All Rise...

The "Giggle, Giggle" you hear is coming from Judge Bryan Pope.

The Charge

"The wide world is so much wider than I thought it was."

The Case

I think it was "The Far Side" creator Gary Larson who once described cows as inherently funny creatures. After chuckling my way through Giggle, Giggle, Quack…and More Funny Favorites, not only am I inclined to agree, but I'd like to add to that list chickens, pigs, a freewheeling frog, a cat with wanderlust, and one particularly mischievous duck. This barnyard menagerie is trotted out in the following animated shorts guaranteed to delight you and your child:

• "Giggle, Giggle, Quack."
When Farmer Brown takes a vacation, the farm animals, under the leadership of an exceptionally crafty duck, conspire to enjoy a little vacation of their own. Aided by country crooner Randy Travis's surprisingly effective reading, this faithful adaptation of Doreen Cronin's and Betsy Lewin's classic children's book is a light, fun look at what really goes on behind closed barn doors when nobody's looking. Small wonder this cast of critters spawned a sequel.

• "The Most Wonderful Egg in the World."
By Helme Heine. Of all the chickens, Dotty has the most beautiful feathers, Stalky has the most beautiful legs, and Plumy has the most beautiful crest. But only one chicken will be crowned princess by the King, and that's the chicken who lays the world's most wonderful egg. Helme Heine's story, accompanied by simple and colorful character design, is a joyful celebration of being unique.

• "Wings: A Tale of Two Chickens."
Winnie, the most naïve chicken the world has ever known, unwittingly goes for a balloon ride with a scheming (not to mention, hungry) fox. It's up to Winnie's friend, the sensible and resourceful Harriet, to come to the rescue. James Marshall's adventure about friendship, heroism, and poultry will have your child cheering.

• "The Foolish Frog."
This folk song from Pete and Charles Seeger, with illustrations by Miloslav Jagr, is complete and utter nonsense of the very best kind. A flip-happy bullfrog sets into motion a string of events that escalates to the silliest heights imaginable.

The package lists the following stories as extras, but they're equal to the other four in both quality and length:

• "Picnic."
Based on a story by Emily Arnold McCully, "Picnic" follows the adventures of a baby mouse that gets lost on the way to the big family picnic. Free of dialogue, "Picnic" relies entirely on McCully's perfect, exquisite drawings to tell a story that is sweet, funny, and even a touch heartbreaking.

• "The Three-Legged Cat."
Tom the Tabby's urge to travel is exceeded only by his fondness for napping, and that suits his owner, Mrs. Gimble, just fine. But when Mrs. Gimble's worldly brother Cyril turns up for a visit, Tom's life takes a surprising turn. Margaret Mahy's story about two strangers benefiting from each other's company in unexpected ways is the final gem in a wonderful collection.

Don't be surprised if, after watching this collection, your little one insists on a trip to the library to check out the Scholastic books on which these stories are based. In the meantime, be prepared to do some giggling of your own.

Giggle, Giggle, Quack…and More Funny Favorites is given a clean full-frame transfer and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. English subtitles are included.

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