Baby Shakespeare [With 28-Page Book]

The world of words has rarely looked brighter than it does in this crisp video, which employs a clever mix of puppets, preschoolers, music, art and nature footage to introduce infants and toddlers to 12 new words/objects. Though the title may be a bit misleading (only a brief snippet from one of Shakespeare's plays appears here), parents and babies alike will find it hard to resist the vivid colors and upbeat rhythm of this production. Green dragon-puppet Bard plays host, inviting youngsters to take a closer look at a train, butterfly, flower, apple and more. For each word, viewers can expect a brief puppet show, music video (showing colorful toys in motion to the sounds of Beethoven) and presentation of the word in art and letters, as well as the object's depiction in sharp, live-action footage. In addition, each term is featured in a poem by the likes of Wordsworth, Yeats and Nash, read in the hushed voice of Baby Einstein founder Julie Aigner-Clark. This poetry experience can also be enjoyed away from the small screen, as the poems appear in a picture book (illustrated with photographs) that comes packaged with the video. Ages 1-4. (Apr.)