Chrysanthemum and More Kevin Henkes Stories (Scholastic Video Collection)
Scholastic videos let big folks rest their reading glasses by adapting Caldecott-winning and other worthy kids books for the small screen, with consistently impressive results.Chrysanthemum, based on Kevin Henkes's adorable stories, focuses on an agreeable mouse who adores her lengthy name until a classroom of regular students, plus the venomous Victoria, pokes fun at her for its floridness. Narrator Meryl Streep flits from valley-girlish Victoria to beloved bully-silencer Mrs. Twinkle with delightful effect. The video also contains "Owen" which is about a mouse who's approaching preschool but can't part with his blankie (Sarah Jessica Parker narrates) and "Weekend with Wendell" which bends our sympathy toward Sophie, who's tired of her two-day-long, trickster play date. The transformation from book to screen will captivate page-flipping preschoolers, and parents will pat themselves on the back for presenting this fine video.--Tammy La Gorce