Children's Heroes from Christian History, Vol. 1

Intended for children ages 4-7, or for children ages 5-10 (the video's cover and its data sheet do not agree), the first installment of a three-part series introduces viewers to John Bunyan, David Livingstone, Mary Jones, and William Wilberforce. Using a single narrator and still drawings, the video devotes 7 to 10 minutes to each historical figure, and its producers tell us up front that we--meaning the parent, teacher, or leader--are going to have to be involved in the viewing. And, yes, I'd say that children ages 4-10 (or whatever) are indeed going to have problems with concepts like slavery, divine redemption, and class distinction, not to mention words like "notorious," "progress," and "18th century," and will definitely need an adult's assistance. I like the idea behind this series, but I suspect that most children would prefer moving animation with speaking characters (rather than an unseen narrator), and more age-appropriate vocabulary. Two other volumes are available in the series at the same price or $39.95 for the entire set. An optional purchase. Aud: E, I, P. (K. Glaser)