American Cultures for Children

If you're like me, you're drawn to pondering those ageless philosophical questions such as "what can you do with an inflated cow bladder?" Well, Plato would certainly rest easier knowing that there is a definitive answer: make noise. Or, more specifically-as I learned in Puerto Rican Heritage, one of 12 new titles in this excellent multicultural series introducing today's children to their roots-you can fill those suckers up with pebbles or seeds and shake, rattle and roll them during Carnival in Puerto Rico. Host Phylicia Rashad and a group of youngsters introduce this smart, exciting tour of Puerto Rico, which includes geographical, historical and social information about the country, an animated folktale about the native Coqui frog, a guide to making a vejigante (or scary-looking mask), and a brief introduction to Spanish words and numbers. Vibrant filmmaking, a sparkling soundtrack, and a fast-paced-yet constantly informative-format, make the American Cultures for Children series a genuine winner on both the educational and the entertainment fronts. Highly recommended. Other titles in the series include: African-American Heritage, Chinese-American Heritage, Jewish-American Heritage, Mexican-American Heritage, and Native American Heritage. Aud: K, E, P. (R. Pitman)