It's Not Always Easy Being A Kid

Colorful puppetry and a good message highlight this engaging anti-smoking program for youngsters. When a young boy named Charlie visits the puppet show, he tells head puppet Mrs. Judy about his poor performance in math and idea of taking up smoking as a way of improving his social image. In order to steer Charlie clear of such destructive thoughts, Mrs. Judy presents a play: an update on the tortoise and the hare. In this version, however, the tortoise is a smoker, and too many smoke breaks cost him the race. Clever use of "real" background footage during the race, winning music, and a positive conclusion emphasizing strong self-image make It's Not Always Easy Being A Kid a good choice for public and elementary school libraries. Recommended. (Available from: Starlite VideoPublishing, 1530 Old Oakland Rd., Suite 140, San Jose, CA 95112; (800) 424-1166.)