- Bunny Town
- Disney Channel (TV)
It's rare for a children's program to have no real characters. But David Rudman, creator of Noggin's Jack's Big Music Show (and also the voice of Sesame Street's Little Bear), has no problem providing loads of entertainment with a cast of nameless, mostly nonspeaking rabbits. Bunny Town is essentially a preschool variety show, jumping between short comedy sketches and musical numbers, like a toddler-friendly Laugh-In. The show comes off as boldly original for children's television, but fun recurring gags and catchy songs should make the experiment pay off.—Ages 2 to 7
- Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles
- Lionsgate, $15 (DVD)
She may be porcine, but human preschoolers will find it very easy to relate to Peppa. This collection of slice-of-life vignettes—all of which originally appeared as part of Cartoon Network's Tickle U— is aimed squarely at under-5s, but that doesn't mean there's nothing here for parents to enjoy. While your kids are giggling along with the giddy Peppa, you may find yourself smiling knowingly at the way Mother Pig resigns herself to a household mess, and Father Pig tries to look like a hero to his children by promising to repair a computer that he has no idea how to fix.—Ages 2 to 5
- Knuffle Bunny
- Scholastic Storybook Collection, $15 (DVD)
Fans of Mo Willem's new-classic picture book—both young and old alike—will undoubtedly be pleased with this extremely faithful animated adaptation. The author and his family provide the voices, adding even more realism to the already relatable tale of a preverbal toddler who leaves her favorite stuffed animal at the Laundromat and tries in vain to tell her father of the dilemma. Five other storybooks, by authors such as Louise Ehlert and William Steig, also get toon treatment here.—Ages 3 and up
- Pixar Short Films Collection
- Disney, $30 (DVD)
Ever wonder why the start of every Pixar film features a jaunty, bouncing desk lamp accompanying the company logo? Here's your chance to see Luxo, Jr., the computer-animated short that began the studio's legacy of excellence. This disc serves as a mini film festival, featuring 13 Pixar shorts, five Academy Award nominees, and three Oscar winners among them. A couple are directly connected to Pixar features, like Cars and Monsters Inc., but most offer up new fantasy worlds of their own—and the five minutes you spend in each will be a memorable visit.—Ages 3 and up
- The Year Without a Santa Claus
- Warner Home Video, $20 (DVD)
It may not have the name recognition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman, but this stop-motion classic from Christmas kings Rankin & Bass ranks among the most beloved of holiday specials for many of today's parents. The plot is admittedly melodramatic: A snippy Santa thinks no one believes in him anymore and decides to hang up his puffball-tipped hat, prompting Mrs. Claus, two elves named Jingle and Jangle, and Vixen the reindeer to head out in search of a kid who's still keeping the faith. But the lasting power of this special lies firmly in the puppetlike hands of two characters: Heat Miser and Snow Miser. The weather-controlling brothers treat us to "I'm Mister Green Christmas/I'm Mister White Christmas," one of the best musical numbers in all of holiday-specialdom. If you don't remember it, you certainly will after hearing it—and you'll be humming it straight into February.—Ages 3 and up
