The multi-award winning PBS series Reading Rainbow is back for its 21st season! Hosted by the ever-engaging LeVar Burton, each episode employs the familiar format that has been RR's longstanding recipe for success: following the introduction of the theme, the profiled book is presented in iconographic-animated style (the camera pans over the book's original illustrations as a celebrity voiceover reads the story), after which Burton expands on the book's ideas with real-life examples, and three other similar books are reviewed and recommended by age-appropriate kids. Unique Monique is the story of a girl who hates her school uniform and just wants to stand out. Each day, she wears a non-dress-code funky accessory to school, which causes all sorts of trouble, before eventually finding a way to express herself without breaking any rules. To illustrate the themes of self-expression and uniqueness, the program visits a twins festival where everyone may look alike, but are still one-of-a-kind, followed by a look at an arts program for urban kids called “Expressions.” While the twins segment is amusing, it spends more time marveling at the sameness of each pair, than on pointing out individual differences, and is so long that the art program segment feels like an afterthought. Still, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: E, I, P.Much better is the RR episode Mr. George Baker, in which the titular character is the “100-year-old” neighbor of our narrator, Harry, an elementary-school-age boy who waits with Mr. George Baker on the latter's porch every weekday, while Mr. Baker dances with his wife or plays drums on his knees (he used to be a famous drummer). Finally, a bus arrives, and Harry and Mr. George Baker ride together to school, where they are both learning how to read. The theme of learning as a lifelong adventure is nicely illustrated by “The Steppers,” a dance troupe of women (mostly in their 70s and 80s) who took up dancing late in life. In addition, the program visits a family-run bakery (five generations), and watches as the owner teaches his grandchildren the art creating pastries and the business of selling them. Finally, the adage “you're never too old to learn something new” is brought home through a montage of answers (remarkably similar) from both children and senior citizens to the question “what do you want to learn?” Recommended. Aud: E, I, P. (E. Gieschen)
Mr. George Baker; Unique Monique
(2004) 29 min. VHS or DVD: $39.95. GPN. PPR. Color cover. Closed captioned. Volume 20, Issue 2
Mr. George Baker; Unique Monique
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