Elmo and the other furry or feathery denizens (Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover, etc.) of Sesame Street are left sad when an afternoon storytime session falls through. So they take matters into their own hands, turning to Abby and her magic wand to conjure an adventure, and she does: balloon rides for everybody. The huge group is separated into several balloon-ride baskets, and soon it’s up and away to see the sights.
The problem is that no one knows how to control a balloon, and things get more complicated when Abby drops her wand and it’s retrieved by a bird with no intention of returning it. A merry chase ensues, but along with that is a trip, unlike any the Sesame Street gang has ever known, seeing the expansiveness of their city and—once finally down on the ground—meeting some fun and musical kids in Chinatown, in a Mexican community and a neighborhood full of African immigrants.
This colorful feature, starring beloved puppet characters and a diverse cast of talented people, is likely to be a big hit with young kids. But parents will find a lot to enjoy, too, especially the antics of Cookie Monster and Grover. Special effects are simple but slick and never get in the way of the lively story. This DVD comes with another feature (Elmo’s Alphabet Challenge) and a downloadable storybook. Strongly recommended. Three stars. K, E, P.