Leappad
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $39.99
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Editorial Review

This talking book comes with an interactive "magic pen" that works like a hand-held computer mouse pointer. Children can opt to turn the paper pages and listen to the story read with different voices for each character. Or they can interrupt the read-aloud session to play with the magic pen (permanently attached with a wire). They can point the pen tip to any word on a page and hear it pronounced, or touch a picture and hear a sound effect (such as "Strike one!" for the baseball bat). Very similar to the popular Living Books computer games, this 10-by-11-inch book is more portable than a home computer. Stories in this set include Lil's Loose Tooth, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, and Winnie the Pooh in A Sweet Good Morning. The set also includes a paper piano keyboard and map and human anatomy games.--Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (398)

I would pick this over the writer's Leappad
I have both a LeapPad+Writing and regular LeapPad like this one, and I can honestly say that the extra writing feature is not worth the extra money.Stick with the LeapPad regular and get a lot of LeapPad readers.Make sure that you don't buy this if you have babies that tear things up, though.My son has all the LeapPad books, but half of them are unsalvageable because of my toddler that likes to chew on EVERYTHING.The LeapFrog customer service is awesome, though... they have replaced my books for $10 each so I don't have to go out to buy new ones!

Best Toy I have ever bought
I bought a pink and purple LeapPad for my daughter when she was three for Christmas. She is five now and still plays with it every single day. Everytime a birthday or Christmas rolls around she asks for more LeapPad books. This toy has been a godsend during car and plane trips, hotel and restaurant entertainment, and any other situation when children need to sit still.

She has learned the alphabet, numbers, spelling, and reading from countless hours on this pad. She owns several books and each get used all the time. I think this is honestly the best toy invented in a long time. She has been able to figure it out because it is well thought out for the young user. They can hit the stop button with the pen to stop it, or hit the Go button to continue each story. Each book also has games and other activities, so they are well worth the money.It is impossible for my daughter to get bored with it because each book is countless hours of reading, games, music, and excitement.

I encourage all parents of young children to buy this LeapPad. It is well worth the money. It is a toy that they will not grow out of in a short amount of time because the books range in ages.It is not only educational but very durable. Our LeapPad has been dropped countless times and is still intact.The only complaint I do have is that it tends to consume batteries quickly and you need a screw driver to take off the cover to put new ones in. Other than that, that is the only negative I have to say about the LeapPad.

Toooo sloooowww for my boy
My boy has the attention span of a 4 year old. Why? Because he is 4 years old. He has no patience for the slow pace of age-appropriate leap pad materials. The learning games are too short, too slow, and too repetitive for him. ... Read more

Asin: B00003GPTI
Subjects:  1. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    2. Alphabet    3. Phonics    4. Reading    5. Talking    6. Electronic    7. Math    8. Counting    9. Learning   

Pre-K & Kindergarten: A Birthday Surprise
Average Customer Review:
Toy (30 November, 2001)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $12.99
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Editorial Review

It's Mom's birthday! Leap, Lil, and Tad want to get Mom somethingspecial, but they can't decide what she'd like. Grandpa has an idea! Off they goto the Alphabet Pond, a silly place filled with letters, rhymes, songs, and somuch more. As children read the story they will learn to recognize letter namesand sounds, create funny rhymes, identify initial consonants, follow directionsand develop listening skills, and have fun while learning all about thealphabet. This book is a Level LeapStart book for children up to age 5 or gradespreschool to kindergarten. It stresses reading readiness and simpleactivities--play 17 different activities and sing along with songs. Works withall LeapPad learning systems except My First LeapPad. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Finally The BEST * Leap Start * around + better than Phonics
I have tried leap pad books in the past and this is by far the absolute best in educational, fun, and replay value.

If your looking for a good leap pad book that will keep the kids occupied and learning constantly, this is it. We have bought leap start books in the past and have been dissapointed until now, this one is flawless !!Great layout, colorful pictures, and many pages more than one game on them. This also has an added "music" button at the bottom to stop and start background music and the larger 'GO' buttons help alot. This book also contains a 2 page layout of the letters of the alphabet which is colerful and complete with pictures and sounds for each letter "T is for turtle. t-t-turtle" or "T, Turtle" (also makes little cartoony sounds of a turlte walkling)The phonics book had a dull typed out version cramed into 1 page, nothing for a kid to get excited about.

If you have a child that will is learning letters sounds or how to read, this book is an absolute MUST HAVE (avoid the Phonics one)I hope all the leap pad books get as good as this in the future and this WILL NOT confuse the kids like the others do..

About me : My 3 year recieved it for her birthday and loves it and plays with it again and again because there are so many places you can tap to find something new. My 1 and a half year old son is learining the letter from it all by himself, he even tries to sing along with the alphabet song.
Other Leap Pad books purchased : Richard Scarry Vocabulary and Phonics Leaps Friends A to Z. (also the sample book that comes with the leap pad - which I thought want good but not great) ... Read more

Asin: B00005BYQU
Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Reading    4. Electronic    5. Alphabet   

Pre-K & Kindergarten LeapPad Book:Tad Goes Shopping
Average Customer Review:
Toy (30 November, 2001)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

What's really cute? A kid that can't count to 20, but really, really wants to. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface makes kids--even those who aren't old enough for school--want to count as well as big kids do. With Tad Goes Shopping, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the story, retaining new information, and enhancing learned information. At the same time, little Tad helps his friends correctly identify and pronounce numbers and learn to count like real pros. In short, the book teaches the basic building blocks of math readiness (using more/less than, matching, shapes, and color concepts).

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. The system has also been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level, and know that some LeapBooks (like this one) work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, but some only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Learning Math is Fun
Learning math can be fun.And learning shapes and colors.This book does all three.Kids play games that encourage shape recognition, counting, matching, colors and lots of fun.My daughter (not quite three) loves this book, especially the hidden numbers.I highly reccomend this book.

Great Math Starter!
My 4-year old received this as a birthday present. Although it's not really challenging, it keeps her refreshed on numbers and such and the story is cute. Leap is just a wonderful product.

Another great Leap Frog Product
My 4 year old daughter has had her Leap Pad for almost two years now and she really enjoys it and I like that it is educational (so much junk out there for little ones nowadays!!!).

I bought her "Tad Goes Shopping" for her birthday.She already knows how to count, recognizes numbers, and a few other basic skills so this is good reinforcement for her.

This book is not her favorite but she plays with it a lot anyway.So does my two year old.

The only problem is that the books are spiral bound and they tend to rip when little hands get too excited.

I would HIGHLY recommend ANY Leap Frog book!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005BYQP
Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Alphabet   

Pre-K & Kindergarten: Richard Scarry Things To Know
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $12.99
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Editorial Review

What's really, really cute? A kid that doesn't know the meaning of some words yet, but really, really wants to. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface makes kids want a big vocabulary--in a bad way. With Richard Scarry's Things to Know, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the story, enhancing oral, vocabulary, and phonics lessons given throughout the book. At the same time, Scarry's characters help to identify and pronounce new words and pronounce old words correctly.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. The system also has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level, and know that some LeapBooks (like this one) work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, but some only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is the 2nd Richard ScaryLeapbook I have purchased
We had this book and it was destroyed by our cat. We love it so much we are purchasing it again!My 4 year old loved it for over a year and now my 15 month loves it.We have several Leap Pad books and this one is by far the favorite of my two boys.I like it because it does not just tell a story like many Leap Pad books do, it allows kids to count, find items, and listen to music.

A must own!
Another must own of the leap pad series of books.This book encourages colors, shap recognition and counting while teaching kids about their seasons, musical instruments and more.On the seasons pages, they learn extra tunes including a little bit of "The Entertainer".They also learn their opposites and the importance of being polite.The best bonus is that your child's vocabulary and self-esteem get a boost. ... Read more

Asin: B00005BYRW
Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Reading    4. Preschool    5. Toddler    6. Activity    7. Electronic    8. Alphabet   

And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 2001)
list price: $17.00 -- our price: $11.56
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Editorial Review

Lots of people know the nursery rhyme, "Hey Diddle Diddle," but hasanyone ever thought about what happens each night after it's read? The dish runsaway with the spoon, and, presumably, they come back later, otherwise the rhymecouldn't go on without them. But one night, when the dish and spoon take off,they simply don't return! The fiddle-playing cat, laughing dog (who turns out tobe quite a grump when he's not playing his part), and the sleepy, moon-hoppingcow set out to search for their missing friends. Along the way they encounterLittle Boy Blue, the spider from "Little Miss Muffet," Humpty Dumpty'srepairman, and a big bad wolf. But will they catch up with the dish and thespoon before the next reading? And can all of them dodge the dangers of anafter-hours, fairy-tale world?

Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel pick up where the nursery rhyme leavesoff in this witty, entertaining romp. Young readers will "laugh to see suchsport," as characters from fairy tales and Mother Goose mingle, make puns, andoccasionally join forces to find the wandering tableware. The hilarious facialexpressions and lively scenes by Janet Stevens invite readers to stay a while oneach page. Stevens is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor BookTops and Bottoms. She andher sister-collaborator have previously teamed up on Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, Shoe Town, and Tumbleweed Stew. (Ages 5 to 8)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Hilarious Addition to the Traditional Nursery Rhyme!
What a fun book!I read this to a group of Kindergarten children, and they laughed and laughed!A really humorous book with awesome illustrations.I highly recommend this book!

Fun-tastic book
With characters from other stories and nursery rhymes involved, this book automatically makes children want to read more and more.My sister reads it to her kids all the time and then it naturally leads into reading Mother Goose rhymes.It's a bit long for my son (1 1/2 yrs.) to sit and listen to all at once, so we break it up into 3 or 4 story times.He loves the illustrations and enjoys just flipping the pages.We also use it to teach him animals, directions and classic nursery rhymes.A must have for children of any age.

A runaway nursery rhyme
"Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed to see such a sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon."

Until this unique take on the well-known story, the tale has always ended the same, but suddenly there is mayhem in fairytale land when "They didn't come back!" as planned, beginning the rhyme all over again. So cat, dog and cow are off by the light of the silvery moon to discover the fate of the dish and the spoon before all the beloved nighttime stories are turned upside down. If this mystery isn't sorted out, who will ever be able to get a good night's sleep?

Thankfully, the confused trio runs into Fork, who "makes a stab" at drawing a map, one that includes the homes of Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, the Three Bears, the House That Jack Built and even Humpty Dumpty's wall. Lurching from one possible hiding place to the next, cat, dog and cow are soon frustrated, leaving Little Boy Blue behind in hopes of better information from Little Miss Muffet. The trio is fearless, even approaching the Big, Bad Wolf in their quest. Finally, in the most unimaginable place, dish and spoon come crashing into view, although a bit the worse for wear when dish goes all to pieces.

The fanciful illustrations are energetic and humorous, tiny faces charged with the intensity of the hunt for the rest of their rhyme. With happy energy the thoughtful friends traipse all over the Fork's map, not content until reunited with dish and spoon. This colorful romp teaches more than one lesson as friends search for their missing pals: how to read a (scribbled) map, how to assess the intentions of others (like a hungry and devious Wolf!) and the importance of asking for help from others. Now that these enchanting, lifelike animals have intruded upon the kitchen, this particular children's rhyme will never be the same! Luan Gaines/ 2005.
... Read more

Isbn: 0152022988
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Characters and characteristics    3. Characters and characteristics in literature    4. Characters in literature    5. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    6. Children: Kindergarten    7. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    8. Fiction    9. Humorous Stories    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Nursery rhymes    12. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

The Three Pigs
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (23 April, 2001)
list price: $16.00 -- our price: $10.88
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Editorial Review

Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks,and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed... So, you think you knowthe rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it's never safe to assumetoo much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows itin, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame. The textcontinues on schedule--"...and ate the pig up"--but the perplexed expression onthe wolf's face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one,the pigs exit the fairy tale's border and set off on an adventure of their own.Folding a page of their own story into a paper airplane, the pigs fly off tovisit other storybooks, rescuing about-to-be-slain dragons and luring the catand the fiddle out of their nursery rhyme.

Wiesner, Caldecott Medal recipient for Tuesday, and Caldecott Honorwinner for both Sector 7and Free Fall, prefersnot to wait around until pigs fly. He gives them wings (or paper airplanes) andsets them on their way! In his latest flight of fancy, Wiesner uses shiftingillustration styles and fonts to startle complacent readers into an imaginaryworld even as they ponder the conventional structure of story. His trademarkcrafty humor and skewed perspectives will tickle readers pink (even thenonporcine variety)! (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Who's afraid of the big bad fourth wall?
I always thought of David Wiesner as the Magritte of the children's picture book world.Now, having read his delightful, "The Three Pigs", I see that he's far more innovative than I'd suspected.If this book had been proposed to a book editor, say, twenty years ago it probably would have been discarded as an idea that was "too sophisticated" for schoolchildren.I mean, prior to "The Three Pigs" what other book has ever dared to challenge the notion of the fourth wall?Mr. Wiesner's delightfully post-modern picture book is possibly one of the most intelligent stories you may ever read to your kids.And best of all, they'll love it.Deeply.

I think we're all familiar with the story of the three little pigs.Three pigs build houses of their own.The first is made of straw, the second of sticks, and the third of bricks.Then a big bad wolf comes along and blows the first house down.And that's when things start to get interesting.Instead of eating the pig (as the text instructs) the wolf is baffled to find the pig gone.In fact, Pig #1 has inadvertently been blown into the white margins of his own story.Able now to travel freely around the static pictures of his tale, Pig #1 has his two brothers join him in the margins.They construct one of the story's pictures into a paper airplane and fly it about.They walk in and out of other stories, making new friends along the way.Finally, it's time to return home and the pigs know the perfect way to make their tale have a happy ending.

First of all, this is a great way to get kids to question the very basic construction of all stories.If these pigs can escape their own fate, why not characters in other picture books as well?Wiesner has cleverly eschewed the idea of having the pigs appearing the same at all times.When the pigs are in their story they're just your average illustrated pigs.When they get blown into the margins, however, they become the hyper-realistic pigs you see on the cover of the book.Then, depending on what the illustration style of any given picture is, they appear as that kind of drawing when they enter it.For example, a cutesy nursery rhyme makes the pigs appear as adorable roly-poly piggies (a fate they don't particularly take to).It's fascinating to watch Wiesner make the best possible use of space in this book, especially when you see how beautifully he utilizes pure white backgrounds.Matrix eat your heart out.

Another advantage to reading this delightful book are Wiesner's in-jokes and small details.If you're familiar with his other Caldecott medal winner, "Tuesday", then you know that it's about flying frogs.It should comes as a special delight then when the pigs oh-so casually pass a different book in which fish are flying in a manner mighty similar to the aforementioned story.Other details in this book include the sly cat with a fiddle who follows the pigs out of his own tale, or the tiny words in a storybook about a knight and his various quests.There's always something new in "The Three Pigs" to enjoy and marvel at when you read through the book.That's partly why it's so good.

There are few contemporary illustrator/authors living today that can claim to have more than one Caldecott medal under their belt.David Wiesner is one of the few.And "The Three Pigs" is my favorite Caldecott medal winner, bar none, of the last ten years.Even if you couldn't care less if your kids are familiar with books that challenge the paradigm of reading itself, you've gotta admit that this is a great story.A real tour de force.It's witty and appealing to kids and everything a Caldecott medal winner should be.A beautiful wonderful book.

Not for Small Minds
If you don't like this, neither will your kids.That's sort of how it works.If you have a smal mind that cannot accomodate something even slightly unorthodox, as this wonderful book is, then you probably gave birth to children who are similarly myopic.However, if you have some imagination, then your kids probably do, and you'll love this book.If you like things to be strange and unexpected, you'll like this.If you need everything to fit neatly into your preconceived notions, this probably isn't for you.If you don't mind an author taking you for a ride, then read this book.Of course, Weisner fans ought to know what they're getting into anyway; he's not one to keep churning out the same saccharine pap you'll find in most of the other picture books.

Irresistible kid's Pick
I find 'The Three Pigs' - an Irresistible kids Stuff apart from the many stories like Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Cinderella, etc. The kids love to read the tale 'The wolf huffed & puffed' and blew the house is just a repeat that the kids love to say and find out how the pigs escaped and finally, as a great picture read, the book is a imaginery fantasy. Like many other books of this tale, David Wiesner's book is a grab as it has good illustrations, dialogue balloons and style that draw attention, is a great adventure into fantasy world. A good story that kids love and a good Pick 'The Three Pigs by David Wiesner' ... Read more

Isbn: 0618007016
Subjects:  1. Animals - Pigs    2. Characters and characteristics    3. Characters in literature    4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    5. Children: Preschool    6. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Humorous Retelling    7. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Pigs    11. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Pigs   

Cook-a-Doodle-Doo
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 April, 1999)
list price: $17.00 -- our price: $11.56
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Editorial Review

"'Always chicken feed! Day after day--year afteryear--I'm sick of it!' squawked Big Brown Rooster."

In this deliciously imaginative book by sisters Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, a hungry and fed-up rooster suddenly recalls hisfamous Great-Granny, a fabulous chef who penned a book of recipes for future generations. He hunts down her cookbook--The Joy of CookingAlone by L.R. Hen.

Rooster carefully turned the pages. "So many recipes--and I thought she just baked bread! Look at the strawberry shortcake!... Yes sirree--just like Great-Granny, I'll be a cook! COOK-A-DOODLE-DO-O-O!"

Upon settling down with this remarkable tale, every child's naturalcuriosity for cooking will likewise come bursting forth. There is a greatbasic story here, with plenty of creative spins on The Little Red Hen. In this version, Rooster--rebuffed by Dog, Cat, and Goose just like his Granny was--finds companionship in the kitchen with Turtle, Iguana, and Potbellied Pig. As Turtle reads the recipe aloud, Iguana continuously confuses the instructions to great comedic effect, Amelia Bedelia-style.(He tries to cut butter with scissors and beat an egg with a baseball bat.)Pig, on the other hoof, asks over and over for a chance to taste the batter.("Looks mighty dry in there," said Pig. "Perhaps I should taste it.") Stevens's sure, friendly illustrations evoke a tremendous amount of character and activity in lightning-fast time. Take, forexample, the cooking hats all the creatures don when they get to the kitchen:Turtle sports a copper-bottomed soup pot on his head, Iguana wields a candy-striped oven mitt, and Pig is wearing a kitchen towel, tied kerchief-style. They're ready!

Scattered through the story are sidebars with cooking tips that offer information on the ingredients, measurements, and techniques mentionedin the text. (Even if kids don't want to read them, they're quite handyfor adults answering questions while reading.) Kids will love this lively, slapstick story of teamwork in action, and no doubt will want to try making strawberry shortcake! Fortunately, the recipe for"Great-Granny's Magnificent Strawberry Shortcake" is in the back. (Ages 4 and older) --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Deserves 4 1/2 stars
A wonderful, funny, very well illustrated book for children (and fun-loving adults).It is educational, but children won't notice that - they will just notice the hilarious characters, colorful illustrations and funny story.

What attracted me to the book initially were the educational sidebars that explaine, on a child's level, some of theconcepts of cooking.

Certainly a book worth the small price.

Little Red Hen's Great Grandson enters the kitchen
This is a fantastic book!Such thought has gone into the illustrations even the paper it was drawn on was made by hand.

It is a modern update of the Little Red Hen theme, "won't anybody help me make bread", but this time, although Dog, Cat and Goose wont, Rooster gets Turtle, Iguana and Potbellied Pig.

Rooster is making a strawberry shortcake (out of great gran's recipe book "the joys of cooking alone") and the animals are a delight in the kitchen.

It is uproariously funny as Roosters assistants get everything wrong and Pig keeps wanting to eat it.

The book includes a recipe at the end for the cake they bake and on the side of the pages it has information and tips on cooking!

Hints on baking powder, measuring equipment, where butter comes from and so on and so forth.

Everything you need to bake a great cake, and what's more, explain to the kids just why you're helping them do what they're doing.

The illustrations are a luscious visual delight and the cake is worth salivitating over - this book is so clever that you'll be giggling with the kids as you read it.

Ages 2 up.

Kotori 2004

Reading fun in the kitchen
Crummel and Stevens do not disappoint with this book that is wonderfully designed to bring children into the story by way of their stomach. This book is a rescipe for fun and games in the kitchen with your children. Be sure to participate by making the strawberry shortcake along with the characters in the book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0152019243
Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals - Farm Animals    3. Animals - General    4. Baking    5. Cake    6. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    7. Children: Preschool    8. Cooking/Food    9. Fiction    10. Humorous Stories    11. Juvenile Fiction    12. Roosters    13. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / General   

Double Easel
Average Customer Review:
Toy
-- our price: $49.99
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Editorial Review

Just like any great artist, your little one should be preparedfor that moment when creative inspiration arrives. Featuring a largechalkboard on one side and a blank pad of paper on the other, thisDouble Easel will ensure that your pintsize Van Gogh can capture amoment of inspiration before it passes. The Double Easel is made ofdurable plastic and comes with wide trays on both sides for storing artsupplies (not included), as well as a large piece of chalk and aneraser (included). A large plastic clamp on one side of the easel holdsdown a 50-sheet pad of paper (included), and the two storage trays areremovable for easy cleanup. Designed for use by one or two children ata time, the Double Easel folds together for compact storage. Measures43.5 inches tall. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Great for your little artist!
We just got this easel for our 20 month old daughter and she LOVES it!!! It comes with a piece of chalk and a large writing tablet and didn't take too long to put together. I would definitly recommend this easel to any one with a child who loves to color.

grandkids activites
I took my grandkids to a play group and they had this item they had so much fun that I went to buy one.they keep busy with all the online pictures you can copy keeps them


I loved it!!!

Entertaining Easel
My 2 year old son recently received this easel as a birthday present.I put it together, and he has been using it ever since.Even at 2, he takes his artwork very serious and thoroughly enjoys it.He has fun using the chalkboard side; drawing and then erasing.On the paper side, he has fun with his Crayola crayons, washable, of course.He picks out a crayon, tells me what color it is, then hands it to me and I write the first letter of the name of the color so that he can start associating colors and letters.A great educational and fun item. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IRTI
Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Easels    4. Toddler    5. Activity   

Lilo & Stitch
by Chris Sanders (III) Daveigh Chase
Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders (III)
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (03 December, 2002)
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $23.74
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Warm, funny, and imaginative, Lilo & Stitch is the best animated feature the Walt Disney Studios have produced in years. On the planet Turo, mad scientist Jumba Jookiba (voice by David Ogden Stiers) has created a miniature monster programmed for destruction. When the monster escapes to Earth, it's adopted as a pet and named "Stitch" by Lilo (Daveigh Chase), a lonely little Hawaiian girl. Lilo and her older sister Nani (Tia Carrere) have been struggling to stay together since their parents died. Stitch and Lilo share some hilarious adventures, evading welfare officer Cobra Bubbles (Ving Rhames) and galactic police agents. They learn the timely lesson that a family can be something you're born into--or something you assemble. A warmth and sincerity that recall The Iron Giant and the films of Hiyao Miyazaki make Lilo a delightful fantasy adults and children can truly enjoy together. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Features

• Animated
• Color
• Closed-captioned
• NTSC

Reviews (427)

Charming and Imaginative
I'm a little behind the 8-ball here, only recently saw this movie. Loved the music, have played the opening Hawaiian dance scene over and over. The premise is hilarious and poignant, a lonely little girl who thinks the alien renegade is a puppy. Meanwhile, Stitch's great scene, sitting in the woods with a copy of "The Ugly Duckling" clutched to his chest, waiting for his family to find him is just . . . oh my. Why is that so moving?

Several scenes are straight out of "Calvin and Hobbes" -- the Monster Destroying the City scenes and the laundry scene at the end) -- funny and delightful.

Exceptional Modern Animation
Lilo & Stitch is a lovely Disney animation about a lonely, imaginative girl named Lilo who lives with her sister, Nani, in Hawaii. Nani allows her to adopt a dog.. not knowing that the dog is actually an alien, who is labelled an international source of chaos and is being chased!

Lilo finds her first real friend, and has a lot of fun adventures with Stitch, while two aliens go on a search for Stitch. Lilo doesn't know, until the secret gets out..

This was a highly entertaining Disney movie, with a good soundtrack (Elvis had some great songs).

9/10 - A Charming Disney Movie

GREAT ANIMATED MOVIE!
I really enjoyed this movie! It was funny, it was sad, and it
sure was original. I liked it so much, I bought the dvd a couple
of years ago. Great for kids and adults,you'll really enjoy it! ... Read more

Asin: B00005JL95
Subjects:  1. Feature Film Family   

Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron
by Matt Damon
Director: Lorna Cook, Kelly Asbury
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (19 November, 2002)
list price: $9.99 -- our price: $9.49
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Horse lovers young and old will celebrate this utterly enjoyable and marvelous-looking animated film. The titular stallion runs free in the Cimarron (New Mexico) wilderness until a series of men try to master the proud horse, leading to adventures through a U.S. Cavalry fort, Native American settlements, and a railroad camp. Despite a heavy dose of political correctness and realism (the animals don't talk; we only hear Spirit's internal monologue, voiced by Matt Damon), directors Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook give their hero many only-in-a-movie moments, including an action sequence rivaling any of Rambo's escapes. The stirring mix of 2-D and 3-D animation is absolutely stunning and aptly fueled by composer Hans Zimmer's synthesized score. The film earns one demerit for '80s rocker Bryan Adams's abundant songs--a different singer could have brought more to the film. Rated G but there is some rough treatment of horses shown, so nix the sensitive preschoolers. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• NTSC

Reviews (258)

bombed...for a REASON
Lets see here,there were good things and bad things about the movie.
The Good:As soon as I saw the "kind-native american and evil-white-man" s*** I turned it off.
The Bad:Well,the stupid reverse racism,the laughable new-age,the excuse for "political correctness" that the media has adopted.Who needs any of this?
Buy neither this,nor Brother Bear,if you voted for Bush in either 2000 or 2004.

Corazón indomable
El espíritu del Lejano Oeste está más vivo que nunca gracias al nuevo largometraje animado de los estudios DreamWorks, Spirit: el Corcél Indomable.

Spirit centra su historia en un hermoso garañón purasangre, indomable, enérgico y valiente, cuyos días como líder de su manada son abruptamente interrumpidos cuando solados del ejército norteamericano lo capturan.

A pesar de los mejores -y peores- esfuerzos de un recio coronel para domar a Spirit, el caballo se niega a doblegarse ante los humanos, y eventualmente es recatado por un joven indio Lakota llamado Pequeño Arroyo.

En la tribu indígena, Spirit goza de mayores libertades y conoce a Lluvia, una hermosa yegua de la que se enamora y aprende que no todos los humanos son seres crueles.

Pero de nuevo se oscurece el destino de Spirit, cuando el amenazante hombre blanco lo vuelve a capturar para utilizarlo en sus avasallantes planes.

Hay emociones de sobra en Spirit, film que nos obsequia una animación sencilla pero deslumbrante, llena de hermosos paisajes y vistas de un Oeste virgen, hogar de millones de criaturas.

Curiosamente, ninguno de los animales habla -con la excepción del garañón protagonista, que hace las veces de narrador-. Pero Spirit no es una película muda: varias canciones son insertadas a lo largo de la historia para identificar momentos y situaciones específicas.

Majestuosa y de proporciones épicas, Spirit es una realización virtuosa que exalta a la Naturaleza y nos hace reflexionar sobre las terribles adversidades que muchas veces tiene que enfrentar. Inspirada y llena de lecciones moralistas, la película nos expone el punto de vista de los animales frente a las decisiones de los hombres, que muchas veces no suelen favorecer sino a ciertos intereses egoístas.

La mejor lección de Spirit es la demostración de voluntad inquebrantable de su protagonista, cuyo corazón indomable e integridad son dignos de admiración y respeto, incluso en sus enemigos, por aferrarse ciegamente a sus valores y creencias.

Pros and Cons
The movie is well done, but storyline has me extremely peeved.

My daughter really enjoyed the 'extras' on this DVD.She spent hours goofing around on the PC.Her favorites were building a calendar (unfortunately now out of date as the year is hardcoded) and the t-shirt iron on transfers.

Pros: The animation is very good and intentionally not overly CGI.The Extras are fun.

Cons: The obvious hatred and violence.There are guns in this movie.Ok.We can live with that; Bambi's mom got shot in that classic movie and we all survived after watching it as children.But this movie shows that White Man is BAAAAAAAD!What a load of horse apples to keep reinforcing that Europeans were horrid, horrid, bad people and didn't really do anything good - ever.History is what it is.The past. And not all full of horrid white people. Why do we need to stereotype all people of similar backgrounds (all indians are good, all europeans are bad)?I'm not European so don't go throwing this out because of a misconception. I understand the need of good story telling to have good-vs-bad, but once again, Hollywood is using movies as their vehicle to try to change history to try to make some people feel bad.You CAN have a movie and show people as people.Not every person of one race is good.Not every person of one race is bad.Mix it up and be a bit more truthful.It makes for a more enjoyable movie when you don't have such blatant stereotypes. ... Read more

Asin: B00006IUM9
Subjects:  1. Feature Film Family