Big Brown Bear Stories, by David McPhail

Nutmeg Media. Big Brown Bear Stories. Nutmeg Media, 2007. 1 videodisc, 24 minutes. Price unknown, ISBN 1933938323

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE 
Film

REVIEW

This delightful DVD is a film version (still images of the pages) of three picture books about good friends Bear and Rat.  The first of these books is Big Brown Bear's Up and Down Day, in which the two meet and become friends as a result of Rat’s attempt to steal Bear’s slipper to use as a bed. In the second book, Big Brown Bear Goes to Town, Bear and Rat find a creative solution to the issue of preventing Rat’s car from filling with rain.  The third book is Big Brown Bear’s Birthday Surprise, in which Rat organizes a surprise birthday picnic for Bear.  The warm and sweet ink and watercolor illustrations transfer well to the screen.  The DVD also includes McPhail’s discussion of how he became a children's books author and other topics. These humorous stories which focus on friendship, creative problem-solving, and forgiveness make for a wonderful DVD which is highly recommended for 3 and 4 year olds. Although the film is a collection of still images, it is not at all stilted.  Actually, this format, in which different sections of each page are focused on separately, highlights aspects that one may have missed when reading the books.

Go Potty Go!: For Boys and Girls, by Mazzarella Media

Mazzarell Media. Go Potty Go!: For Boys and Girls. Mazzarella Media, 2007. 20 minutes. Price unknown, ISBN 1934119377  

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Nonfiction DVD (Potty Training) 

REVIEW

This DVD is concerned with teaching toddlers how to use the potty.  Animated characters Paige and Parker Panda introduce various topics related to using the potty, such as reducing fear of the potty, self-esteem concerns, self-hygiene. Other characters such as elephants, giraffes, and penguins are also included.  Two especially important pieces of information communicated to toddlers are that everyone goes to the bathroom, and how we know when we need to go to the bathroom.  It is possible to view the entire DVD or simply watch the music videos.  This DVD is recommended for 2 year-olds for the entertaining yet soothing, no-pressure way in which potty topics are addressed.

PEEP and the Big Wide World video shorts, WGBH Educational Foundation

WGBH Educational Foundation. PEEP and the Big Wide World video shorts. WGBH, 2010. 10 minutes each. http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/videos

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year olds

GENRE
Film

REVIEW
These video shorts, available on the PEEP and the Big Wide World Web site, present science concepts through the day-to-day adventures of a small yellow bird named Peep, and his friends Chirp and Quack. In the short “The Real Decoy”, for example, Quack and Peep find something which they think is a living duck which is simply not moving. Their belief about the "duck" can be considered a hypothesis, which they go about testing by trying to get the duck to eat, drink, paddle on water, etc. Through use of their observational skills, they gradually accumulate information about this duck that begins to suggest that it is inanimate. Much of the success of the PEEP shorts results from the facts that they are not didactic in tone at all and are also often laugh-out-loud funny due to Quack's huge ego.  Additional strengths include their focus on friendship, helpfulness, kindness, and of course, determination in the pursuit of answers to questions. The shorts do not always clearly explain all science concepts, but they are only meant to be an introduction after all. With their uncomplicated plot lines and clear and bold animation, the PEEP shorts are appropriate for preschoolers.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Full screen versions of the shorts could be shown as part of a science day at the library.  Stations where children could test some of the science concepts shown in the shorts could be set up.