Genius Products // 2007 // 105 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge David Johnson // February 21st, 2008
Learn important social lessons from talking animals.
From the Discover Kids vault comes a selection of shows primed to engage your preschoolers in simple concepts. Each show is tailored toward a specific developmental area: emotional advancement, literacy and problem solving.
* "Paz"
Paz the penguin stars in episodes introducing young
children to concepts involving emotional intelligence. First up, in
"Frisbee Dog" he and his pals Pig and Dog play with some Frisbees and
learn important lessons about practice and not feeling ashamed of failure and
leaning on friends to give support. Next, in "Red Scooter" Paz is
excited about growing tall and getting his chance at riding his dad's red
scooter all by himself but will eventually learn about patience and preparation.
Finally, in "The Great Race" Paz challenges a smart-ass frog to a race
and teaches the little amphibian about being "sure and steady" and
working hard.
* "Wilbur"
Wilbur is a calf and his charge is to encourage
preschoolers in their embryonic literacy skills. He and his barnyard friends all
work together to keep the reading train rolling. In "The Wright
Stuff," Wilbur takes his interest in flying and opens a book about the
Wright Brothers. Then, in "Libby's Apples," Wilbur helps Libby pick
apples and when Libby wants to learn how to count to three, it's time to read a
book about the wonderful, mystical world of integers!
* "The Save-Ums"
The Save-Ums are computer-generated
creatures of unknown classification that help fellow organisms with their
problems by using brainpower and ingenuity. At their headquarters, those in need
fire off an emergency call summoning the Save-Ums. "Untangle That
Octopus" prompts the Save-Ums to deploy their submersible watercraft to
untangle their octopus friend from the mess of knots she created with her
shoelaces. Obviously, that means using giant robot hands. "Operation
Seesaw" has the Save-Ums helping some Spanish-speaking ants that are stuck
on a seesaw. A valuable lesson on the introductory concept of balance
ensues.
This is a nice arrangement of preschool-oriented programming. The animation and/or puppetry is charming and attractive and the stories are short and fun. The disc comes with an extensive booklet detailing the concepts touched upon and games, activities and other resources are also included. Bonus materials include three bonus episodes, five music videos and some tips for parents. Add to that the Paz finger puppet that comes with the package and you're looking at a winner.
Review content copyright © 2008 David Johnson; Site layout and review format copyright © 1998 - 2013 HipClick Designs LLC
Scales of Justice
Judgment: 90
Perp Profile
Studio: Genius Products
Video Formats:
* Full Frame
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)
Subtitles:
* None
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Release Year: 2007
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distinguishing Marks
* Bonus Shows
* Music Videos
* Parenting Tips
Accomplices
* Official Site
http://kids.discovery.com/fansites/readysetlearn/readysetlearn.html