Customer Reviews

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My kids are 8 and 5 and still enjoy watching this video at bedtime or just to wind down. Its five recitations of Eric Carle stories backed by wonderful music and imaginative artwork make it appropriate for anybody. I wish another video of Carle's books would be made; we've played this one endlessly! The narrators' voices are soft and calming, and the artwork is splendid, especially the last piece set to classical music. It makes a nice accompaniment to the books, but also stands well on its own. I highly recommend this video for baby, toddler, or child alike.

This is one of the first videos I showed my child starting when he was about 6 months old. I was amazed that a video could hold the attention of a baby that age! At about 11 months of age, we started showing the video to him during his dinner time. He actually stayed quiet in his high chair and ate dinner for the entire 30 minutes of the tape. Now, at 19 months of age, he still loves this video and we will often watch it together just before bedtime.

The illustrations are lovely and the music is beautiful and very calming. There are five short segments in the video showing the stories of Eric Carle. You will not regret purchasing this tape. I wish there were more like it!

I love this video, and so does my 4-year old daughter. The images are beautiful, as is Eric Carle's artwork in general; the music fits the style and stories well; even the narration of the stories is great. I was actually hoping I would find more of Carle's stories on video for Christmas... I definitely recommend this one to anyone, kids and adults alike. It is really nicely done.

This is an excellent video that is not just for small children. My 6-year old and 4-year old are mesmerized by it. It is a gentle, sedate, engaging video that cultivates a calm atmosphere. The music is delightful, the stories are precious, and the animation is wonderfully colorful. The video stimulates curiosity and teaches important principles. You won't be sorry you got it.

My son is technically still too young for this tape, but it is so well-done that most segments hold his attention to a remarkable extent. And one piece -- the last on the tape -- holds him spellbound every time we play it. Without spoiling the surprise, this short piece is a colorful animated celebration of music that is visually and sonically mesmerizing.

The original musical score and recordings for every part of the tape are truly outstanding. (Play the audio through your stereo or surround system if possible!) The visuals are an imaginative, stylized type of pseudo-collage animation that I feel transcends mere illustration and represents a work of art. If you're expecting a Disney or Looneytunes look, you won't find it. What you will find is a real breath of fresh air.

The stories are narrated by both male and female performers who bring life and imagination to the story-telling. When my son is older and can actually understand the stories, I'll find out how he responds to them on that level.

For now, this tape makes a nice break from the cookie-cutter approach of Baby Einstein and some other series of tapes. I can only hope other artists and producers will enter this market to provide even more tapes for kids that don't try to sell toys, endorse violence, or otherwise take advantage of our kids. What a great way for them to learn about individual expression -- by watching a tape that is a true original from start to finish.

This video brings to life Eric Carle's genius for seeing the world at a small child's level. The music and annimation enhance the illustrations and script of the Carle classics. This is a staple in my elementary classroom, especially in the spring when we study metamorphosis.

This falls in the category of videos that parents will enjoy as much as the child. The artwork very colorful, and only slightly offbeat. The story lines are amusing and witty. In particular, children will empathize with the travails of the hungry caterpillar and the lonely cricket, who each find happiness in the end. Particularly engaging is the music, which ranges from vibrant to subtle. And there are some terrific sound effects for children to mimic, such as the hungry caterpillar enjoying his meals. Very enjoyable experience.

I have to say that I was wary of this tape. I had a hard time imagining that Disney would do a good job with the stylized artwork of Eric Carle. (One only has to look at the abysmal job that MGM did with Stella Luna to be wary for life.)

BUT, this video is very nice. The artwork is very 'Carle-esque' and they actually added some cute elements to the stories. For example, the facial expressions on the caterpillar were very appropriate. He smiled, he looked a little ill after he had eaten all the food, etc.

My only complaint is that the music was a little loud in places, actually making it hard to hear the narrator. If you are familiar with the narrators of the Scholastic series, I will also add that the two narrators on this video are not as good. Okay, but not top notch.

Still my two, boy and girl/3 and 5 years-old, certainly didn't care. They adore this video and we watch it whenever we have some downtime.

Four stars. Great video that is not frenetic and perfectly okay for the evening hours. Minus one for music that was a little loud in places

My 15 month old daughter loves this tape! Before we purchased it, she already owned 2 of the books upon which these stories are based, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "The Mixed Up Chameleon." And, because of her reaction to "Papa, Please get the Moon for Me" I will be buying her a copy of that book as well. She enjoys "The Very Quiet Cricket" but not as much as the others. All in all, she is captivated by this video, and she will point at objects, laugh, dance and repeat words during this tape. If you are familiar with Eric Carle's books, you will notice in the animation the same type of colorful collage in use in his books. The narrators alternate between male and female for the first 4 stories, and the final segment is an explosion of color and music that delights my child. I would recommend this tape highly. My only reservation is that the first 5 minutes are an advertisement for other Disney children's tapes. If you have a fidgety toddler, you might want to fast forward this part.

My 17 month old son has been enjoying this video for months. The illustrations and music captivate his attention. I wish there were more Eric Carle books available in video form.