Dr. Zoology: The Tamarin Mystery

Tammie, the endangered golden lion tamarin, has been animalnapped! Dr. Zoology, posing as a mild-mannered travel agent, and his faithful sidekick Nabe, set out to find her. Through their adventure, the plight of tamarins and their ecosystem--the rainforests of Brazil--is supposed to be presented. Unfortunately, we don't start getting any real information until at least 15 minutes into the video, and then all the factual information is given in a rapid-fire computerized voice with a few small video stills of a tamarin. Because we never see a real tamarin (Tammie is a human in a fluffy costume) and the plot involves alien enemies, magic rings, etc., it is difficult to separate fact from fiction, and children are likely to become confused. The lighting is flat, the sets are minimal, the shots are very standard, and the script is somewhat convoluted. However, the accompanying study guide/curriculum resource (which can be purchased separately) is good, and contains great teaching aids to supplement a unit on ecology. It is disappointing that it is more useful than the video itself. Not recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (E. Gieschen)