Play with Maisy

Maisy mouse and friends Cyril (squirrel), Talullah (chicken) and Charlie (alligator) return for a set of six new mini-adventures drawn from the winning Nickelodeon series, inspired by Lucy Cousins' popular picture books. Combining simple, vibrant animation, with voice-over narration, the segments on Play with Maisy all revolve around a recreational activity such as playing with a ball, a bicycle, a boat, a swing, on a playground or at the fair. Good sportsmanship and sharing are continually emphasized and the basic storylines include some clever touches (I particularly liked the "Boat" short, in which Maisy, shaking "hands" with an octopus, is compelled to repeat the process several times). In addition, each of the segments is separated by "music videos," created especially for the video, built around traditional children's songs such as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Sure to be a big hit with the toddler and pre-K set, this colorful, entertaining, and socially instructive program is warmly recommended. Aud: K, P. (R. Pitman)