- The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
- Disney, $23 (DVD)
This long-eared leaper was Walt Disney's first big-screen star. So why have you never heard of him? Created by the young animator in 1926, Oswald officially belonged to the studio Disney was working for at the time. (After he started his own, he dreamed up a new character with suspiciously similar coloring, but that's another story....) The Disney company has finally regained the rights to Oswald's adventures, which make their DVD debut here; the 13 silent shorts, with a new, updated score, function not only as entertainment but as an intriguing peek into cartoon history. In the spirit of Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, Oswald's vignettes are full of comic violence, but it's obviously fantastical and completely bloodless. So if you see a cannonball about to knock Oswald's head off, remember, he is "the lucky rabbit"—all will be okay in the end. Disc two contains other early Disney shorts, including "Steamboat Willie," featuring Oswald's more famous successor. —Ages 5 and up
- The Mr. Men Show
- Cartoon Network (TV),
check local listings for times
Seventies kid-pop has proven a rich field from which to mine programming for today's youth. This animated sketch-comedy show is based on the characters from Roger Hargreaves's Mr. Men and Little Miss books, each of whom had one defining trait—Mr. Messy, Mr. Stubborn, Little Miss Chatterbox, etc.—that predictably led to trouble. There's an element of genius in transplanting the archetypes into this format (who expects depth from skits?). The verbal humor and over-the-top slapstick pack a lot of laughs into 30 minutes. —Ages 4 and up
- Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: Recipes for Trouble
- Shout! Factory, $11 (DVD)
Like Alice in Wonderland, Maggie plays mediator for bizarre creatures involved in silly disputes—but here, the solutions all make sense. In handling her emotionally fickle friends (like the Beast, who is about as ferocious as an inchworm), the young heroine exhibits exemplary social skills. —Ages 2 to 5
- Growing Up Arctic
- Genius Products, $14 (DVD)
Diego fans interested in real-life animal rescuers will love this DVD of the Animal Planet series, which documents the story of an orphaned baby seal, walrus, and polar bear, each raised by doting wildlife experts. The backstories can be harsh (a hunter takes down Mama Bear), but what follows is both fascinating and touching. —Ages 4 and up
- Dora the Explorer: Undercover Dora
- Nick Jr., $12 (DVD)
It's seven years and counting, but Dora's reign atop preschool TV isn't showing any sign of fading—perhaps because she's not afraid to jump on trends. Here, that means donning shades and trench coat; Swiper's high-tech swiping machine doesn't stand a chance. —Ages 2 to 8
