Time Warp Trio: Passport to Adventure

Three 10-year-old boys from Brooklyn go on wild—and educationally sound—time-traveling adventures in this three-episode animated compilation from the Discovery Kids series based on the books by author Jon Scieszka and illustrator Lane Smith. Thanks to an enchanted book from his magician uncle, Joe and his pals Sam and Fred have the power to journey into the past, where they generally have action-packed run-ins with historical figures before finding their way back home. In “The Not-So-Jolly Roger,” the boys are dropped into the land of Blackbeard (viewers will learn about his 14 wives) and must think their way out of jail. “Viking It and Liking It” focuses on explorers Erik the Red and Leif Erikson (great line: “…it's just his wife and three Leiflets…”), while “Jinga All the Way” explores Colonial Africa, including recreating Queen Jinga's memorable use of a servant as a chair. Bright colors and snappy dialogue blend almost seamlessly with the considerable educational material here (kids won't even realize they're learning something until it's too late!). DVD extras include character profiles. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: Time Warp Trio: Past, Present & Future is also newly available.] Aud: E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)