Uncle Elephant

The magic of dimensional animator John Matthews (The Mouse and the Motorcycle, the Frog and Toad series, Morris Goes to School, Stanley and the Dinosaurs, etc.) comes to life once again in this magical adaptation of Arnold Lobel's beloved children's book. The story is about Arnie, a nine-year-old elephant whose constant attempts at humor generally fail with his friends. When Arnie's parents disappear during a sudden fog at sea, the broken-hearted elephant feels that his notably unserious approach to life may be partly to blame. Coming to Arnie's rescue is his old and wrinkled Uncle who takes him on a train ride to his home in the country, where he tries to buoy Arnie's spirits through trumpeting lessons (using the trunk, of course), walking, gardening, and playing silly songs at the piano. Both Arnie and his Uncle move from the initial stumbling stages of getting to know and trust one another in a time of sorrow to a deep bond which blooms into ecstatic happiness when Arnie's parents are rescued. Uncle Elephant handles the subject of loss quite effectively, neither degenerating into the maudlin, nor glossing over the pain. And while things do turn out fine in the end, children will certainly feel for Arnie and celebrate his struggle to put the pieces of his shattered life back together in the face of terrible tragedy. Warm, wise, painful, and funny, Uncle Elephant is a sterling addition to the children's video hall of fame. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (Available from: Churchill Media, 12210 Nebraska Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025-3600; 1-800-334-7830.)