"SUPER WHY: JACK AND THE BEANSTALK"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: PBS Kids Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
“Super Why” is a PBS Kids preschool program about reading and creativity. It features young Wyatt and his friends who become superheroes and interact with classic stories to solve problems. The stories covered in this DVD include “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “The Princess and the Pea,” “The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood.”
WHAT I LIKED
Once I had kids of my own, I learned a lot about preschool programming. Due to the kids’ insistence, I sampled everything from “Dora the Explorer” and “Blue’s Clues” to “Maisy” and “Little Bear.” Some of these programs can be great for kids, featuring brilliant colors and wholesome concepts, but be unbearable for a grown-up to watch.
I personally enjoy preschool programming that is at least accessible to a grown-up audience. After all, we end up watching it with our children. “Super Why” achieves this, giving a higher standard of quality than what I expect from some shows. I guess this makes sense, considering PBS helped develop some of the seminal children’s programming like “Sesame Street,” “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” and “The Electric Company.”
Like many children’s programs, “Super Why” is created in the world of the computer, using canned animation technology to achieve its fluid look and feel. It is most comparable to Disney’s “Little Einsteins” series with its immersion into literature and set-up with kids going on adventures. Unlike “Little Einsteins,” “Super Why” focuses specifically on literature, in particular classic kids’ stories.
What gives it the extra push into greatness is the fact that the kids work to change the story as they go. This stimulates creativity and reading comprehension for younger children. And, like other kids program DVDs I’ve watched, they catch the interest of my youngest son, age 15 months. It’s a good bet for the younger kids in the family.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There’s not a whole lot to dislike in a friendly, interactive television show like this, unless you count the songs sticking in your head for days a drawback.
DVD FEATURES
The DVD comes with a slate of special features, although they are mostly designed for a DVD-ROM. On the set-top, you can watch the half-dozen songs in a music video format.
The DVD-ROM features include interactive games (which are also available from the PBSKids.org web site), printable activities and coloring pages and various resources for parents.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Preschoolers and their parents.
