Parents' Guide to

Scholastic Video Collection: The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

By Sarah Wenk, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

A mixed bag, but mostly delightful.

Movie NR 2005 46 minutes
Scholastic Video Collection: The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

SCHOLASTIC VIDEO COLLECTION: THE DAY JIMMY'S BOA ATE THE WASH features stories about kids and their experiences in school. In the titular story, Jimmy and his class take a field trip to a farm and things get out of hand when Jimmy's pet snake gets loose. In "Shrinking Violet," a very shy girl lands a major part in the school play. And a little guy heads off to his first day of school and gets scared he won't make any friends in "Will I Have a Friend?"

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The stories on this collection run the gamut from absolutely delightful to overlong and dull. "Shrinking Violet," while imparting a valuable lesson about overcoming shyness, is very long and very slow, and the animation is particularly uninspired. At the other end of the spectrum is "The Sweater," a reminiscence of a French- Canadian childhood and the crucial importance of wearing the right hockey sweater. It's a pure delight. There's also a charming rendition of James Thurber's "Man Moons."

Some of the stories are geared for older kids, but everything in them is accessible to anyone. Families who watch together can use the stories as starting points for discussions of school, friendship, imagination, and the magic of childhood.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the themes in these stories, such as school, friendship, imagination, and the magic of childhood

Movie Details

  • In theaters: June 12, 2005
  • On DVD or streaming: June 26, 2005
  • Cast: Karma Wilson
  • Director: Syd Hoff
  • Studio: Scholastic
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • Run time: 46 minutes
  • MPAA rating: NR
  • MPAA explanation: not rated
  • Last updated: September 19, 2019

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate