It may take you a while to understand exactly what this gift does — it did for us. But once we got a “grasp” on it, we realized this pen does wonders! Brought to you by LeapFrog, the company that makes LeapPads and Leapsters for younger children, the Fly Fusion Pentop Computer is an electronic pen with a brain (built-in computer) that’s targeted to kids ages 8-12. The Fly is a fat pen with a tiny optical scanner near the point. As you draw words, numbers, or pictures, the pen responds. For example, you can draw a calculator and tap the numbers to help figure out math homework. You can also play games, learn geography, translate words from another language, and make music (by drawing keyboards or drums). It’s just like a computer, but the mechanisms are a pen and paper, instead of a keyboard and screen. To hear a menu of options, kids draw an “M” with a circle around it on the special dot-matrix FLYpaper. They then tap their drawing with the Fly Pen, and wait for the voice to recite menu options, including scheduler, calculator, time, notepad, settings, and games. To select an option, they print a check mark to the right of the “M,” and the computer announces their selection and options. Wow! You can also purchase the Fly Through Math (multiplication and division for grades 4-6), Spelling and Algebra software cartridges separately — programs that literally coach kids through homework. And you can also purchase really fun games, like Totally Stumped, a trivia game that won the 2006 Parents’ Choice Gold Award. This introductory kit comes with the FLY Pentop Computer, earbuds (tiny headset), carrying case, FLY Launch Pad Guide, charging dock, rechargeable battery, AC adapter, 17 games, 35 FLYpaper pages, 3 interactive FLY-FX cards, interactive map, 1 silver face plate, and 1 AAA battery. Additional paper, accessories, and interactive learning and game cartridges (already mentioned) are sold separately. Winner of many awards from both toy and technology experts. This pen is sure to impress kids and adults alike!