Thousand Hills Productions, 2008; 107 min.; $19.99; www.thousandhillsmovie.com; for ages 9 to 12. Faith and prayer play an important role in this feature film about a 13-year-old boy who tries to save his family’s farm from an evil land developer. A series of incidents – both uplifting and painful – teach him who to trust.

Baby Einstein/Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, 2008; 33 min.; $19.99; www.babyeinstein.com; for ages 1 to 3. Great for bilingual families, this DVD features lots of colorful images along with sounds from different languages. First, toddlers are exposed to five basic sounds (ah, buh, duh, ee and mm) and then each of these sounds is connected to simple words in other languages, accompanied by images of the objects described by those words. Good for co-viewing for parent and child, this DVD exposes young ears to English, Spanish, Chinese and French.

 

More winners from Baby Einstein include:

Musical Motion Activity Jumper
10th Anniversary Edition Baby Mozart DVD
Baby Einstein Discover & Play Stackers

An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong, American Girl, 2009; 90 min; $19.98; www.americangirl.com; ages 8 to 12.

 

This title realistically captures bullying and provides a conversation starter for parents of school-age children on a subject that begs attention.

 

When Chrissa (Sammi Hanratty) moves to a new school, a group of female bullies torments her in class, on the bus, online and at the swim club. The worst bully, Tara (Adair Tishler), becomes Chrissa’s swim rival until the teasing and taunting finally go too far. Although Chrissa is surrounded by a loving, supportive family, she’s reluctant to confide in them for fear she’ll be considered a tattletale. Finally, push comes to shove: Chrissa realizes that she needs adult help and that a person shouldn’t keep bullying a secret. This is one lesson that all children should be taught.

“Bullying, beginning in elementary school, needs to be brought into the open before it will stop. This video tells a good story that holds your attention while delivering an important message.”
– Adult Juror and mother

“We loved seeing Sammi Hanratti and Adair Tishler in this film! We have seen kids bullied at school and liked how this teaches you how to deal with it.”
– Child Jurors, girls ages 9 and 10
 

MGM Home Entertainment, 2008; 101 min.; $22.98; www.mgm.com/dvd.php; for ages 8 to 12. High school soccer prodigy Sara Davis struggles with an overzealous sports dad, a free-spirited boyfriend and a hectic high school life. Amid these challenges, she becomes the youngest player ever selected to the U.S. National Team.

Genius Products, 2008; 51 min.; $12.93; www.geniusproducts.com; for ages 2 to 5. Elmo and his friends – his pet goldfish Dorothy, the zany Mr. Noodle and adorable Super Grover – share tales of their summer vacations, along with a collection of bubbly new songs. They cover almost everything you need to prepare for a beach vacation, such as how to take care of your skin – or fur, if you are a monster!

 

For more Sesame Street fun, check out:

Abby in Wonderland

Abby Cadabby Building Set by K'NEX

Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2008; 92 min.; $16.98; www.anchorbayentertainment.com; ages 2 to 5. Cute, yellow and animated Wubbzy and his best buddies in Wubbzleburg are hilarious and offbeat. Little ones will be entertained while they learn about the value of friendship, helping others, honesty, self-control, self-acceptance and taking responsibility for one’s actions. 

Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2008; 72 min.; 19.99; http://home.disney.go.com/shopping; for ages 5 to 8. This DVD features episodes from the delightful Little Einsteins TV series. While not specifically about space, the story is about the main characters racing in space to save the Three Little Piggies, whose planes have spun out of control. Children are captivated by the elements that both they and their parents have enjoyed on TV: classical music, art and a life lesson or two. 

 

For more adventures with the Little Einsteins, check out:

Local Girl Productions, 2008; 35 min.; $18.99; www.lilalohababies.com; for ages 1 to 3. What a fun way for toddlers to learn Hawaiian words and get their first view of the rare geographical beauty of these magnificent islands. Both engaging and entertaining, this delightful DVD is well-paced, with pleasant background music.

 

For more Hawaiian fun, check out:

Animals Rock with Lucas Miller, Volume 1: Monarchs, Metamorphosis and More!, BioRhythms Publishing, 2009; 43 minutes; www.lucasmiller.net; ages 4 to 10.

 

Lucas Miller provides the most information you’ve ever received during a children’s concert! Beautiful photography of monarch butterflies and their migration, funny songs and a stinky skunk make this video a treat. As a zoologist, Miller shares his expertise with an excited audience who are just as involved in his concert as viewers will become.

“What a fun guy! We’d love to have Mr. Miller come to our community and do a program.”
– Adult Juror, mother and teacher

“The stinky skunk song was the best! I loved the songs and I learned things about animals, too.” – Child Juror, age 5
 

Round River Records, 2008; 112 min.; $15; www.billharley.com; for ages 5 to 8. This wonderful concert captures the essence of Grammy award-winning artist Bill Harley, whose songs and storytelling paint a vibrant and truly hilarious picture of growing up, school days and family life. 

 

For more fun with Bill Harley, check out: