Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures: Volume 3

Aired on PBS Kids, this compilation of eight 15-minute stories from the Parents' Choice Award-winning preschool series—which features an accomplished voice cast—combines cute animation with good common sense. Five-year-old protagonist Betsy (Daveigh Chase) is back in “Tickets Please!” in which she worries about her math skills after being placed in charge of counting tickets for prizes in a class carnival activity. “Have You Got the Time?” spotlights teacher Mrs. O'Connor (Sally Struthers), who explains how to tell time from the hands of a clock, using examples and a rhyme that separates regular parts of the day. “Introducing the Post Office” offers a behind-the-scenes look at mail sorting, while “A Berry Sore Stomach” finds Betsy and BFF Billy (Nancy “Bart Simpson” Cartwright) overloading on blueberries. The remaining four segments are “Growing, Growing, Gone,” “The Treasure of Sierra Betsy,” “Lyrtle the Turtle,” and “The Great Gingerbread Man Mystery.” Also featuring the voices of Fred Willard, Cree Summer, and Bess Armstrong, this relevant series for youngsters magically turns almost anything into a great learning opportunity. Highly recommended. Aud: K, P. (J. Williams-Wood)