Review: Wishbone video series
Rated by 1 member
What Parents Should Know
This video series uses classic fiction as a springboard for
the action and adventure of a terrier named Wishbone. It will
encourage school-aged kids to read while they thrill to
watching Wishbone in his adventures. Older kids will appreciate
the finer points of the plots and enjoy the action as well.
Families who watch these videos may want to discuss how they'd deal with the scary situations Wishbone faces. How do you deal with your fear? What have you done despite fear?
Common Sense Media Review
Titles reviewed in this series include:
Dog Days of the West, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,
Terrified Terrier, A Tale in Twain, Frankenbone, Hercules
Unleashed, Homer Sweet Homer, and
The Slobbery Hound.
This video series ingeniously uses classic fiction and myths to animate the inner life of a terrier named Wishbone. Wishbone and his human friends go on adventures, face fears, and have fun. These videos are a great way to spark your young learner's creative fires and may encourage them to day dream up some stories of their own.
The pleasing visuals and fast-moving, double-trouble plots make Dog Days of the West one of the best in the Wishbone series. The value of friendship is emphasized in this episode; the show exposes children to O. Henry's short stories and infuses the traditional western with an updated perspective. As unlikely as it seems, Wishbone's wild west fable blends nicely with the contemporary story of a TV reporter running roughshod over one of Oakdale's finest citizens. With two fast moving plots, finely drawncharacters and exciting historical visuals, Dog Days of the West will keep kids, and many adults, glued to the screen.
This episode features more violent and scary situations than usual Wishbone. On the positive side: a comic tone softens the action and the pistol-wielding desperado sees the light and eventually gives up his guns. The Oakdale part of the story cleverly draws viewers into the rapidly unfolding story, while simultaneously showing how manipulative and destructive TV reporters can be.
Less recommended is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The visuals are excellent throughout as is the ambience but the double thriller stalls in the beginning. It's still a great episode. Twin tales of Wishbone fright are action-packed and scary enough. The first is Washington's tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. The parallel story shows Joe facing down his fear of the town haunted house.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
