George Washington's Mother

Based on the YA book written by Jean Fritz and illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, this peculiar iconographic animated story of George Washington's mother, Mary, is purportedly aimed at grades K-5 (an overly ambitious range--the video is better suited to older children, aged 8 to 10). Mary is characterized, intentionally or otherwise, as an eccentric busybody who constantly complains about being poor. At one point early in the narrative, we are informed that Mary certainly wasn't poor while living on Ferry Farm with her children, since she had cows, horses, hogs, chickens and, the narrator adds, 20 slaves. Well, thank goodness for the slaves. One cannot help but wonder how this rather tactless remark will be received by African-American children (why the slaves are mentioned at all is a mystery, since the knowledge does nothing to further the narrative; but once the slavery issue is raised, surely the need to comment on the practice in its historical context is imperative, especially in a children's video). Add to this the fact that instead of focusing on how Mary managed to raise five children after her husband died, the filmmakers have chosen to emphasize her quirks and her reliance on men, and the result is a feckless attempt at biography. Not recommended. Aud: E, I, P. (P. Van Vleck)