By Martha Brockenbrough
Special to MSN Movies

If there's any gift for kids that packs a lot of bang for the buck, it's a DVD. That's because when kids like a movie, they tend to watch it over and over. This is also why you want to be careful with what you let Santa slip into the stockings. Otherwise, you might end up getting Gilbert Gottfried's supremely irritating parrot Iago stuck in your head.

Consider the following picks when you write your letter to Santa this year. They're good fun for kids, and they won't grate on your nerves.

FOR LAP-SIZED KIDS
For little kids -- the ones who think "Finding Nemo" is scary -- there aren't many theatrical releases, so it's a good thing there are some classics to share with the littlest moviegoers.

This year, Disney re-released fantastic versions of two favorites, "Peter Pan" and "The Jungle Book." And although it's not a movie, the second season of "The Muppet Show" is good enough that it ranks right up there with anything you'd see in a theater.
 
"Peter Pan" (Rated G)
This 54-year-old classic tells the story of Wendy Darling as she faces adolescence, and Peter Pan, the boy who did not want to grow up. Wendy and her brothers fly off with Peter to Neverland, where they face mermaids, "Indians" and the dreaded Captain Hook. Beneath the surface, though, the kids confront what it means to grow up and how you can do this without losing your sense of wonder.

This release features restored images and sounds, along with some nice extras, audio commentary by Disney's nephew, Roy; an alternate beginning; and Disney's own explanation of why he made the movie. There are also deleted songs and a flyover tour of London along with several games, including "Smee's Sudoku Challenge."

"The Jungle Book" (Rated G)
Kids today might confuse Mowgli with Dora the Explorer (they do have the same haircut), but there's no confusing the fact that "The Jungle Book" has the best songs of any classic Disney movie.

This movie tells the story of a little boy, Mowgli, who's raised by wolves in an Indian jungle. When the evil tiger Shere Khan returns, though, the animals do their best to get the man-cub back to the human village. There's just one problem: Mowgli doesn't want to go.

And it's no wonder. With friends such as Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther and a lifetime supply of delicious fruit, who would want to live in a village where kids are expected to carry baskets of water on their heads?

"The Muppet Show, Season 2" (Not rated, but it's G, except for Elton John's costumes)
TV shows from the '70s usually look every bit as good as macramé formalwear compared with what's on the tube today. No matter how much you might have loved "Silver Spoons" or "Facts of Life," they are almost unwatchable today.

"The Muppet Show" is a huge exception to the '70s-sucked rule, and the second season is four DVDs' worth of laughs for kids and grown-ups. It follows a variety show format, where Kermit, his co-stars and their celebrity guests perform songs and quick sketches.

It's endlessly amusing to watch a young Elton John preen about in a spangled jumpsuit of snug pink spandex, but recurring sketches rule, especially the Swedish chef and his incomprehensible yammering, the campy "Pigs in Space" and the comically unfunny Fozzie Bear jokes.

FOR ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL-AGED KIDS
When kids get to the point they can tie their own shoes, choose their own clothes and make a case why under the bed works just as well as shelves for storing objects, they are old enough to develop taste. You might not like their taste, but they have it, nonetheless. This is why, for example, they might think SpaghettiOs and boxed macaroni and cheese are delicacies, whereas your own cooking is disgusting.

"Shrek the Third" (Rated PG)
This simple, emerging taste is why kids will want "Shrek the Third" in their stockings, even though it is probably only one-third as innovative as the first movie in the series. It's not a bad film by any means; it's just more (and less) of the same.
 
In it, the newlywed Shrek is ready to live happily ever after with Fiona, but his plans are dashed when his father-in-law, the frog king (John Cleese), croaks. What's more, he's going to become a father. So when he sets off to find an alternative heir -- Arthur, played by Justin Timberlake -- he has a bit of the midlife crisis motivating him. Kids won't care so much about that, though, as the hilarity of familiar fairy-tale characters high-kicking the stuffing out of each other.

"Charlotte's Web" (Rated G)
For kids who have developed the taste to appreciate a fine thing, "Charlotte's Web" makes a great under-the-tree pick. Based on the classic children's tale by E.B. White, this book tells the story of a pig named Wilbur (Dominic Scott Kay), who's born a runt and marked for death, but then saved through the efforts of a selfless and literary friend.

Julia Roberts makes for a fine Charlotte in this adaptation directed by Gary Winick. Dakota Fanning plays Fern and won a Kids' Choice Award for her performance; Steve Buscemi plays the rat Templeton, and John Cleese plays a sheep.

"Scholastic Storybook Treasures"
For kids learning to read, and who haven't outgrown their favorite picture books, Scholastic has an eye-boggling collection of DVDs based on some of the greatest picture books ever: "Where the Wild Things Are," "Harold and the Purple Crayon," "Corduroy" and "Harry the Dirty Dog," among others.

Scholastic has animated original images from the book and added narration by Forest Whitaker, James Earl Jones and other celebrities. And, they've put the text in subtitles along the bottom, so kids can read along.

The narrators read more quickly than most young kids can, so this is not a substitute for reading practice with a parent. But it's a really fun way to bring books to life, and the 16-DVD set would be a delight in any young child's collection. Scholastic has a few stand-alone titles, as well -- most notably "Knuffle Bunny" by the immensely talented Mo Willems.

FOR TWEENS
By the time kids get to be tweens, they think they want to watch stuff such as "Saw IV." They don't. It will stunt their growth -- emotionally, anyway. Thankfully, there are other choices that will challenge, inspire and entertain them during their awkward years.

"High School Musical 2" (Rated G)
A sequel to the made-for-TV Disney movie, "High School Musical 2" picks up at the end of the school year for Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad and friends . They spend summer break working at a country club, angling for each other's affections and rehearsing numbers for the talent show. And — unlike the first "High School Musical," Troy and Gabriella do manage to kiss in the sequel.

The DVD comes out Dec. 11, which means Santa won't have a lot of time to pick it up before Christmas. But it's one that definitely will make tween girls squeal.

(Really die-hard Zac Efron fans, meanwhile, can check out PG-rated "The Derby Stallion," from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. In it, Efron plays a 15-year-old boy who decides to take on the rich town bully and race a horse in the Derby Cup. Zac Efron and horses? Swoon. The movie has won several awards, including Winner of the 2005 London Children's Film Festival.)

"Bridge to Terabithia" (Rated PG)
One of the best family movies of the year is also the saddest, but that's no reason it won't make a great holiday gift. Based on the award-winning children's book, "Bridge to Terabithia" tells the story of Jess and Leslie, two best friends who cope with the challenges of adolescence by inventing a fantasy world. One of them dies suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving the survivor to pick up the pieces using the lessons learned in Terabithia. It's important that parents know this detail in advance, because the death scene, while in no way graphic, is still shocking.

Though the movie does have some CGI wizardry, the best part by far is the acting by Josh Hutcherson (Jess), AnnaSophia Robb (Leslie) and Robert Patrick (Jess' harsh and suffering father). It's also a great reminder to teens that life is fragile, and that friendship is worth everything.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (Rated PG-13)
This summer's most hotly anticipated movie finally comes out on DVD on Dec. 11, and only the most Muggle-minded parent will fail to pick up a copy. There are several editions to choose from (widescreen, full-screen, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, in case your young wizard obsesses about the technology of such things).

Based on the fifth Potter book, "Order of the Phoenix" shows a young Harry taking charge when the Ministry of Magic interferes at Hogwarts and leaves the students in the hands of an inept Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He instructs his peers in all manner of defensive spells, which they use to take on Voldemort's flunkies in the Ministry offices.

The movie is dark and exciting, and the Warner Bros. DVD release marks the one-year countdown till the next Harry Potter movie — the second to last in the beloved series.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Finding a movie the whole family can like is a challenge. It has to have a story clear enough for the youngest members but deep enough for the grown-ups. Any humor has to appeal to everyone -- or at least not offend or confuse.

"Ratatouille" (Rated G)
Very, very few movies make this grade. Happily, though "Ratatouille," written and directed by Brad Bird, is that movie for 2007.

This Disney/Pixar collaboration tells the story of Remy the rat, who lives for food and loves to cook. His family doesn't understand his passion, and humans -- who would appreciate what he does -- despise him. The story is both simple and deep. Remy goes to work undercover in a French kitchen and triumphs. On a more profound level, we also see how courage and passion are the necessary ingredients to greatness.

It says something about the creators of this movie when one of the most humane characters to light up the screen this year is a rat, and one of the most hopeful is a dour movie critic named Anton Ego (in a marvelous performance by Peter O'Toole). But that's the magic of movies. Anything can happen.

The Ratatouille DVD includes commentary from Bird, along with a really cute history of the rat and its relationship with humans, narrated by Remy (Patton Oswalt) and his brother Emile (Peter Sohn).

"Pixar Short Film Collection, Volume 1" (Rated G)
For more than 20 years, the creative minds that became Pixar have been working on short movies that explore and expand the boundaries of animation.

The collection includes "Boundin'," about a sheep who learns not to lose heart even after a humiliating full-body shave; "One Man Band," a funny competition between buskers for a little girl's coin; and "Lifted," which shows a bungled alien abduction. At nearly $30, the list price is steep. But for people who love Pixar, it's a testament to their evolution, and their excellence.

Martha Brockenbrough is MSN's Cinemama, for the Parents' Movie Guide. She is also the author of "It Could Happen to You: Diary of a Pregnancy and Beyond." She's also founder of SPOGG, the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. She writes a fun-with-kids column for Cranium.com, as well as an educational humor column for Encarta. Check out her Web site.

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