Bright Choices to Expand Young Minds

It’s easy to find the high-profile stuff for children in your local video and music stores, but DreamWorks’ “The Prince of Egypt” and, of course, the astonishing “The Iron Giant” deserve special consideration.

Here are other gift list options too, to spark the imagination and expand horizons, including such off-the-beaten-track treasures as an exquisite, Latin-flavored lullaby CD and master storytellers who create spellbinding theater of the mind.

Audio

**** CAROLE KING, “Really Rosie,” Sony Wonder, Epic and Legacy Recordings. CD: $12; cassette: $6. https://www.sony wonder.com/. Pierre, the “I don’t care” kid, “Chicken Soup With Rice,” “Alligators All Around” and 10-year-old Rosie, queen of her Brooklyn street--a re-release of one of the all-time great kids’ albums.

**** VARIOUS ARTISTS, “Latin Lullaby,” Ellipsis Arts. CD: 15.95; cassette: $9.95. (800) 788-6670; (516) 621-2727. A tender, absolutely enchanting treasure for quiet times with evocative songs and voices from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, etc.

*** ODDS BODKIN, “Little Proto’s T-Rex Adventure,” Rivertree Productions. CD: $15; cassette: $10. (800) 554-1333. https://www.oddsbodkin.com/. A little dinosaur with the sibling blues runs away from home and finds high adventure in Odds Bodkin’s richly textured yarn loaded with vivid imagery.

*** AMY LOWE and MEGAN WELLS, “Fire in Boomtown,” Emphasis Kids. CD: $14.98; cassette: $9.98. (630) 355-5762. Ages 8 to adult. An unexpected pleasure. The past springs to life in this compelling, poignant theatrical narrative of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

*** JIM WEISS, “Egyptian Treasures: Mummies and Myths,” “Galileo and the Stargazers,” Greathall Productions. CD: $14.95; cassette: $9.95 each. (800) 477-6234. https://www.greathall.com/. Dry history? Not with master storyteller Weiss to shape it into enthralling tales of suspense, alive with the thrill of discovery.

*** JEREMY IRONS, “Song of the Unicorn,” Classical Kids. CD (with multimedia enhancements): $15.98; cassette; $8.98. https://www.childrensgroup.com/. A terrific tale of Merlin and two children on a magical quest to save their queen mother, interwoven with evocative pre-Baroque music. Beautifully narrated by Irons.

*** JOHN McCUTCHEON, “Springsongs,” Rounder Kids. CD: $15; cassette: $9.50. (800) 443-4727. https://www.rounder.com/. The multitalented, Grammy-nominated artist remembers the truth of childhood in funny, heart-touching songs and finds just the right instrumental voice for each.

Video

**** “THE IRON GIANT,” Warner Home Video. $23. https://www.irongiant.com/. A boy and his 50-foot robot pal from outer space: simply one of the best animated family films ever, with stunning visuals, real storytelling, real heart and gentle humor.

**** “THE PRINCE OF EGYPT,” DreamWorks Home Entertainment. $23. https://www.prince-of-egypt.com/. Top celebs did the voices in this tale about the biblical Moses, but the real stars are this lovely film’s breathtaking animation and respect for character and story that give it all-ages appeal.

**** “BEHIND THE SCENES,” First Run Features. $14.95 each. (800) 488-6652. David Hockney, Julie Taymor, Allen Toussaint and more--entertaining and horizon-stretching, each video in this series about the process of artistic creation features a different artist and irrepressible hosts Penn & Teller.

*** “THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK & JABBERWOCKY,” and “CHAMPAGNE AND THE TALKING EGGS,” First Run Features. $15 each. (800) 488-6652. Two multilayered, soulful films from gifted animator Michael Sporn, whose unique artistry makes magic not only of fantasy, but real life too.

*** “THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU” and “PLAYING FROM THE HEART,” Globalstage Productions Inc. $27 each. (888) 324-5623. https://www.globalstage.net/. Terrific live theater filmed for ages 7 to 14: H.G. Wells’ haunting tale from Seattle’s Taproot Theatre and Charles Way’s stunner about hearing-impaired percussionist Evelyn Glennie, from Wimbledon’s Polka Theatre for Children.

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Albums and other gifts in this section are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).