Wild Kratts: Rainforest Rescue

Gr 1–4—Brothers Martin and Chris Kratt continue their series with two new episodes—"Rainforest Stew" and "Shadow: The Black Jaguar"—that take place in Central America. In addition to talking about the rainforest's diversity of plants, animals, and insects, the brothers briefly explain how the creatures can be interdependent. They share details about animals such as the harpy eagle which is the strongest of the birds of prey, and the tapir, which goes into the water to get away from predators. Each episode is bookended by the brothers giving an overview and showing live footage of the animals in their natural environment. The inclusion of more live-action footage of some of the exotic animals such as jaguars and leopards would have been an added treat. The middle sections are hokey animated adventures where teen apprentices download information to the Kratt's Creature Power Suits. In these suits, the brothers demonstrate some animal talents while rescuing creatures from a chef/poacher and an evil mastermind. These bad guys are not scary, and children will find that they are easily foiled. The Kratts always bring solid information and a great deal of enthusiasm to their programs. A good combination of education and enjoyment.—C.A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO