Dem Bones

Based on Bob Barner's Parents Choice award-winning 1996 picture book celebrating a famous African American spiritual, this animated anatomy lesson--winsomely directed by Gary McGivney, and boasting a knee-slapping score by Raul Malo--will surely remind viewers of one of the oldest extant cartoons from Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies series, 1929's beloved “The Skeleton Dance.” Only this one's in color, with better music, and informative narration about the human skeleton: the tibia is the bone “that really hurts when you get kicked in the shin,” while the “skull” bone is actually a constellation of 29 separate bones that “protect your brain when you stand on your head.” The “hear the word of the Lord” refrain is likely to make the ultraliberal PC police nervous, but this is hardly Christian proselytizing; rather, it's a solid science unit wrapped in an attractive and entertaining package. Recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (R. Pitman)