PC or Mac less than five years old should have no trouble using it.

How much does it cost? Parents and up to three kids sign up for a family subscription at $8.95 a month or $79.95 a year. That gives them access to books at three levels: picture books, story books and chapter books. There is a free trial with seven titles at various levels, including two interactive books. For grandparents and other relatives who don't use the web, gift cards will be available for subscriptions at various retail outlets.

Why is it different from paper books? There are some innovative approaches employed to get kids reading. They can simply read the book, turning the pages with a mouse click. They can use the "Look and Listen" feature to have the book read to them aloud, complete with voices and sound effects. Or, they can use the "Story Builder" to choose from a preselected list of words to fill in

the plot, then drag pictures onto a background on each page and save the book for later. Included with every book is an interactive dictionary, where kids can click any word on the page to bring up an audio pronunciation and age appropriate definition. There is also a trivia feature that can be toggled on or off, which periodically asks questions about the story to test comprehension and just generally see if you're paying attention.

Who is it for? The site is aimed at kids 3-12, and while there are no plans to expand it to mobile devices or e-readers like Amazon's Kindle, Disney says they may do so in the future if the ability to display illustrations improves. (There are picture-free tween and teen-focused Disney titles available on Kindle already.)

Is it safe for kids? Parents concerned about security and privacy should be reassured that all interaction with others on the site is controlled. Kids can set up their own pages but essentially the only information they can share is a list of books they like. The site is designed for kids to use it alone or with their parents, and adults can check up to see what their children have been reading online.

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