Barney & Friends: Egg-Cellent Adventures

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment

Could you jam a great big purple dinosaur into your Easter basket this year? Maybe a slightly smaller green or yellow dinosaur? Every year I am faced with the same dilemma - should I fill the baskets up with cheap candy or try to find seasonal items that won't rot their teeth without cluttering up the house? This DVD is the perfect solution for the younger set. At $14.98, it won't break the bank and is certain to provide more hours of enjoyment than a bag of speckled chocolate eggs. Well, better for kids anyway - just set those eggs aside for yourself as a pat on the back for being such a clever basket filler.

Even if moms and dads aren't the Barney biggest fans, they can always trust him to deliver a wholesome message. The big guy always comes through with a dancing and singing display that puts sharing and caring at the forefront of every episode. Did you know that this Emmy award-winning series (I didn't!) is one of the top-rated preschool shows today?

You know, I'm not a huge Barney fan, but I will admit he does teach valuable lessons. I don't have a clue what it is about his demeanor that makes the kids flock to him so eagerly, but he's onto something there. Make Easter "super-dee-duper" by giving your chidlren an Easter spectacular that includes Mother Goose, a nest full of eggs, and a mysterious, carrot-eating visitor.

Episodes include: Rabbits, Mother Goose, Ducks and Fish. DVD special features: Barney’s Easter Egg Hunt, Gumdrops Matching Game.

Review copy provided by Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

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.

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

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!

Holiday Gift Sets

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment

It’s big-time holiday fun with everyone's favorite preschool friends Barney, Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends in special holiday collections of DVD 3-packs. Perfect for gift-giving, young carolers can sing-along to seasonal favorites and enjoy winter-time fun with the Barney Tee-Riffic Holiday Collection Gift Set. Join Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew in action-packed winter adventures that show you “having fun is in getting it done” during the holidays in the Bob the Builder: Building Crew Holiday Collection Gift Set. Travel down the tracks for cheery holiday adventures, daring rescues and heart-warming life lessons in the Thomas & Friends: Sodor Friends Holiday Collection Gift Set.

Thomas & Friends Sodor Friends Holiday Collection: There’s fun around every turn in these joyful wintertime adventures! Catch the holiday spirit as Thomas & Friends prepare for the grand opening of the Toy Workshop. Laugh and play along as Percy tries to fool his friends into believing he’s Jack Frost. And hold on tight for some of Thomas’ most thrilling races and rescues in this heartwarming holiday collection.

Barney Tee-Riffic Holiday Collection: Bundle up with your best friend Barney for this special collection of wintertime favorites! Take a musical journey to the North Pole with Barney, BJ, and Baby Bop in Night Before Christmas.” Sing along to your favorite Barney tunes in the fun-filled game show, “Can You Sing That Song?” And join Barney, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends and more for the magic of “Winter Wonderland” in this magical holiday gift set!

Bob the Builder Building Crew Holiday Collection: Just in time for the holidays, discover why “the fun is in getting it done” in these action-packed, fun-filled adventures! Join Bob and the Can-Do Crew as they rescue their friend from a winter storm in “Bob’s White Christmas.” Then it’s time to build a log cabin and smooth the ice rink for the Winter Games. Finally, come along as Bob and Scoop hunt for buried treasure -- and make some amazing discoveries -- in this one-of-a-kind collection that's the perfect holiday treat for Bob the Builder fans.

Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment

I love the full-length movies from Thomas & Friends. They offer so much more of an depth plot than the shorter videos can. The prior release, The Great Discovery, was excellent and this one follows that same path. The biggest addition here is the brand-new CGI-animation, which marks the debut of individual character voices for the engines.

Thomas and his friends have the unpleasant experience of meeting a new engine named Spencer. He's faster than the others and teases them unmercifully. While engaging in a race with Spencer, Thomas accidentally runs off the track and discovers an old, abandoned engine named Hiro. Thomas learns that Hiro was once known as "Master of the Railway" but was forgotten once he grew old and needed extensive repairs.

Thomas pledges to help Hiro again become a really useful engine. He works hard at finding extra parts and implores the other cars for help. Just as they are getting the final part, Spencer discovers their secret. As Hiro struggles to escape from Spencer, his parts come flying off and he is forced to come to a stop. Spencer is elated and tells Thomas that the engine is bound to be scrapped.

In fact, when Thomas comes clean to Sir Topham Hat, he isn't cross at all. He exclaims that Hiro is a very famous engine and should be brought to Steamworks at once so he may be repaired! Thomas heads over to Hiro to tell him the wonderful news, and the two engines are overjoyed.

When Hiro is completed, all of the engines are amazed at how wonderful he looks! He may look good, but he doesn't feel so great. Hiro confesses that he has been feeling terribly homesick. Sir Topham Hatt arranges for him to return to his homeland and Thomas promises him that he will always have a home on the Island on the Sodor, should he wish to return.

This movie is packed with tales of friendship, determination and teamwork. The engines have their share of disagreement, but they always work together to do the right thing. The brand new style of animation breathes new life into the trains, and the new voices give each train more personality. Another great full length movie from Thomas that you won't want to miss!

Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

The mute, yet impossibly funny flock is back. Of course, these sheep are clever. Of course, they are also sneaky and a little bit weird. Add those characters to a wristwatch wearing, coffee drinking dog and you can't miss, right?

Little Shop of Horrors - While the Farmer is watching a horror movie, he doesn't realize the whole flock is peeping through his window. After he goes to bed, the littlest sheep, Timmy, slips into his recliner and helps himself to the leftover pizza. Havoc ensues as Shaun organizes a rescue mission.

Sheep Walking - Shaun has developed a troublesome nighttime habit - walking around the farm while fast asleep. Of course, the Flock's natural instinct is to follow, which leads to trouble and hilarity.

Abracadabra - When the Farmer decides to throw out his magic set, Shawn scoops it up to put on a show of his own. Things get out of hand when members of the Flock start disappearing.

Things That Go Bump - It was a dark and stormy night and the Flock could not sleep. Something out there was making a racket and it's up to Shaun to find the culprits.

Heavy Metal Shawn - The Farmer inspects the lawn with a metal detector. When Shawn and Bitzer try it, they discover a metallic threat behind a hedge.

Troublesome Tractor - The Farmer's tractor is not running well and seems destined for the scrap heap. The sheep do him a favor and give it a complete makeover.

I think Shaun the Sheep videos are a little bit different from the rest of animated programming. They are silent but very expressive, and they have that great humor. While five minute shorts currently air on the Disney Channel, full length episodes are only available on DVD. Join Shaun as he leads his fearless flock through six new adventures that mix the spooky, the kooky, and the just plain funny.

Trick or Treat Tales

Lionsgate & HIT Entertainment

These compilations they put together for each holiday are such a clever idea! It's so neat to get the all the best shows centered around a specific theme. And what better to watch than some spooky tales for Halloween?

In Flour Power, Sir Topham Hatt asks Thomas to go on a midnight Halloween run to the mill to bring back flour for the bakery. On the way, Thomas decides to cover himself with flour to make himself look like a ghost. Does him prank go awry?

In Trix’s Pumpkin Pie, Trix the Forklift has offered to help Bob transport lumber for the new school jungle gym and help haul two huge pumpkins to the pizza parlor. But Trix can't be in two places at the same time, and she decides to ask Spud for help. Uh, oh, we all know how Spud can be. Thankfully, Bob the Builder comes through to help his friend.

Enjoy these, plus Guess Who from Barney and Friends, Fifi and the Flowerpots in Pirate Primrose and Angelina Ballerina in The Costume Ball. The bonus episode is Cat Magic, where Fireman Sam saves a furry friend from a chilling experience. Get ready for the season with this sweet and scary collection of Trick or Treat Tales!

Bob the Builder: Call in the Crew

Lionsgate & HIT Entertainment
$14.98

This is another one of those DVDs that contains that magical phrase "featuring never before seen episodes." Not only that, but this also includes a bonus collectible toy vehicle, tucked in right at the top. These are really sturdy little toys, with full metal bodies and moving parts. I would be very surprised if kids weren't clamoring for more to add to their collections.

Watch as Bob and his crew build a house, open a new cafe, fix an old gate and help a family of ducks. Parents know their children are learning about teamwork, positive thinking and problem solving when they watch Bob and his Can-Do Crew.

Inside the package, you will find a coupon for a free child's admission to Legoland (California or Chicago) with the purchase of an adult's admission. This offer expires 12/31/10.

Five episodes: Massive Muck, Roley's Moleys, Scoop Slips Up, Scrambler's Seaweed Delivery and Muck's Convoy

Special features: Lofty the Painter game and Skip's Chute Rescue game

Fireman Sam: Help is Here

Lionsgate & HIT Entertainment
$14.98

Fireman Sam has gone all CGI on us! Following in the footsteps of Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam is trying out the new technology and we're loving his fresh new look.

Join Fireman Sam, Norman, Mandy and Radar in all new adventures from the pleasant Welsh village of Pontypandy. Just typical days in the life of a firefighter, but very exciting for small viewers. Fireman Sam is a pillar of the community and the hero of every rescue, saving the supermarket on Fire Prevention Day and making a daring helicopter rescue in the midst of a forest fire. He also helps rescue dogs find missing people, and shares important safety tips with village people. Fireman Sam somehow finds the time to do it all!

It's amazing to me that Fireman Sam is the only children's firefighter-themed show. I guess when you have a program as entertaining as this one, who needs anything else? Originally launched in the UK before making it's way to the US, this continues to thrill children on a daily basis. And now even better with the new CGI format!

Episodes: Paper Plane Down, Hot & Cold Running Sniffer Dog, Hearts on Fire, Perilous Path and The New Hero Next Door.

Thomas & Friends: Percy and the Bandstand

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

Introducing four new stories of adventure and celebration staring Thomas and his friends! Best of all, this disc contains never before televised content that can only be seen on this DVD. We all love that kind!

Get ready for a party with freightloads of fun! We ride along with Thomas to a special birthday party, a hot air balloon ride and a special surprise at the bandstand. The host is Mr. Arkwright, who engages the viewers with interactive dialogue and plenty of fun.

It's all here - excitement, adventure and valuable teachings. Thomas & Friends are always careful to teach timeless life lessons that parents will appreciate. Children worldwide are infatuated by these trains that convey terrific attributes of friendship and cooperation.

Episodes include Toby's Special Surprise, Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon, The Man in the Hills and Percy and the Bandstand. DVD special features: Songs of Sodor game and three read-alongs.

Barney: Book Fair

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

This really is the best of both worlds! Instead of the usual plastic case, this Barney DVD is tucked just inside a nice hardback story book. We all know how wonderful and important it is to read to your children. What better way to get them on board with a new book than with some of their beloved characters?

Barney and his friends are holding a book drive in the park. Each time they crack open a book, it begins a new story on the DVD. Their imaginations soar and lead them to put on a fantastic circus and build a make-believe rocket. They are even inspired to create their very own books!


The book is a custom reprint of Barney's storybook Count to 10. Barney and friends visit Professor Tinkerputt at the toy factory for some number fun. Children will enjoy counting the toys with Barney, from one toy elephant to ten blocks.


Children have adored Barney for over twenty years, with good reason. The characters and show promote sharing, caring, and the importance of using your imagination. Even today, Barney and Friends continues to be one of the top-rated preschool programs on television. The book/DVD combo is a great idea and would be make an excellent gift for any young Barney fan.

Bob the Builder: Built for Fun

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

Your budding builders will learn about the values of teamwork, positive thinking and lending a helping hand with Bob and the Can-Do Crew. Bob always equips his crew with the necessary tools to get the job done right while having fun in the process. Can they build it? We know they can!

This disc contains five great episodes where the crew builds a radio station complete with a sky-high broadcast tower, plays skidsies with Roley and Muck, designs greenhouses out of recycled material and much more. Alongside Bob, Scoop, Benny and the rest of the team, kids see that they can accomplish anything with a Can-Do attitude.

Plus, right on top of this box is a bonus collectible toy vehicle. Kids will love this little extra that comes along with all of the usual crew fun.

Episodes: Radio Bob, Super Slasher, Roley Brings the House, Scrambler Gets Prepared
Special features: Build with Bob The Game; Building Buddies Read-Along

DVD Lunch Box Series

Lionsgate
$19.98

How cool are these? Soft sided lunchboxes created expressly for the preschool set. Choose from Bob the Builder, Barney, Thomas & Friends or Care Bears to make your little one's lunch time a lot more fun. Each one is insulated, easy to clean, and just the right size for a tot-sized lunch.

The lunchboxes themselves are pretty neat, but more so is the fact that each ones comes stocked with three DVDs featuring episodes from that particular series.

Bob the Builder Lunch Box contains The Big Game - Bob and his machine team are ready to play! Prepping for the big soccer match, a line-marking machine suddenly runs amok. Can the Can-Do Crew fix it in time for the opening whistle? Celebrate With Bob - Looks like Bob is in for a busy, busy day! There’s a dance contest, a surprise birthday party, a really messy office and a broken computer, but it’s all in a day’s work for our favorite Can-Do builder. Can We Fix It? - It’s harvest time and there’s plenty to do: Farmer Pickle’s barn is about to collapse and needs repair before the impending rainstorm, Travis gets stuck in the mud, a golf course needs constructing and Bob builds himself right into a windmill!

Thomas & Friends Lunch Box contains: Tales from the Tracks - Ride the rails to adventure as Thomas and his engine friends attend a birthday picnic, discover a ghost engine and learn the legend of a very special lamp. Best of Percy - Learn more about the junior member of the railway, a faithful friend of Thomas’ from the very beginning, and celebrate all of the special traits and qualities that make Percy a fan favorite. Races, Rescues & Runaways - You’ll find that life on the Island of Sodor is never boring, especially when the engines get into trouble. But no worries, as friends are always there to lend a helping hand for each other.

Barney Lunch Box contains Adventure Bus - Hop aboard and get ready for the ride of your life as bus driver Barney takes you to some of the gang’s favorite imaginary destinations, including a castle, a pizzeria, a circus and the Old West! Imagination Island - A storybook adventure comes to life when Tosha and Min discover that their wish to sail to a magical island is possible with help from Barney and his friends. Everyone is Special - Join Barney and his friends for a dino-mite day in the park as they celebrate all the things that make them, and you, special!

The Care Bears Lunch Box contains Journey to Joke-a-Lot - Follow Funshine Bear, who, frustrated by too many jokes gone wrong, travels to faraway Joke-a-lot where the community of kooky characters quickly crowns him King. His fellow Care Bears leave the comforts of Care-a-lot behind and embark on a quest to coax their friend to return home. The Gift of Caring - In seven heartwarming episodes, the Care Bears tumble through birthday parties, reunite with long-lost friends and even search for a valley of gold! They are wrapping up some fun they can't wait to share with you! Fitness Fun On Your Mark...Get Set...Go Have Fun! Join in active adventures that teach everyone how to be a good sport. In five fun-filled episodes, the Care Bears and their Cousins share lessons in friendship, fair play and fitness. The whole family will love getting into the game!

Sing & Dance with Barney

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

It's Barney's party and he'll dance if he wants to! And since he's having such a good time onscreen, it's a safe bet that his viewers will hop up and dance with him! The songs are fun and the beat is catchy, which means kids will be unable to resist joining this very special sing along party.

This disc is filled with 55 minutes of a sing and dance free for all. Songs include old favorites such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, If You're Happy and You Know It and You Can Count on Me. In addition to the songs, Barney and his friends travel off site on some fun adventures - a farm, a campsite in the woods and a storybook land.

There's a reason Barney has been around for twenty plus years. Kids love him and parents appreciate his values of promoting sharing, caring and learning. In addition to the DVD, there is also a musical CD included, which contains five of the best songs. The DVD special features are an interactive matching game, Catch up with the Barney Reunion Cast and Barney Boogie Music Video.

Thomas & Friends: Hop on Board Songs and Stories

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

This isn't your regular garden variety Thomas & Friends. This disc offers two classic Thomas & Friends stories and seven sing-a-long renditions! Also included is a bonus musical CD, so the kids can jam to their favorite Thomas tunes on their own.

Each sing-along song on the DVD features the lyrics on the screen, complete with bouncing steam cloud to keep the beat. When Thomas and his friends are hard at work, they enjoy listening to music and love to sing-along. Now you can offer the same experience to your children (minus the hard work). Kids will love being able to participate as the trains belt out their favorites.


The two traditional episodes are Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Bulldog. Then get ready to sing-along to the Thomas’ Anthem, It's Great to Be an Engine, Gone Fishing, Let's Have a Race, Toby, The Island Song and He’s a Really Useful Engine. The accompanying music CD includes the last five songs.

The Thomas & Friends animated series is focused on teaching timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation. Children are invited to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Get on board and start singing!

Bob the Builder: Truck Teamwork

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

Well, Bob has really upped the ante! With his newest DVD comes ... a neat toy truck tucked right in on top. This is pretty darn good thinking - offer the onscreen fun of his crew paired with a physical collectible to enjoy later.

This disc includes five episodes that have never been aired on television before. If you're like me, the discs with this content are truly the most valuable. There's nothing more disappointing than popping in a new DVD, only to be met with"Oh, I've already seen this one." Not here. This is fresh content, guaranteed to buy you 57 minutes of quiet time.


The adventures here have Bob and his Can-Do Crew dipping their hands (and wheels) into all sorts of new activities. They work on constructing an entire ice cream parlor (complete with traditional giant ice cream cone on top) and an exercise park at Bobland Bay. Scoop, Muck, Gripper, Grabber, Bristle Flex and Tumbler find that working together, they can get nearly any job done!

Episodes: Scoop's Best Team Ever, Go Mr. Bentley Go, Packer's Trailer Trouble, Muck's Machine Wash, Breezy Bristle

Shaun the Sheep: Sheep on the Loose

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment
$14.98

We loved Off the Baa! and laughed ourselves silly at Back in the Ba-a-th, so imagine our delight when we found out Shawn is back with a whole new set of escapades! Shawn and his adventurous flock are getting in all sorts of trouble, leaving the Farmer and Blitzer in a tangle, as usual.

The sheep are engaged in all sorts of fun activities, from attending the county fair to organizing a big dance in the barn. They have the ability to inject humor and mischief into the dullest of activities. Cleaning the sheep field and handling chores around the barn are suddenly FUN with Shaun and his crew.

The Oscar winning creators of Wallace and Gromit have created a masterpiece of mayhem with Shaun and his followers. The characters don't need to talk to be downright hilarious. Join the fun on the farmyard with this newest collection of sheep-tacular six episodes.





Sheep On the Loose - When the flock attends the local fun fair, it is up to Shaun and Shirley to convince the Farmer that they are actually just out to pasture.

Saturday Night Shaun - Shaun finds the Farmer’s old record player in the dump and organizes a rave in the barn, but trouble attends in form of those Naughty Pigs.

Tidy Up - Farmer orders Bitzer to clean up the sheep field, but then he makes the mistake of asking Shaun and flock to assist.

Shaun the Farmer - When the Farmer is sick, Shaun takes over handling the daily farm chores, with typical disastrous results.

Camping Chaos - An unfriendly camper sets up his tent in the sheep's field. When he goes off exploring, Shaun and the flock decide to do some exploring of their own.

You Can't Stand the Heat - The flock is desperate to cool down on a particularly hot day. Standing in the way of the Sheep Dip is a sun-bathing Farmer!

The special features are particularly interesting on this disc:

Building a Pig - chief model maker Harriet Thomas demonstrates the process of making a naughty pig out of plasticine.

The Mini-Making of Shaun - a behind-the-scenes look at how the series is animated and produced. We get to see episode clips, character models and model makers.

Thomas & Friends: High Speed Adventures

HIT Entertainment
$14.98

I think you just can't go wrong with Thomas & Friends. The programs always contain positive messages, they are wholesome in nature and yet still exciting enough for children to enjoy. There are always great lessons in that the characters make the same types of mistakes that everyone is prone to make. We see the consequences from being in a hurry or just plain fooling around, becoming jealous of others or lying to cover up mistakes.

These episodes feature the new CG animation, which means better facial expressions for the trains and townspeople. As always, the same great life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation are most certainly included.

In Thomas and the Billboard, Thomas becomes upset when he is inadvertently excluded from a photo taken of all the trains. Although it was a genuine mistake by the photographer, Thomas heatedly blames another train, which causes a whole new set of problems.

Steady Eddie refers to Edward, one of the older and most reliable trains. Because of his reputation, Steady Eddie is given the special job of delivering valuable cargo. He feels proud of his status and takes an alternate route where more people can admire him, instead of taking the directed path and gets himself into hot water.

Rosie’s Carnival Special: Rosie is specially requested by Sir Topham Hatt to be one of two trains to transport the Carnival Special. Rosie is greedy and wants to do it alone, which causes an accident. She realizes that working together as a team can be very rewarding.

These are three of the six episodes on the disc. Also included are Mountain Marvel, Henry Gets it Wrong and Don't Go Back. Each one has its own valuable lesson which kids will benefit from, and plenty of action in the train yard they will enjoy.

Run time: 46 minutes

Bedtime for Frances

Hit Entertainment & The Jim Henson Company
$14.98

The Frances books by Russell Hoban are classics that many of us remember from our childhood. I have them now for my kids, but they aren't nearly as fascinated by them as I was at that age. That may be due to the stripped down style of the simple illustrations, which children today may find a bit outdated.

This DVD pumps color and life into Frances and her family! The Jim Henson Digital Puppetry Studio uses their technology to puppeteer and voice digitally animated characters in real time. It's the badgers we love from the original series, enhanced by brilliant colors and non-stop motion. Best of all, the disc is tucked inside a custom-made hardback edition of Bedtime for Frances, making for a great little gift package. In addition to an interactive read-a-long of the book, the disc also contains three new animated adventures.

A Whiny Sister For Frances: Family Day is announced as a trip to Lizard Land, Frances falls asleep in her lizard hat dreaming of the big day. In contrast, her parents are up all night attending to her sick sister: drinks, vaporizer ... bucket. The next morning, Frances is furious to find the trip postponed because Gloria has the flu. Initially unsympathetic, Frances mulls it over in her thinking spot under the dining room table. She realizes they can still have a great family day if she pitches in to help Gloria.

A Cupcake for Frances: Our star is super excited about hosting the piano recital at her house. Instead of practicing, she focuses on getting the cupcakes decorated just right while Albert works on his piece. Jealous of his diligence, Frances eats his cupcakes and lies about it to her parents. After visiting her thinking spot, she realizes the right thing to do is to come clean, giving Albert eat her cupcake.

These episodes contain great messages for kids about the right thing to do, or reinforce daily behavior like proper teeth brushing and getting to bed on time. The animation is enjoyable, with enjoyable characters as well as surroundings (love all the house details). Frances regularly breaks into a short song about her predicaments, which are catchy and original. The only down side is Gloria's voice, which is overly cutesy childlike and nerve-grating. Luckily, she doesn't do a lot of talking.

Overall, we liked this very much. Leave it to The Jim Henson Company to do a wonderful job adapting a classic children's book to make it appealing to a whole new audience. We are most impressed by what a great deal the packaging is. Getting a hardback book in lieu of a plastic case - can't beat that! But even better is the fact that I can enjoy a much loved story from my childhood in a brand new way.