Kid's Talk: Controlling Your Life With Other Kids; Kid's Talk: Coping With Your Personal Problems; Kid's Talk: Getting Along With Boys And Girls

"A friend killed your goldfish, should you invite him to your birthday party?" It may not be one of the chief moral dilemmas of our time, but to a youngster, this kind of question is closer to the reality of day-to-day kid life. Adapted from the popular television show, Kid's Talk is hosted by Gwyn Karon Bernhard, a bouncy, bubbly type, who demonstrates a high level of interest and enthusiasm in the problems that young children face. Each of the three videos follows the same format, and is built around a theme. Gwyn reads letters from other kids, and then discusses the issues with a group of kids. When a truly perplexing question, such as the one about the goldfish killer, arises, the camera goes "on location" to get answers from kids on the street. Near the end of each program, Gwyn talks with Carol Green, a family, marriage, and child counselor, who offers advice on the issues. This is the weakest part of the show, with Green's commentary being laid back to the point of vapidity. While some of the questions are repetitious--the "bully" question can have a number of different scenarios, but it's still the same problem--there is maybe enough variety here to hold a child's interest: rumor spreaders, dating, selfishness, wearing braces, and love. When one child is asked: "What does love mean to you?", he gives this utilitarian response: "When you play with someone without hitting them." Since there is a paucity of material for and about young adults on video, this series is recommended.