Product Details

• Actors: Carlo Alban, Alan Arkin, Paul Benedict, Larry Block, Lexine Bondoc
• Directors: Jim Henson, Jim Martin, Randall Balsmeyer, Victor DiNapoli, Ken Diego
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Live, NTSC
• Language: English, Spanish
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony
• VHS Release Date: January 28, 1997
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304279507
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,777 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Elmo and Telly share billing on this half-hour instructional video that gently preaches the virtue of being forthright. The lesson begins as Gina reads "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" to her day-care charges. Elmo dreams himself into the tale, in which no sheep are eaten and the offending wolf ends up tied to a tree. Meanwhile, Telly seems to be the only one who hasn't been or isn't going to the circus. Feeling left out, he tells them his Uncle Tommy (Dennis Quaid) is the ringmaster. Of course, he gets found out, is forgiven, and joins Uncle Tommy, Gina, and the gang in a big song-and-dance number. The irony for adults and older kids is that Uncle Tommy is actually an astronaut, not exactly a low-profile job. But even his uncle gets the call to blast off into space without the benefit of a rocket ship: Telly announces that he loves him even if he's not a circus employee. Stay tuned after the credits for a one-minute message from Quaid. (Ages 2 and older) --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Teaches Children that Telling the Truth is Very Important!, July 27, 2000

By 

Lisa Luciano (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sesame Street - Telling the Truth [VHS] (VHS Tape)

My 14 month old is quite a handful, except when he is watching Sesame Street. He is especially fond of this Kids Guide to Life video! The story revolves around Telly and Elmo and various muppet monster and child friends who are in Gina's Family Daycare, Sesame Street's child daycare center. All are discussing how great the circus is. Some children and monsters already went and some will be going that evening, including Gina. Telly feels very left out. Gina proceeds to read a story about the boy who cried wolf while Elmo takes a nap and dreams he is in the story and is responsible to help the muppet boy watch the sheep, with results that teach children it is very important to tell the truth for many reasons. This is illustrated by the muppet boy "crying wolf" so many times his muppet family does not believe him (and of course Elmo) when the real wolf comes. If you have the Learning to Share video, you will recognize the wolf, but he has a bit of a French flair to him, which is quite entertaining. Before the story has ended, back at the daycare center, Telly has decided to say that his Uncle Tommy (played by Dennis Quaid) is a ringmaster in the circus, in order to feel important and gain attention! Of course, this is not true, and he then has to "fess up" and tell his friends that what he said was a lie, even though he is nervous that no one will want to be his friend anymore. The musical numbers and comedy, which is also aimed at adults, is very well done. This video is suggested for all children and parents, as we all have to deal with truth versus fiction in many real-life situations each day.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the BEST Sesame Street Videos, March 26, 2005

By 

A Central Illinoisian in Chicago (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sesame Street - Telling the Truth [VHS] (VHS Tape)

My 4 year old has loved this since he was 3 - every few days he will want to watch it again, and I don't mind becuase its charming, and there's some adult "wit" sneaked into the dialogue. The scenario - Telly telling a lie about his Uncle being a Ringmaster of a Circus, Gina telling the Story of the Boy who Cried Wolf, Elmo Dreaming Himself into the Story, & Telly's Uncle unexpectedly appearing (Dennis Quaid) with Telly having to admit he told a lie all combine well. The songs aren't bad either - my Son likes to have me sing along and yes, I've memorized them. Definitely worth buying.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, teaching the values of telling the truth, February 14, 2002

By 

Beverly L Schueren "BLS" (Sagamore Hills, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sesame Street - Telling the Truth [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The world we live in is so full of false hopes and promises that so much of the time people forget to teach their children that being truthful, our word and our honor, is the most important thing we can offer. Children need to learn that telling the truth is a good thing, and not a thing of the past. This Sesame Street video reminds us, as adults, and them as children that although it's not always the easiest road it is always the best choice.