National Geographic's Really Wild Animals: Farmyard Friends [VHS]
InFarmyard Friends, Spin, an animated globe voiced by Dudley Moore, dons his farmer's hat and beckons kids to join him on a farmyard safari. Spin defines domestication and proceeds to point out the differences between farmyard animals such as sheep, turkeys, and pigs and their wild ancestors. The latter portion of the video examines endangered species, what real-life superheroes are doing to preserve these animals and their habitats, and how kids can help by learning, teaching, protecting, and volunteering.Sprinkled throughout this 46-minute video are entertaining "commercials" such as the special offer "All Moo," which advocates buying a cow for its 20 quarts of milk a day--all you need is 60 pounds of food a day and a bathtub of water. Don't worry--it can only be ordered from "Cows 'r Us" with parental approval, and Spin is quick to point out that "you'll never get it, so don't even bother!" Other attention-grabbing interludes include comic segments such as "Farm Cop," which focuses on how mother animals recognize their offspring, and lots of pop-inspired songs about farm animals, the comparative benefits of being wild or tame, helping those in need, and preserving the land.National Geographichas once again produced a spectacularly photographed video that offers children a wealth of information in a thoroughly entertaining format.--Tami Horiuchi