Keeping House; The Three-Legged Cat; The William Steig Library

What do a three-legged cat and "a revolting, molting Russian hat" have in common? Kids will find out in The Three-Legged Cat, one of a pair of new Weston Woods titles, originally shown on New Zealand television, that are based on delightful picture books by Margaret Mahy. Tom, the three-legged cat is an unsatisfied tabby: he dreams of prowling the wide world, but his owner Mrs. Gimble wants a cat that stays still and eats little. Each year, she receives a visit from her brother Cyril, "a rascally, roving swagman" who lauds her with tales of his perambulations (until he sees she isn't interested) and then hits the road. Only with this visit, there's a clever twist, and I'm not telling what it is. Unlike so many formulaic children's videos that trot out the same simple plots, The Three-Legged Cat is real storytelling: an imaginative tale told with poetic flare and excellent animation. Highly recommended. Ages 4 and up.Mahy's Keeping House is also a winner. It's the story of one very talented girl named Lizzie Firkin, who spends her afternoons writing songs and spends each evening at the local nightclub singing, dancing, and playing trombone until the roosters crow in the morning. Too tired to clean up the house after work, Lizzie crashes, wakes up and starts the cycle all over again. Meanwhile her house has taken on a kind of slimy life of its own. In desperation, Lizzie dials up Robin Puckertucker, house cleaner extraordinaire, and schedules an appointment. But as the time draws nigh, Lizzie's embarrassment overcomes her sloth and she decides to tidy up a bit so Robin won't think she's a total slob. A well-animated and quite cute story about managing responsibilities and still pursuing one's dreams, Keeping House is recommended. Ages 6 and up.The William Steig Library combines four adaptations of Steig classics with an abbreviated interview with the author. The quartet opens with Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (VL-9/93), the charming story of a donkey who accidentally turns himself into a rock and is forced to...well...lie around until help arrives. The Amazing Bone is the amusing (and dramatic) chronicle of a pig named Pearl who has the great good fortune to discover a talking bone. This bit of luck is unfortunately eclipsed by a meeting with a hungry fox who invites Pearl home as dinner. The third tale, Dr. De Soto, is a classic parable about a hungry fox with a toothache who visits a renowned mouse dentist, and then entertains thoughts of literally biting the hand that heals him. The last piece, Brave Irene, is the inspirational story of a young girl who fights her way through a fierce snowstorm to deliver a ball gown to a duchess. All of the adaptations feature top-notch animation and narration. The tape concludes with a segment from Getting to Know William Steig (available separately for $30), in which the author talks about his style, his inspirations, and his day-to-day life. The full-length version (about 20 min.) has some wonderful reminiscences by Steig about his boyhood: the good old days when he and his friends used to throw horse manure in passing automobiles and then run like the dickens. And people say kids are rude today. For libraries who are actively using public performance video, this collection is highly recommended. Ages 4 and up. (R. Pitman)