Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman - G
Common Sense Note
Parents should know that Benjamin, Crista, and Marco's parents have died and that they get into tough scrapes, depending on how kids choose for the story to go. They almost die when a bridge collapses; they get buried by an avalanche, and they must run to avoid shifting glaciers all around them. The action is exciting but not disturbing, and is handled in a way not to jangle small nerves too much. Along the way, the kids -- and the viewer -- get an opportunity to learn from mistakes and practice critical thinking skills. The message of fidelity, love, and respect for other cultures is woven throughout the DVD.
Families can talk about how to make the decisions posed to them by this DVD: When should you talk to a stranger? Should you go with someone who claims to have been sent by your family? How do you protect loved ones? How does each child contribute his or her own unique skills to the adventure?
The DVD may also spur an interest in Nepal and its culture. It's a great opportunity to borrow some books on the country from the library and explore its myths, climate, and history.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Heather Boerner
Many parents will remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books from their own childhoods -- those jigsaw-puzzle stories that let you determine what to do next. Some found those books laborious and gimmicky, but that's not the case with the DVD version of this concept. The characters are engaging, the animation fluid, the kids are strong but smart, and the adventure is rousing without being too scary for kids.
In CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN, animal-loving Crista (Lacey Chabert), brainiac adventurer Benjamin (Frankie Muniz), and fun-loving Marco (Daryl Sabara) are summoned to Nepal to help their Uncle Rudy (William H. Macy) track down the legend of the Yeti.
After they arrive, they head out to find their adventure, and the viewer does, too. Using the DVD player remote, they choose what they want the kids to do at critical points in the story. Should they parachute out of a failing plane or hold on and hope it lands? Should they go with the man who says he was sent by Uncle Rudy to help them or stay with their sherpa guide? Should they stay the night at the wizened old yak herder's home or try their luck on the cold snow-blown slopes? What would you do? In this 30-minute DVD, viewers have the opportunity to try different approaches to the same situation. In the process, they're learning critical thinking skills.
When kids choose what to do next, parents also have an opportunity to talk to them about what's safe: When, if ever, should you go with someone you don't know but says he was sent by your parents? How do you take care of your siblings when you're in a difficult situation?
In the end, the DVD has its own moral: If Benjamin, Crista, and Marco stay on course and don't let themselves be distracted, they accomplish their goals and discover a secret about themselves and their parents. If they don't, they have perilous adventures but always end up safe.
It's a real shame that this well-done DVD is marred by shockingly blatant product placement. In one version of the story, Marco offers food to an injured Yeti, and that food is Life Cereal. Marco even exclaims, "She likes it!" Not only is it egregious product placement, but it takes the viewer out of the moment and distracts from the fun and storyline.
Kids who enjoy this DVS may want to watch others in this series, or consider full-length adventures, like Finding Nemo or Toy Story.
Rate It!
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ViolenceMild peril, but always cartoonish. The kids are threatened by tigers, nearly fall off a bridge, and are buried in an avalanche. |
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Social BehaviorKids learn critical thinking skills. Crista is a strong, adventurous female role model. The message of fidelity, love, and respect for other cultures is woven throughout the story. |
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CommercialismPackaging is marked by Life Cereal, and the cereal even comes with the kids on the adventure. |
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