Fun with Colors

In addition to the standard FBI warning at the beginning, this children's bilingual education video featured a goofy puppet popping up beside the warning to alert viewers that Fun Bilingual Instruction (FBI) was forthcoming--a creative opening that had my attention even before the first azul (blue) balloon appeared. Each color is introduced via onscreen graphics and simultaneously pronounced, while a variety of toys and stuffed animals sporting the featured color are shown, once in English and then again in Spanish. Puppet hijinks continue throughout the tape, including three dancing lemons on a stick (hey, it works), making this one of those rare instances of a children's tape with “fun” in the title actually living up to its name. While the classical music cues are a little off in places, and some of the selections were rather odd choices, overall this is a charming and useful program that would be a solid addition in schools, daycare centers, and public libraries. [Note: the DVD version contains English/Spanish, English/French, and English/Portuguese all on the same disc for only four dollars more than the single VHS, making it the better choice.] Recommended. Aud: K, E, I. (R. Reagan)