Smart Baby, Vol. 1

While "soothing" and "stimulating" are closer to being antonyms than synonyms, the narration-less music featured on this initial volume in the Smart Baby series is certainly calming, and the images (all red, white, black, and gray) verge on the hypnotic. Computer-generated pictures float in, move around, add on, and drift out, while the 3D-like op art look keeps little eyes on the screen. Shapes include circles, squares, diamonds, clubs, spades, hearts (bridge, anyone?), sunbursts, snowflakes, planes, what quilters call a Lemoyne star, the Yin/Yang symbol, something that resembles the Cingular Wireless logo, and a whole menagerie of animals. Though labeled for babies aged 1-11 months, this certainly captivated my almost-two-year-old, and could be useful in preschool settings where children are learning about shapes, as well as public libraries. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Reagan)