I Spy: A Mumble Monster Mystery and Other Stories

Based on Scholastic's popular picture-riddle books, this Emmy Award-winning HBO Family preschool series offers interactive problem-solving and task-completion fun in the Blue's Clues vein. In each of the three episodes (with two segments each) compiled here, Spyler and his wooden dog, CeCe, are dispatched by a yellow "duck on wheels" to find several items. Repetition of the clues keeps spying eyes peeled, and fun wordplay enlivens the proceedings. Kids will enjoy CeCe's jokes ("What do you call a bike that freezes? A Bike-sicle"), and happily join in the triumphant and empowering "I found it" dance after each missing object is successfully located. DVD extras include a menu interface that is a bit more of a riddle than one would expect (the disc lacks a "play all" option), a "message to parents" featurette, and a DVD-ROM-accessible game. Captivating fun, all in all, for the target audience, this is recommended. [Note: also newly available at the same price is I Spy: A Runaway Robot and Other Stories.] Aud: K, P. (K. Lee Benson)