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Video Pick of the Month

Art, drama and history
Rembrandt: Fathers and Sons
Devine Entertainment Corporation, video, $17.98

Let yourself be transported back to pre-Renaissance times and visit the studio and home of the great master, Rembrandt van Rijn. But don't let modern stereotypes of solemn and dusty maestros color your expectations. As portrayed in Rembrandt: Fathers and Sons the master painter/printmaker is lively, ambitious and witty, something of a perfectionist, and full of affection for his lovely wife. When the young son of Rembrandt's neighbor decides to strike out on his own, Rembrandt takes him into his home and together they learn and grow. This is a highly emotional and poignant production, a rich composition of art, history and human nature skillfully painted by a filmmaker who knows his palette.

Recommended for ages 8-12

Food, feathers and fine art

REVIEWS BY RANNY LEVY

Let's go to the country

Do your little ones know how food is made? Do you know how food is made? Come take a look at the Farm Country Ahead with friendly host Rusty, and the whole family will get a kick out of learning the many steps involved in growing and preparing food. Kids get a close-up view of the huge machines that grow and harvest crops. To help them make the connection to their own lives, they are shown how the contents of the host's lunchbox are made: milk, peanut butter, jelly, bread and potato chips. But what will really get them jazzed is seeing how manure is used on the farm.

Recommended for ages 2-5


Rubber duckies and cucumber kings

Can you think of more unlikely subjects to teach a lesson on selfishness? Leave it to those venerable vegetables in Veggie Tales: King George and the Ducky to take a most creative spin on a common human trait -- greed. Silly, expressive and just downright fun, the animated vegetable characters are delicious to watch as they hop and sing and conduct pie-throwing wars. And if a king can learn to share, can't we all? Juicy colors, fabulous animation and catchy songs make this video a real joy to watch -- yes, for grown-ups too.

Recommended for ages 5-8

    Veggie Tales: King George and the Ducky
    Big Idea Productions, video, $12.95

Let your imagination fly the coop

Life is so dreary and miserable when you are cooped up on a chicken farm! In Chicken Run one hen dreams of a free-range lifestyle but her persistent efforts to break free are repeatedly thwarted . . . until a boastful American rooster who's escaped from the circus helps spring her and her coop-mates. Top-notch Claymation with saturated colors and imaginative perspectives come together in this clever take on "The Great Escape." Some sophisticated humor might escape younger viewers, but the story line won't be lost on older kids. All will come away with a good appreciation for teamwork.

Recommended for ages 12 and up

    Chicken Run
    Dreamworks LA, video, $26.99

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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