Scholastic Video Collection: Danny and the Dinosaur (NR, 2005)

SCHOLASTIC VIDEO COLLECTION: DANNY AND THE DINOSAUR features five stories, including the titular tale of Danny, which is a simple story of a creature taking a day off from the museum and the boy he befriends. The more complex and amusing "Stanley and the Dinosaurs," has a bebop narration and funny stop-action animation. "Here Comes the Cat" is sumptuously animated and has an unexpected and amusing twist at the end. In "The Island of the Skog" a group of mice, tired of their oppressed living conditions, sets off to sea to find a new home, and on the way they become the oppressors they are fleeing. "The Beast of Monsieur Racine" is a beautifully animated tale of a man who loves his pear tree and decides to befriend the odd creature who steals his fruit.

These five stories all involve friendship between people and creatures, creatures and other kinds of creatures, and people and other people. The lessons are simple and straightforward -- even when someone seems different, they can still become a friend.

"The Island of the Skog" is a bit long, but teaches a good lesson in compassion and self-awareness. "The Beast of Monsieur Racine" is probably the oddest story. It's silly in the extreme, and contains one brief scene of particularly French cartoon mayhem. These stories are all of the usual high quality that Scholastic is known for, and will give both children and parents an opportunity to both laugh and think.