Book reviews - DVD and audio stories

Care Bears to the Rescue Movie fom Abbey Home Media 

The ever-popular Care Bears return in over 2 hours of colourful new adventures in this double movie pack, sure to engage the attention of young children. In Care Bears To The Rescue Movie you are invited to the biggest celebration of the year – the Care-a-Lot Awards – where all the Care Bears come together to award their heroes who have spread caring and sharing throughout the year! In Share Bear Shines Movie it’s time for the Twinklets’ migration over Care-a- Lot, but the Bears wait all night without spotting any Twinklets.

 The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: The Sky's the Limit from Abbey Home Media

Strawberry Shortcake is an optimistic and cheerful character who sees the best in everything, so she's fun and upbuilding to watch.. Strawberry is working on a new smoothie recipe for her café when a big storm hits Berry Bitty City and puts the water supply in jeopardy. It’s up to the girls to find a way to get the water they need to save Berry Bitty City.The girls learn a meaningful lesson about teamwork and how it’s okay to make mistakes. A colourful and engaging DVD that will be loved by little girls.

The Big Party! Live Show! with Justin Fletcher from Abbey Home Media

Children's favourite Justin Fletcher invites YOU to attend a party along with some very special guests, including Englebert the puppy. Over 70 minutes of singing, dancing and joking in this DVD from the live entertainment show. Children will be engrossed by the stimulating activity, catchy tunes and colourful characters in this fun DVD.

Milkshake Gold from Abbey Home Media

All the pre-school favourites are here in this great value 14 episode collection - The Little Princess, Mr Men, Bananas in Pyjamas, Olivia, Thomas and Friends and many more. They are all introduced by presenters Derek, Jen and  Kemi and there is added value with 5 dance routines and theme tunes. This is a great DVD for all young children - top quality animation and best-loved characters in over two hours of fun.  With such a varied range of characters, there is bound to be something to please everyone.

Elmo and the Bookaneers

This DVD is a great way to encourage your child to love books and words, encouraged by the Sesame Street favourites. Even pirates love to read! The Bookaneers have come ashore on Sesame Street and want to raid Elmo's bookshelves. When Elmo finds out how much they love to read, he wants to become a Bookaneer - but can he pass the test? Join in a treasure hunt; sing along with Abby and find out about the books Elmo treasures. Action packed stories and plenty of fun to help your child enjoy reading.

Chop Kick Panda from Abbey Home Media

A panda who practises martial arts? Sounds unlikely, but this adventure is about Lu, a tubby, Tae Kwon Do loving, panda. Lu owns the Tae Kwon Do dojo and needs to discover what is buried beneath the dojo. Could it be the ancient Amulet of Fury? When wicked tiger warrior, Kudo, terrorises the small village in his search for the amulet, only Lu and his team can stop him. A fun cast of characters, and a lovable hero with a very expressive face, together with the Asian setting and music, make this very entertaining.

Horrid  Henry Goes to the Movies from Abbey Home Media

Another five episodes of fun from the irrepressible Henry. Enjoy Henry's adventures on TV; at the school play; with the dinner lady; with the Killer Boy Rats and on Perfect Peter Popstar. I enjoyed Horrid Henry and the Demon Dinner Lady best - there are some elements of truth toi be found in this!! And then there's Horrid Henry's Groovy Pop video which is unique to this DVD. An hour of hilarious fun for all Horrid Henry fans.

miffy and friends: the Bunny Family Bumper Collection from Abbey Home Media

Lovable white bunny Miffy from the well-known books by Dick Bruna, brought to life for a new generation in this double DVD collection. The simplicity of the pictures from the books is recaptured in this DVD, giving lots of opportunities and encouragement for children to use their imaginations. Two hours of fun, with a bumper 24 stories, this is a lovely family collection, which remains true to the spirit of the original. My children loved Miffy and she and her friends have a timeless appeal that will be just as great to today's children.

Elmo's Animal Adventures 

Animals are on the loose on Sesame Street! Elmo invites you to join him and his animal friends as they embark on three fun-filled adventures.

 Milkshake! Music Box and Bop Box from Abbey Home Media

This is a super collection to get pre-schoolers singing and dancing. Encourage children's natural sense of rhythm as they follow along to the catchy nursery rhymes and sing-a-long songs from the popular TV show MILKSHAKE! in this double DVD. Music Box includes popular nursery rhymes and Bop Box is packed with fun songs. A super way to introduce little ones to dancing with easy-to-follow routines - everyone can join in and this is great family fun for young and old. Fun for parties and an asset to pre-school groups. Bright, catchy and fun, this is a super DVD which helps to develop important skills and coordination.

 Dance Like the Flower Fairies

Dance into a magical world with this vibrant, colourful DVD. Full of lovely music, bright colours and, of course, lots of dancers, this flower-filled DVD is perfect for girls who can follow fairies Lavender, Willow and Tulip, and learn their fairy dances step by step.This is based on the popular Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker and includes the original poems. A world away from some of the DVDs popular today, this enchanting adventure will enthrall all ballet-mad girls and lots of others too. Full of different activities, including fun with baby tulips for younger ones. A great way to get children active too, as they are stimulated to copy the steps and 'dance like the flower fairies'.

 Horrid Henry and the Green Machine from Abbey Home Media

Six more fun stories from mischief-maker Henry - 'The Green Machine', 'The Walking Stick Gang', 'The Antiques Rogue Show', 'Untouchable', 'Horrid Henry Gets Married', and 'The Gross Question'. The Green Machine is typical Henry - the family decide to go green and install a wind pump but Henry decides to produce his own wind... I will leave you to discover just how! Henry is such a popular character, I know this will be another success for him. The DVD includes English sub-titles.

Complete Spot Collection from Abbey Home Media

I don'tknow what more to say about this well=known character! Spot is just wonderful, adorable and very special. This contains 39 episodes - what more could an enthusiast ask? I am certain that this will become a favourite which will be asked for over and over again.Spot is a familiar and reassuring character to children so use this DVD to help your children when facing new experiences - staying overnight, going to a party, going to school and lots, lots more. Over three hours of fun entertainment - wonderful value.   

Storytime with Little Princesss from Abbey Kids

This collection includes four really funny stories - Don't Want to Comb my Hair; I Didn't Do It; I Don't Want a Bath; and I Don't Want to Tidy Up, all wonderfully read by Julian Clary (not by the full cast, and none the worse for that). I think all mums and dads should have these stories ready to listen too as soon as children make any comments like those above! Maybe it would defuse any arguments! Being read by just one person is like sharing a story with your child and gives them plenty of scope for imagination.

 Storytime with Little Princesss Vol 2 from Abbey Kids

Four more entertaining stories about the ever-popular Little Princess. In this volume, Julian Clary reads I Want to do Magic; I Want a Real Friend; I Want a Midnight Feast; and I Want to be a Pirate. The Little Princess is such a cleverly observed character and I loved sharing her adventures with my children. She is loved by children everywhere, who all find something of themselves in her. Perfect in-car entertainment. 

 Let's Sing Nursery Rhymes with Justin Fletcher from Abbey Home Media

Justin Fletcher is a popular CBeebies presenter, so that is an immediate indication of the quality of this DVD. In this fun DVD he visits Nursery Rhyme Land meets the characters from well-known nursery rhymes. Superb costumes bring more than 25 songs to life and it is a great way to ensure a whole new generation grows up knowing these old favourites - it is so important to keep them going. Babies from a few months old will be captivated by the colour, music and movement on this excellent DVD, and it will continue to entertain them for many years as they sing along with their favourites. There are some surprises too, but I won't spoil them for you! Well worth buying - available at all good DVD stockists.

 Get Squiggling Animal Magic from Abbey Home Media

A really innovative title from Abbey Home Media, this super DVD will give your child hours of creative fun. Squiglet is a friendly monster who lives in a white world - but not for long, as your child's artistic endeavours bring it to life, with 9 super episodes to choose from.  This clever DVD really gives your child the chance to get involved and try out their artistic skills - just watch the joy on their faces as the white page is illuminated with their designs in vivid colour and their favourite characters leap off the page.

 Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs Bumper-Saurus

Into the magic blue bucket to Dinoworld with Harry and all his double sized toys as they visit space and the jungle. Join Harry, Taury, Trike, Pterence, Sid, Patsy and Steggy as they bounce down Pillow Mountain, sail around Soda Fountain Valley and hop on jelly doughnut stepping-stones in a new adventure every day.Charming characters and plenty of action in these12 great adventures on this double DVD to keep your child entertained. Lots more fun on his website.

Horrid Henry and the Zombie Hamster

Another super DVD containing six fun stories about ever-popular Horrid Henry. Episodes are: Horrid Henry and the Zombie Hamster; Horrid Henry and the Killer Boy Rats; Horrid Henry Changes a Nappy; Horrid Henry and the Happy Family; Horrid Henry Gets Spots; Horrid Henry Cooks a Meal.  In the title episode, Henry's pet hamster Fang, has disappeared - will he come back? Over an hour of hilarious fun from the popular TV series. The subtitles are a valuable way of ensuring everyone has equal access to the fun.

 The Very Best of Elmo

Everyone's favourite monster Elmo meets a robot who is losing his powers in this super story for all Sesame Street fans, old and new. Join Elmo as he meets some very special people in a star-studded line up - David Beckham, Ricky Gervais, Sarah Jessica Parker, Heidi Klum, Adam Sandler and Destiny's Child all feature. Can they help Elmo restore memories to a Memorybot? This is a lovely story of friendship and great for all the family to enjoy together.

Magic Roundabout

This super set of 2 DVDs is going to be a great hit, not just with children, but also with parents who grew up loving The Magic Roundabout. All the old favourites are here - Dougal, Zebedee, Florence and all the rest, brought right up to date with greatly improved visuals to attract today's children. Over two hours of fantastic fun and with titles such as 'Follow that piano' and 'The vegetable is revolting', who can resist?

Horrid Henry - Ace reporter

Henry is HORRID! Everyone says so and yet he is everyone's favourite boy. He features in a new series of 6 fun adventures on this DVD. Horrid Henry and his brother Perfect Peter will argue over anything and everything. Peter - knitting editor of the school magazine  -  see what Henry makes of that! Imagine the chaos Henry can cause on a camping trip.and just see what happens when he makes a go kart..........Over an hour of fun to enjoy from Abbey Home Media, and the subtitles make it accessible for everyone. Find out lots more about Henry at his website www.horridhenry.me

 Horrid Henry's gross guide to terrible teachers

A title guaranteed to have instant appeal to all children! They will readily identify with characters such as Miss Lovely (the best of the bunch) down to the most terrible of all - Miss Battle-Axe. There are 5 super stories on this CD and the great thing is that they are related by the cast of the TV series, including Henry himself. What henry doesn't know about grossness isn't worth knowing - and this is your child's chance to learn. Henry doesn't want children to suffer - so take the opportunity to learn from his tips! The first story starts with Henry taking slime to school....surely things can't get worse...........

Sesame Street's Bedtime with Elmo DVD

How often do parents hear: 'I'm frightened of the dark'; 'I don't want to go to sleep'; 'I have scary dreams' - but even little monsters need their beauty sleep! In this great DVD, Dad Louis explains to the gang why we all need sleep. The real bonus of this DVD is that, as well as containing some lovely stories about these ever-popular characters, it also reassures children and helps alleviate those nighttime fears. Encourage your children with incentives for the next day. The valuable tips on bedtime routines will also be greatly appreciated by parents!

 Storytime with Waybuloo

This lovely collection of stories is read by Lynda Bellingham and she really brings the characters to life. Waybuloo is a new favourite from CBeebies which shows children the inmportance of co-operation, friendship and enjoyment. These audio stories are about the 4 Piplings - happy, loving and caring creatures who are inquisitive and playful: Let your child listen to these stories and decide which character they are most like - and who they would like to be like!

 Storytime with Timmy Time

Perfect warm, reassuring stories for nursery school children as they share Timmy's experiences. Just as we all do, Timmy has a lot to learn and has plenty of fun on the way. Sharing and playing together is an important lesson for children to learn and Timmy will help them. Listen to this audiobook with your little one and make the most of the opportunities for discussion brought up by the stories.

 Chuggington storytime

Settle down and be ready to listen..............Chuggington is another hugely successful TV series of railway stories, and these stories are beautifully read by Maria Darling. The trains are given their tasks for the day and look forward to learning new things. Can't catch Koko; Braking Brewster; Clunky Wilson and Wilson's smooth moves are the lovely stories in this audiobook and your children will love to listen to them over and over.

 Little Hard Hats

The Little Hard Hats website says: "We are the originators of live-action, reality-based, big-machine movies for children and we are thrilled to offer the very best in children's big machine entertainment and many other fine children's products including: Movies, books, hardhats, toys, puzzles and clothing. We offer a 100% satisfaction, money-back guarantee. Satisfying kids' "wheel obsession" for 20 years!"

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My favourite is Farm Country Ahead. Wonder at these huge machines as they trundle across vast open spaces. A lovely DVD for all those town and city children who don't get to see farm life in action. It is an excellent way of helping children to learn where their food comes from  -something which is essential these days. Road Construction Ahead is the DVD which started the series. Follow the buuilding of a road from the first digging out right until the moment the first traffic drives down the road. It is excellent to follow the process right through and undertand exactly what those great big machines really do - it enlightened me!