Babar and the Adventures of Badou: Gone Wild

PreS-Gr 2—These upbeat episodes featuring Badou, Babar's grandson, teach a variety of lessons, including not making assumptions without having all the facts. Badou, an elephant, has a variety of animal friends: a monkey, zebra, porcupine, and crocodile. The overriding theme of friendship is shown in a variety of ways without being didactic. Most episodes take place in the palace, but the jungle is just outside the gates. Though there are a lot of physical pratfalls, the only real danger is in one episode involving a jaguar, but even that is not particularly scary, as the big cat ends up in quicksand only to be rescued by its prey. One of the many segments has Badou and friends donning hats, glasses, and fake moustaches to catch a spy, and in another, Badou attends "monkey camp" and learns that elephants don't climb very well. Vocal talent for the many characters is top notch. Animal sound effects, from lions to zebras, add to the fun. Each episode runs about 10 to 12 minutes, and the CGI animation is colorful and well done, especially the monkey motions. The menu allows for soundtracks in English, Spanish, and French, and the option for English subtitles. Easy to recommend for the youngest audiences.—C.A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO