DVD Roundup (Continued) 

Ballet Shoes: A Class Act

Of course, there are some alternatives, if you'd like to stay out of the scratchiest teen catfight of 2008. I highly recommend "Ballet Shoes," a BBC movie that deals with some of the same issues -- the thrill of performing, the buzz of ambition, the sting of heartbreak -- in a classy and compelling way. It comes out Sept. 2 on DVD.

Does "Ballet Shoes" sound familiar? It could be because you've watched "You've Got Mail" too many times (I know I have). Remember that scene where Meg Ryan gets all weepy in the Barnes & Noble, er, Fox Books? The one where she recommends some titles by Noel Streatfeild?

This is based on those same books. And yes, I can see why Meg Ryan got all weepy. It tells the story of three orphans raised by a surrogate mother with lung disease and a yearning heart. The girls pledge to put their names in the history books. One becomes a ballet dancer. The other (played by Emma Watson of "Harry Potter"), an actress. And the third dreams of flight.

There are some edges to the story. The girls aren't always nice, and they see consequences. So I guess that makes it totally unrealistic, at least in parts of today's world. But still, it's well worth a look. It retails for $24.98.

Six Other Irresistible Videos

Scholastic Storybook Treasures: "Corduroy" and "Where the Wild Things Are": I have loved the "Scholastic Storybook Treasury" series, which features two noteworthy releases of late: "Corduroy," by author Don Freeman, and "Where the Wild Things Are," by Maurice Sendak.

The storybook treasury sets take beloved classic and modern kids' books and animate them, pairing text with images to bolster early reading efforts. Though I'm not convinced they actually help kids read, they definitely celebrate literature and reading, which is why I'm a fan.

"Corduroy" is such a sweet story, about a girl who finds a teddy bear in a department store and wants to get him, but gets a "no" from her mom, who points out that he's missing a button. That night, a live-action Corduroy searches the store for his button, eluding a gentle night watchman. The next day, the girl comes back with her own money. Cue the tears.

Both this and the "Wild Things" DVD contain other stories. The "Corduroy" picks are exceptional (especially "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel"). The theme of the DVD is caring. Bring your own Kleenex.

Both retail for $14.95.

Wacky Noodle Ninjas: They had me with the line, "You must have a warrior spirit to go around the world pulling a noodle."

And then, "Nobody steals my kissyface and gets away with it."

I'm talking about "Ninjas Love Noodles" and "Kung Fu Kisses," a pair of surreally silly animated cartoons about a girl named Pucca who's being raised by noodle-making uncles, and who wants nothing more than to kiss the ninja-in-training, Garu.

The look of these videos is sensational, sort of a cross between the Powerpuff Girls and a picture book called "Cat and Mouse" in which a cat was best friends with a mouse until he decided he'd rather eat him. (If you haven't seen that book, do check it out. It's the rare sort of subversive entertainment that works for kids.)

As with noodles, there is no particular nutritional value to these cartoons. But they are hilarious. They retail for $14.99. And there's a new one coming out Sept. 16. It's called "Spooky Sooga Village." My kids are already asking for it.

George of the Jungle: Remember "George of the Jungle," that 1960s TV classic about a dimwitted George and his jungle friends? ClassicMedia has released a great two-disc collection with 17 silly stories, along with episodes of "Super Chicken" and "Tom Slick."

The first season of the new "George of the Jungle" is also available in a three-disc box set.

When you grew up watching the classic, the new one doesn't feel quite as funny, but that's because it's missing the inherent campiness of being made in the 1960s. Either way, George is a fun, catfight-free way to say goodbye to summer.

The classic retails for $19.95 and the new one, $29.95.

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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