Lionsgate & HIT Entertainment

I really like these discs that take an episode from each series and tie them together around one theme. For this particular offering, viewers get to see how Barney, Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Fifi and the Flowertots and Kipper all relate to color in their own unique ways.

Brilliant colors are the stars of this show, from rich reds to vibrant purples. Come along with Barney and find out how bright the sunshine is when colors dance in the air. Join Bob the Builder as he discovers rich cave paintings, and collect colorful items for a magic show with Thomas. Their adventures will show you the true colors of friendship and fun.

You can count on each episode to feature timeless tales of helping others, friendship and imagination. You will love this colorful collaboration!

Episodes include: Barney – Colors;Bob the Builder – Scrambler and the Colorful Cave; Thomas & Friends – Smoke and Mirrors; Fireman Sam – Seeing Red; Kipper – Rainbow Puddle. Fifi and the Flowerpots Blueberry Surprise is the DVD Special Feature.

Review copy provided by Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

Not So Tall For Six

Charlesbridge
Dianna Hutts Aston; Illustrated by Frank W. Dormer

Kylie Bell is the smallest student in first grade. Does this fact bother her? Not a bit. She looks at that particular measurement in her own unique way, choosing to describe herself as the "not-so-tallest" person in first grade.

It's no surprise that Kylie is itty bitty, as her entire family is vertically challenged. Their small stature is why their family motto has become "Brave and smart and big at heart." The Bells know that you don't have to claim a lot of inches to claim your place this world.


It is important that Kylie has such a positive attitude about herself because she sure is having a tough time at school with the new boy, Rusty Jacks. He teases her and taunts her all over the school, generally being a thorn in her side. Kylie needs to summon all her courage to face this big bully.

In the end, it is Rusty Jacks who finds himself needing a friend. When Ms. Shelts asks all the circle leaders who can find a spot in their reading group, not a single person will meet her eye. Rusty stands alone, unwelcome and embarrassed. It is Kylie who take two deep breaths, sets aside her scared feelings, and welcomes Rusty to her group. After giving him a chance, Kylie discovers that under his tough exterior, Rusty Jacks is actually a bit of a softie.


I think one of the cutest details of this book is the way it is written "western"style. The author uses phrases like "skedaddles faster than a spooked horse" and "skitter-dee-doos" while the reading groups boast names like Bison and Shetland Ponies. From the ten-gallon hats and kerchiefs right down to the cowboy boots, you can tell Texas has been written right into this story.


Not just fun illustrations and western twang, this book teaches a valuable lesson. Physical appearance, whether is height or weight, skin or eye color, is not the true measure of a person. Each person's character is defined by their personality, intelligence and heart. The size of Kylie's heart far outstretches her diminutive form and she overcomes her fear to befriend Rusty Jacks.

Thomas & Friends: Splish, Splash, Splosh!

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment

Thomas and his engine friends are having all sorts of fantastic adventures involving water. A brand new friend, purple and red engine Charlie, joins them in this dvd. The word on the track is that he's "the most fun engine ever!" You will also meet Driver Perkins, the brand new host, who helps out Sir Topham Hatt, all the engines and engineers.

Soak up adventure with Thomas and his engine friends as they travel around the Island of Sodor. This is brand new content, which has never been aired on television. Grab your galoshes and join the team as they prepare for rainy day visits and sudsy spills, and then get unstuck from a snowy situation in this collection of stories from the Island of Sodor.

Even when it’s wet outside you can still have plenty of fun, especially when you share your adventures with Thomas & Friends! These are great discs to share with your children as these trains are renowned for teaching timeless life lessons such as discovery, friendship and cooperation. Children will enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story.

The DVD includes the following episodes: Playtime; Splish Splash Splosh; Slippy Sodor; Snow Tracks. Bonus Features: Lift and Load Crane Game & Counting with Thomas Game

Erroll

Random House
Hannah Shaw

The front of this book clearly states "Warning: May contain squirrels ...!" so you may want to steer clear if you are harboring a secret squirrel phobia. There is no such explicit warning about the fabulous illustrations inside, but since this comes from the creative mind and talented hands of Hannah Shaw, you should already be expecting delightful things!

When Bob cracks open his package of Nutti Nutts, he is confronted by an orange nut-encrusted squirrel who pops right from the package. If that isn't surprising enough, he then discovers that is no ordinary squirrel, but a special talking squirrel named Erroll. Bob must be a laid back sort of kid, as he isn't terribly alarmed by the talking rodent. Instead, he calmly considers the situation, figures Erroll is probably hungry, and helpfully whips up some peanut butter sandwiches.


Erroll may command the power of speech, but he's still a wild animal! He wolfs down the sandwiches, covering himself head to tail with peanut butter, eschews a bath, and makes a disaster of the house. Unfortunately, this is where Bob's mother's finishes her gardening work and comes inside to discover the squirrel mess. She's not buying Bob's "mess-making talking squirrel" explanation until Errol chirps out a greeting.


Once Bob's mom recovers from the shock of a chatty squirrel, she packs the pair into the car to return Erroll to his natural habitat. Erroll's furry friends are delighted to be reunited with him, and eagerly listen to his adventures. Hopefully, they will all be more wary of nut picking machines. Back home, Bob prepares to eat a bowl of Chew Crunchy Monkey Munchy for breakfast. Oh, that tail peeking out from behind the box can't be good .....

I particularly like the illustration of Erroll wearing his seat belt in the car. Oh, and the little hand drawn orange squirrel drawing that Bob has hanging in the kitchen on the last page. Our kids loved Bob's schematic of Erroll's journey from forest to store, and the fast paced way he hopped about the living room. Okay, it turned out we loved so many bits and pieces of the illustrations that it would be impossible to list them all. And that's what a Hannah Shaw book is! Pure delight.

Check out her previous book, Sneaky Weasel, for more proof.

Shaun the Sheep: A Woolly Good Time

Lionsgate & HIT Entertainment

It’s another crazy ba-a-a-tch of adventures with Shaun and his flock. An international hit, Shaun the Sheep recently won an International Emmy Award for Children & Young People.

Just like the cake says - it's a woolly good time that you won't want to miss. A little pinch of zany and a big dash of fun is the perfect recipe for laughter as Shaun the Sheep and his barnyard buddies Bitzer, Shirley and Timmy (plus those pigs) inadvertently find more trouble.

Washday – When the Farmer leaves, the sheep have loads of fun playing with his newly washed clothes hung out to dry. The only question is will they be able to clean up the mess before he returns?

Tooth Fairy – Bitzer gets a terrible toothache and Shaun plays dentist hoping to help his friend and remove the painful tooth. After several creative (and hilarious) attempts at extraction it’s off to the vet for success! But will the Tooth Fairy still visit Bitzer?

The Farmer’s Niece – The Farmer’s naughty niece comes for a visit and Bitzer and the poor flock has to put up with her silly antics.

Snore-Worn Shaun – What can Shaun do to stop Shirley’s snoring? Nothing is working, so he and the flock decide to get her out of the barn with some unexpected results.

Helping Hound – Farmer and Bitzer are fed up with the naughty sheep and hope a robotic dog will keep them in line. But there’s mayhem in the meadow when he turns out to be stricter than Bitzer!

Big Top Timmy – The sheep awake to find Timmy gone! The search is on and he’s found at a nearby circus. Can Shaun and the fearless flock rescue him and return to the barn before the Farmer finds out?

While five minute shorts of the series currently air in the U.S. on the Disney Channel, fans can only find full length episodes on the DVDs. If you haven't already, check out this flock. You won't be disappointed!

Meet the Howlers!

Charlesbridge
April Pulley Sayre; Illustrated by Woody Miller

It seems that children's fiction books heavily outweigh the supply of non-fiction. Thus, I'm always happy to discover some good factual reading material presented at a level that children can enjoy. A big thanks to April Pulley Sayre, who has written more than 55 natural history books for children and adults. With her most recent offering, we get the opportunity to learn about howler monkeys.


This book serves a dual purpose, with two distinct sections on each page. The larger font provides a bit of a fictional story about a family of howler monkeys. The smaller font is the non-fictional section that gives factual information on this group of fascinating primates. And truly, there is a wide range of information provided - funny,


The biggest piece of information, and most obvious fact, about howler monkeys is ... they howl. But did you know they can also bark, woof and grunt? The monkeys use the various calls to communicate with the other members in their group. Appropriately named, their howls can be heard a mile away. The screeching can be scary to other animals, but they are actually peaceful animals. They may look as if they are angry and scowling, but that's just the way their faces are designed.


This book was inspired by the author's observations of howler monkeys in Panama. It is obvious that she has taken an interest that is near and dear to her heart and tried to make it appealing to children. I love how she approaches this by combining fact with fiction. It's like we are getting the best of both worlds! The result is a fun story created by some interesting observations. This is the very best way to learn - a fun format paired with beautiful illustrations.

The only down side (and I'm sure you saw this coming) is the distinct possibility that your children will imitate howler monkeys around the house. Hey, learning has its price.