Wild Kratts: Lost at Sea

Gr 1–4—The latest entry in the series featuring environmental adventurers Chris and Martin Kratt contains two segments, one about how dolphins communicate and the other about blowfish (also known as puffer fish). Both episodes are structured in the same way: they begin with live-action footage of the brothers observing an animal in its habitat. One brother poses a question (such as, what's the meaning of all those clicks and squeaks that dolphins make ?), and the other suggests finding out the answer. Next, the brothers are suddenly transformed into cartoon versions of themselves, and they go off on an adventure to discover the answers to their questions. They have a small team of teenage helpers who keep the energy levels high and who manage to work in some Spanish vocabulary without being too obvious. Some of the programs include low-key villains to spice up the plots, but the Kratts easily defeat them while continuing to educate the audience. The action and humor in the cartoon never get in the way of the science and educational value. All the cartoon adventures are based in real-life science, which the program often showcases with a second live-action segment at the episode's conclusion. There are also some PDF files containing classroom activities, games, and word puzzles pertaining to the Kratts's environmental message. Overall, this program showcases the brothers' continued commitment to excellence in environmental education.—Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT