Tell-a-Tale with Kids in the Spotlight

PreS-Gr 3—In this totally family-produced video, Kady Martin (a.k.a. Pippin Piper) presents children's songs and stories, accompanied by youngsters in what appears to be a daycare room. While Martin tells and sings, the children use puppets and other props to help her perform, often repeating lines after her. Some of the stories are very simple, such "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," which is sung with musical accompaniment as the children row imaginary boats. In other stories, such as "Sody Salleratus" and "Three Bears and One Cousin" (a retelling of the Goldilocks tale), they use hand puppets and props as they follow along. Most stories are well-known, while others use familiar tunes and themes with new words. "I Hate to Wait" is a version of "I'm Going on a Bear Hunt," but in this case we are waiting for a parade and wandering down an obstacle-filled path. "Itchy Twitchy" is "If You're Happy and You Know It," and "Where Is Black Bird" is "Where Is Thumbkin" with new lyrics. Occasionally, slides with clipart drawings help children visualize props that are not actually present, such as the bowls in "Three Bears and One." The sound is sometimes uneven, since the children don't project to the camera-mounted microphone, and occasionally the camera appears in the scene. The children range in age from 4 to 11, and the younger ones occasionally interrupt or forget their lines. Sometimes the songs are not exactly in sync with the music. The DVD can be played in its entirety, or individual stories can be selected. While this is a good model for those who want to learn to engage children during story times, it is not a slick professional production.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY