The Tractor Mac Show

Serving up colorful farm machines and catchy songs, The Tractor Mac Show features author and illustrator Billy Steers telling and drawing two original stories, Tune-Up and Harvest Time. In the first, Tractor Mac—not feeling quite himself lately—is visited by a mechanic who determines that Mac needs a little attention. Kids learn that tractors are really just a collection of assembled parts, requiring maintenance and care in order to run their best. In the second vignette, various farm vehicles are shown hard at work, harvesting hay and transporting it to hungry horses. Steers has a talent for telling his tales in a gentle manner while also drawing, and he's nicely backed by live-action segments showing the machines belching smoke, plowing fields, and hauling stuff that add a real-world element. DVD extras include a drawing lesson from Steers, who shows how simple shapes can be combined to create images of tractors, animals, and more. Highly recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (C. Block)