The Land Before Time: The Big Freeze

With seven produced-for-video sequels to the 1988 original feature film, the animated The Land Before Time franchise shows little signs of becoming extinct. In The Big Freeze winter comes to the Great Valley and the fun and danger snowball when close-knit dinosaur friends Littlefoot, Cera, and Petrie venture into the Mysterious Beyond to retrieve their friends Ducky and her adopted brother Spike, who has joined a herd of fellow "spiketails." Trapped by an avalanche, the little dinos must work together to make it safely home. While the limited animation here seems positively prehistoric, children do love these characters who--like them--are trying to find their places in the world. Offering heartwarming lessons about respecting elders, feelings, friendship, and family, this one's par for the series, overall, and an optional purchase. [Note: the DVD contains various puzzles, games and sing-alongs for kids, as well as DVD-ROM features.] (K. Lee Benson)