Strawberry Shortcake: Bright Lights, Big Dreams
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Strawberry and friends learn etiquette and teamwork.
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What's the Story?
This DVD is a collection of three of Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures. In the first episode, Strawberry (voiced by Anna Cummer) learns how to entertain guests, but her manners are put to the test when Kadiebug and Sadiebug arrive and act spoiled and obnoxious. In the second episode, Strawberry and her friends enter a magazine contest and try to break world records at various endeavors in order to benefit their friend Berrykin Bloom. In the third episode, Plum Pudding (Ashleigh Ball) enters the girls in the annual dance contest, and since they lost the year before, she tries to overwork them to the point of exhaustion in order to win this year's competition.
Is It Any Good?
Young kids will almost certainly be entertained by the occasionally silly behavior of Strawberry Shortcake's friends. But what should appeal to both kids and parents is how Strawberry upholds positive values through example. As anyone who knows anything about Strawberry Shortcake will tell you, she often speaks of the importance of being polite, of sharing, and of working together to solve problems. She also shows why such values are necessary -- both in her world and in ours -- through her actions.
And as these values are being shown through Strawberry's actions, behavior that isn't nice -- selfishness, obnoxiousness, not sharing -- is shown through other characters, and these characters learn from the negative consequences of these actions and grow toward being kinder to those around them. How Strawberry deals with Kadiebug and Sadiebug especially -- two bugs who act bratty and self-centered -- provides a strong positive example for kids and adults who deal with similar characters in real life. The DVD should also trigger constructive discussions on the differences between doing your best and times when trying too hard can be unhealthy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about being polite when being a guest in others' homes. Why is it important to be nice and respectful of other people's houses and their possessions?
Have you ever been around people who were selfish and rude in public? How did it make you feel? How did you react to them?
While it's good to always do your best, what might happen if you try so hard that you don't sleep and never take a break?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 1, 2011
- Cast: Anna Cummer, Ashleigh Ball, Ingrid Nilson
- Director: Bob Hathcock
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Run time: 66 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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