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 Angelina is a little mouse who
dares to dream--of being a prima ballerina--and who always has a
few life lessons to learn. Based on the stories by Katherine
Holabird and illustrated by Helen Craig, this video features four
animated stories all about Angelina and her many escapades.
In the first story, Angelina's
ballet teacher makes an announcement: the famous Madame Zee-Zee is
coming to the girls' class, and there will be a big audition to be
a Sunbeam in her show. Angelina is excited, but she soon finds out
that she has to bring Henry, her little mouseling cousin, to the
audition! Grudgingly, she brings him along. What's worse, Madame
Zee-Zee is so taken with the little mouse that she announces that
HE will be the Sunbeam and Angelina will be a mere
understudy. Of course, Angelina is devastated. How this
problem, and its resolution, play out is suspenseful and fun.
Three more stories--featuring bad-mannered bicycle-riding twins, a
boat contest in which Angelina is paired up with a boy mouse she
doesn't much like, and a boy mouse who deals with teasing because
he wants to take ballet class--round out the rest of the video.
Angelina in the Wings is
beautifully animated and the British voiceovers are
well-acted. Each story is pleasantly complex, suspenseful,
and involving. Angelina's character is strong, and her passion for
ballet is just as powerful. In her own words, "there isn't
anything else". Angelina is competitive and she dreams big--and her good-heartedness
always reigns at the end of the day.
The stories emphasize social
interactions. The value of teamwork and playing fair are
underlying themes throughout. There is quite a bit of
"nasty" behavior -- bragging parents, aggressive
children, name-calling, and so forth. Of course, the problems
generally get resolved and the overall message is positive, but
parents of preschoolers may want to take note.
For more information, user reviews, or to buy, follow these
links:
Angelina Ballerina - Angelina in the...
(VHS)
Pros:
- Beautiful animation
- Features 4 satisfying
stories for a total of approximately 48 minutes.
- Aspiring ballerinas will
likely enjoy Angelina's escapades.
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Cons:
- The stories, in their
attempts to describe social interactions, present quite
a bit of undesirable behavior, such as name-calling.
Although these are generally resolved, the video may not
be as suitable for preschoolers.
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