Video Pick of the Month

Jam away your winter blues
Snow Jam
C&C Films, video, $14.95
ISBN 0967734401

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Adults tend to get the blues when there's too much snow, but kids tend to get the blues when there's not enough‹or any at all! Our hero Butch isn't going to just sit around pining for the white stuff. After a visit to the public library to learn about rain dances, he pulls off a big Snow Jam that rocks the neighborhood and yes, pulls snow down from the sky. Muppet-like African-American characters are completely believable individuals, even when they do fanciful things. A sophisticated but kid-friendly mix of blues, jazz and rap weaves through the story line, integrating fantasy with Butch's real world. It'll chase away your blues and your kids' blues too.

Recommended for ages 8-12

Taking time to chill

REVIEWS BY RANNY LEVY

It's bear-y cold out

Little ones will revel in winter fun when Little Bear coaches them in Maurice Sendak's Little Bear Winter Tales. Four frosty adventures take the furry and feathered friends out into a glistening winter wonderland where they play in a snowball fight, celebrate the winter solstice, snuggle inside when they are snowbound and pretend they are explorers conquering a snowy wilderness. This gentle animation is sure to encourage outdoor play when the weather is gray.

Recommended for ages 2-5


Shhh! Listen to the quiet snow

In the first of four stories, Peter -- dressed in his whimsical red snowsuit with its peaked hat -- shares his quiet fun and delight in a city fallen silent by snow. The Snowy Day and Other Caldecott Classics features stories by four authors in distinctly different styles of animation and illustration, including a smart version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The variety in content, style and presentation makes this video a perfect companion to hot chocolate and cookies when it's just too cold to play outside.

Recommended for ages 5-8


Stories for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Children too young to know who Dr. King was will nonetheless love this earthy, exuberant production that introduces them to African customs and stories. Children's Stories from Africa: Volume 1 combines kid-style illustrations with real kids from the Mahlatsi Pre-School dancing with the adult narrator, Nandi Nyembe. The genuine enthusiasm of these young dancers is infectious. Characters such as Warthog, Bushpig and the Crocodile help tell traditional African fables. It's a great way for youngsters to learn about dance, storytelling and African-American culture. Imagine what Dr. King would say.

Recommended for ages 5-8


Ranny Levy is president of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media. KIDS FIRST!®, a project of the Coalition, evaluates and rates children's videotapes, CD-ROMs, DVD, audio recordings and television programs using a volunteer jury of child development professionals, teachers, parents and children of diverse geographic, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.

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