Wonder Pets: Save the Beetles (NR, 2008)

This special edition of Nick Jr.'s Wonder Pets animated series finds the three classroom pets responding to a call for "help" in British accents and perfect four-part harmony. Linny the Guinea Pig, Tuck the Turtle, and Ming-Ming the Duckling must find a way to help four beetles stuck in a yellowish submarine, far away in the kelp beds of Liverpool. Employing everyday objects from a brightly colored preschool classroom and a big dash of teamwork, they board their Flysub and head to the rescue.

Visually and musically, Wonder Pets has a unique and captivating style. Mixed media animation incorporates photographs of real animals with more traditional animation styles, while much of the dialog is sung in operetta backed by an orchestra, rather than spoken. This time around snippets of best loved Beatles lyrics are sprinkled throughout the dialog and riffed upon in the songs for a cute effect. Combined with the winsome personalities of the pint-sized heroes, young kids will root for the pets to complete the challenge of the simple story lines.

The reassuring message that teamwork can make up for a lack of size and toughness is something that preschool-age kids will be able to relate to; the fact that the characters speak in childlike voices is a nice way of making that message even more accessible. A bonus episode features the Wonder Pets nurturing a classroom piglet, and would be a good way of helping prepare a child who is going to become an older brother or sister.