Courtesy: PBS/PBS Kids
PBS Kids will re-issue its Super Why DVD Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures on Tuesday, January 13th. The DVD, originally released in 2009, is an enjoyable addition to the home library of any family that does not already own the originally released presentation. The main reason that audiences will enjoy this re-issue is right on the box’s cover. Included with this re-issue is a jigsaw puzzle attached to the box’s cover that can easily be removed, taken apart, and re-assembled. The episodes included on the disc are collectively another reason that audiences will enjoy it. To be more specific, the writing within the episodes adds to the enjoyment. And last but not least of all making this DVD worth the purchase is its bonus material. Included on this disc are games and coloring pages for young viewers, and a handful of activities that parents and children can enjoy together. The combination of those bonuses, the episodes’ writing, and the bonus jigsaw puzzle makes Super Why: Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures a joy for any family and a welcome to any family’s home DVD library.
PBS is the last bastion of truly worthwhile programming. Programs the likes of Nature, American Experience, NOVA, American Masters, Antiques Roadshow and so many others are proof positive of this accolade. Just as the programming on PBS proves it to be the last bastion of truly worthwhile programming for the whole family, its kid friendly sister network PBS Kids is the last bastion of truly worthwhile programming for children. In comparison to the likes of Nick Jr., Disney Junior, and even Disney and Nickelodeon, those commercial networks offer very little to be honest, in the way of truly worthwhile children’s programming. PBS Kids’ Super Why is just one of so many great programs offered by that network proving why it is the last bastion of truly worthwhile programming for children. Regardless of audiences’ familiarity with Super Why, audiences will find that it offers plenty to like about it. The most obvious of positives that this re-issue offers audiences is the bonus jigsaw puzzle attached to the box’s cover. The puzzle is attached using rubber cement. So it can easily be removed from the case. And the rubber cement can easily be cleaned off of the case and puzzle. From there, the puzzle can easily be pulled from its sticky backing and just as easily taken apart. Audiences will note that the puzzle matches precisely the box’s cover art. This means that children and parents can–again–easily assemble the puzzle together. Children can use the box’s cover art as a guide to assemble the puzzle. What’s more, they can assemble the puzzle right on top of the box’s cover. That’s because not only does it look just like the box art, but it is also the exact same size as the box’s cover. This also means that there are not a lot of pieces to assemble and take apart. Parents should just find a box or ziplock bag in which to hold the puzzle pieces when they’re not in use. It is easy to lose them. That’s a minor issue since it’s easy to lose pieces with any puzzle. So that in mind, the bonus jigsaw puzzle included with PBS Kids’ re-issue of Super Why: Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures is a good reason for any family to add this DVD to their library if they do not already own said compilation.
The bonus jigsaw puzzle included in PBS Kids’ new re-issue of Super Why: Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures is a great reason for any family to add this DVD to their home library. The puzzle is easy to assemble and take apart. On a deeper level, it helps young audiences build organizational skills and problem solving skills. The problem solving skills that are built through the use of the DVD’s bonus jigsaw puzzle are just the start of what the DVD offers audiences. The writing that went into each of the compilation’s four episodes offer their own share of problem solving skills. They also offer more. The manner in which the episodes were written is especially smart. For starters, the show’s writers use repetition in the episodes. Alpha Pig teaches specifically the letters of the alphabet in each episode. Wonder Red teaches the sound that words make when they are fully assembled. Princess Pea and Alpha Pig both teach young viewers the process of assembling letters to make words. Wyatt teaches the actual reading of the words in their full sentence structure. He teaches how certain words do and do not work together in given circumstances. And that is only the beginning of how the writing behind the episodes makes this compilation so enjoyable. There is actually a secondary aspect to the episodes’ writing that makes said writing even more important.
The primary lessons that are taught through each of the episodes collectively make for plenty of enjoyment for audiences. Young viewers will catch on very quickly to the letters and words taught thanks to the repetition of those skills. Just as important to note of the show’s writing is the very fact that they promote literacy and the general love of reading. Wyatt and company jump into the books and learn important skills, yes. But on an even deeper level, the series, as is evidenced in these episodes, promotes a love of reading. It uses the most classic children’s books of all time for both purposes. These are books that are taught both in the classroom and the living room. So to that extent, the use of these classic children’s books could easily serve as a doorway to reading more and more books. It’s one more way in which the writing behind this series proves to make the series and this DVD in particular such a welcome addition in any classroom and in any family’s home library.
The promotion of literacy and general grammar skills both prove why the writing in these episodes is so important to its success. There is no denying their importance. In the same vein, two of the episodes on this disc–“Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Little Pigs”–also serve as discussions on how to handle bullies. “The Three Little Pigs” presents that discussion point more so than “Little Red Riding Hood.” But that episode, too does delve into that realm to a point. It adds even more value and “oomph” to the compilation. It is never too soon for parents to start discussing bullying with their children. And it is never too soon to start getting children interested in reading and building their ability to read, either. The fact that the show’s writers could promote all of that in just four episodes and do so without letting the episodes get away from them shows without a doubt why the writing in the collected episodes is so important to the DVD’s success. It could even be argued that said writing proves to be even more important than the bonus companion puzzle included on the box’s cover. Speaking of bonuses, the bonus material included in the DVD for both parents and children puts the final touch on the DVD. Whether it be the games and coloring pages for children or the activities for families in whole, the bonus material included in the DVD serves as a fitting final piece to this presentation, proving once and for all why this re-issue is a welcome addition to any classroom or family’s home library.
The bonus material included in PBS Kids’ new Super Why re-issue of Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures is the final piece of the whole that makes this DVD such a welcome addition to any classroom or family’s home library. Included for children is a handful of games that drives home the repetition used through the episodes alongside coloring pages that can be printed out and colored. For the whole family, parents can print out a handful of activities complete with instructions on how to carry out each activity. Parents can put those activity sheets into a binder with other printable activities offered on other PBS Kids’ DVDs for use later in any setting. It should be noted that in order to access the games, coloring pages, and activities, families should have Flash and Adobe Reader. Otherwise, they won’t be able to be accessed. Having them, audiences should open the disc directly on their computers. They cannot be accessed by playing the disc. Audiences will simply open the disc from their start menu and double click on the disc in the drive. From there, they can go through folders to get to each game, coloring page, and activity. When they do access them, parents and children alike will agree that these bonuses are the final touh on a disc that is a welcome re-issue for any family that doesn’t already own it and a welcome addition to any classroom and family’s home library.
Super Why: Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Fairytale Adventures was originally released six years ago in 2009. In the years that have passed , little has changed overall with the disc. The bonus puzzle that comes with the disc is a great addition to the whole package. For those that did not have access to the DVD in its previous release, the DVD proves all the more worth the purchase not only because of the bonus puzzle, but because of the episodes and their writing, and because of the original bonus features all included in this re-issue. It will be available Tuesday, January 13th and can be ordered online direct from PBS’ online store at http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=49575496&cp=&sr=1&kw=super+why&origkw=Super+Why&parentPage=search. Families can watch even more episodes of Super Why and play more games online at the show’s official website http://pbs.org/superwhy. Families and educators can keep up with all of the latest news from the show online both there are the series’ official Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/superwhy. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
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