Visit Harry Potter and Many Other Fantastical Folks at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure

A couple years ago, my aunt and uncle took a trip to Florida, and while they were there, they saw advertisements for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which would be opening the following year. My aunt told me that whenever they decided to go to Florida to check out this new park, I was invited to go along. Just before my birthday this year, they announced that we were going this spring, and it was an epic vacation that included Universal and Disney World, as well as Sea World, a drive-through safari, a renaissance fair and an airboat ride through a swamp filled with alligators. But Harry was the one who propelled this particular venture for my aunt and uncle, who, unlike me, are seasoned travelers. We spent two days at Universal Studios, which was where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was located.

Universal is divided into two parks. Our passes allowed us to visit both parks, but on our first day, we ventured only into Islands of Adventure, which includes several themed sections, of which the Harry Potter one is the newest. We also returned to this part of the park our second time through, after we had made our way through Universal's more low-key park. Islands of Adventure is jam-packed with rides, attractions and costumed characters, and you'll be hard-pressed to see everything you want to in a single day.

As it happened, our first day at Universal was St. Patrick's Day, and the park seemed to be especially packed as a result. We just made our way through in order of what was closest to the entrance, which meant that we started out with the section focusing on classic comic book characters. Marvel Super Hero Island included some pretty intense-looking rides; the only one I went on was the Spider-man ride, which simulated a ride through the city where we helped Spider-Man battle baddies and got sprinkled with water or tinged with heat from fiery explosions. While we were in this part of the park, we saw a parade of Marvel characters and snapped a few pictures. A few of them came up onto the sidewalks and posed for photos with guests.

While the Marvel world was fun, I really loved Toon Lagoon, which was filled with nifty cut-out displays of characters from comic strips ranging from Beetle Bailey to Family Circus. We spent a fair bit of time here just snapping pictures of each other next to or under the various displays. I loved the one with the cranky Shoe editor muttering, "A good editor never sleeps," and I got a kick out of the unaccompanied dialogue bubble just above head level simply stating, "I feel like there is a cloud over my head."

This part of the park included my two favorite rides, aside from the thrilling Hogwarts Castle tour. Dudley Do-Wright, the clueless Mountie, was the theme of the log flume, and we spent close to two hours waiting for Dudley Do-Wright's Ripsaw Falls, after which point we decided that the fast passes would be a good idea. The wait wasn't bad, though, because the line was filled with quirky announcements, Dudley Do-Wright cartoons and artwork. The ride itself is a log flume ride rather like the Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain, and it tells a story using jumbo figures and dialogue and narration coming out of the speakers nearby. The basic storyline has Dudley clumsily saving the day from the nefarious Snidely Whiplash, with the result that he is celebrated by the town but still rejected by the girl of his dreams. The tale is entertaining, and the ride is tons of fun for a hot day. I rode it three times over the course of two days, and I got completely soaked each time - though the third time, I rode it later in the day than I should have, with the result that I was shivering all through dinner. You're best off getting this one out of the way well before 5:00. Same goes for Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges, which is comparable to the white water rapids ride at Hersheypark. If the splash from going down a waterfall doesn't get you, the downpour from waterfalls above you will. Plus, you have the people up on the bridges paying to aim water at you. There's no avoiding getting drenched on this ride, though handily, there is a sealed plastic compartment in the middle in which to store your belongings, and they'll stay pretty dry as long as you put them in there. Like Ripsaw Falls, this includes several jumbo figures from the cartoon scattered throughout the ride and combined with dialogue from the speakers. It's very entertaining and refreshing.

Another ride involving a circular raft is the Jurassic Park River Adventure, the only ride I went on in that section of the park. It starts out nice and mellow, almost like the Jungle Cruise, and the gorgeous score from the movie augments the beauty of those animatronic plant-eating dinosaurs. Then you leave the sunny outdoor area and go inside, where it's dark and dire warnings about malfunctions flash and blare. This part of the ride is creepy, particularly the huge Tyrannosaurus Rex that lunges down upon you just before you go down the ride's final hill. There's a bit of a splash to this one, but it's nothing compared to the ones in Ripsaw Falls and Bilgerat Barges, and you could probably ride this one a little later in the day and not have to worry so much about getting dry. Outside of the ride, there are a number of photo spots, and we just enjoyed wandering through on our way to the wizards. The Lost Continent is around here too, and we didn't spend much time there at all the first day, but the second day we did the walk-through show Poseidon's Fury, which had some really cool special effects, not to mention a very enthusiastic human guide.

Seuss Landing is designed mostly with kids in mind, so none of the rides are that thrilling for adults, but this part of the park is incredibly visually appealing. Everywhere you look is a statue of some Seuss character, and the whole thing is eye-poppingly colorful. I took oodles of pictures in this part of the park, and it's just a joy to walk through. Whatever your favorite Seuss book is, you'll probably find it here in some form or another. The carousel is a real thing of beauty, populated as it is by all sorts of Seussish creatures, and I love the display dedicated to the Lorax and the old Onceler. We rode on the Cat in the Hat ride, which is an entertaining dark ride that takes you through the events of the book, and the trolley ride, which provides a little tour of all the Seussian attractions in the area. Kids should love this park, along with adults who appreciate whimsy.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an amazing sight for any Rowling fan. You get there, and it's like you have entered the wizarding village of Hogsmeade, where Hogwarts students go for occasional field trips. It's so compact that it's hard to really get a feel for how it looks without standing in the middle of it. Shops tower on all sides, some of them actually selling merchandise, others only storefronts there just for show. While the Hogwarts Express does not actually go anywhere, you can get your picture taken with the engine and stroll through the station. This park has three rides, two of which I went on, as the Dragon Challenge looked a little too twisty for me. The Flight of the Hippogriff is short, but it's an exhilarating little roller coaster, and I love the line for this ride because it includes Hagrid's hut, and you get to hear his voice booming out from the speaker. I was hoping that there would be a photo op spot with Hagrid or a character walking around, but this little area is very cool. I just wish that guests were able to actually go into the cabin.

The park has no specific characters walking around, but it is filled with witches and wizards serving as prefects. The main attraction of the park is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a mega-cool virtual tour of Hogwarts. You can't use express passes on this one, and the line is rather confusing. You're not allowed to bring loose articles with you, unless you can manage to stash them in your clothing. I didn't realize this until I got almost to the front of the line, and I was told to go downstairs to stash my stuff in a locker, except there wasn't a locker available. My aunt was waiting outside, so she took my purse for me and I went back and managed to get back to roughly where I had been in line before, and I ended up on the ride just a few minutes after my cousin. Still, I think the line seemed a bit disorganized. I loved looking at all of the displays inside the castle, though. Talking portraits, desks of significant characters, the Gryffindor common room... It was a definite feast for the eyes and ears. The ride itself is a three-dimensional deal that combines movement and physical displays with virtual ones. You'll get to see several major points inside the castle and out. The idea is that you're following Harry and Hermione on broomstick, and some of the angles are pretty dizzying. I'll admit I walked off this one feeling a little woozy, but it was worth it to get the sensation that I was soaring over the Quidditch pitch or swooping through the Hogwarts dungeons. Several characters from the movies make an appearance as well, so this ride really is a lot of fun.

Also inside the castle is the massive gift shop, Filch's Emporium, where you can buy t-shirts, pillows, pins, action figures and all sorts of other collectibles. One thing I didn't see there was a postcard rack; there's a separate shop for that, and while we were there, they rolled a small cart outside so that we could buy postcards from there as well and have them stamped with the Hogsmeade postmark. Filch's Emporium was the only shop we entered the first day; on the second trip, we perused Zonko's joke shop and Honeyduke's candy shop, both of which were feasts for the eyes. My park souvenirs included a Hagrid pin and Harry's wand; while we didn't brave the massive line at Ollivander's wand shop, a couple of other places sold the wands as well, with styles modeled after the wands of several major characters.

Of course, we also had to try some butterbeer, the beloved beverage that so many Harry Potter fans have longed to taste. Scattered throughout this portion of the park are several butterbeer kiosks, and they draw quite a crowd as well. The plastic souvenir mugs are both snazzy and practical, as you won't have to worry much about them breaking while you're wandering through the park. After the first one, though, you can get it in disposable cups instead the mugs and pay less. The drink itself is a sort of mix of cream soda with butterscotch foam, and it's very refreshing on a hot Florida day. Pumpkin juice, another prominent Harry Potter drink, is available too, but we didn't try that, nor did we eat at the Three Broomsticks, the park's restaurant. Just as the pair of Mickey Mouse ears was my one essential purchase at Disney World, the butterbeer was my Must Buy at Universal, and it was worth the anticipation. Speaking of souvenirs, I highly recommend bringing a couple rolls of quarters and pennies so you can use the pressed penny machines located at many points throughout the park. These are very inexpensive but fun collectibles, and it can be a sort of treasure hunt to track as many down as you can. I think I returned from Florida with more than 30 from the different places we went to, and I would have had more if I'd thought to bring quarters ahead of time.

All in all, Universal's Islands of Adventure is an amazing place to spend the day. It's crowded and pricey, but the rides, characters, shops and general extravagance of the themes presented in as much vibrant detail as possible make it a thrilling stop for Harry Potter fans and fun-lovers of all ages.

Michael Buble Brightens Up the Radio With the Exuberant Haven't Met You Yet

I’m not someone who often gets swept away by new music. Aside from the occasional new album by a beloved artist, usually there will only be a handful of new songs per year that really capture my imagination. Last year, three isolated songs stood head and shoulders above the rest. The first was I’ll Never Be Lost Again, the epic hip-hop ode to my favorite television series incorporating Michael Giacchino’s Of Mice and Ben from the season four soundtrack. The third was I See the Light, the Mandy Moore / Zachary Levi duet from Tangled that accompanied one of the most gorgeous animated sequences that Disney has ever produced. And then there was Haven’t Met You Yet, the chipper Michael Buble song that stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it playing on the mall radio during an evening shift in the calendar kiosk.

Unlike the other two songs, Haven’t Met You Yet actually came out the year before, but I rarely listen to contemporary music on the radio and had never come across it. When I heard it for the first time, I was struck by a few things. I noticed the insistent pounding of the piano; so many of my favorite songs feature prominent piano backing, and in this case, you really can’t miss it. That piano was a part of the overall feeling of peppiness that emanated from the song, which was extremely refreshing among the bleak radio landscape in which most of the dreary ballads made me feel down in the dumps – when I could make out the words. What made the biggest impression on me that first time around, though, was a guy who looked to be 17 or so strutting along with that too-cool-for-school look that so many teenage boys at the mall seem to have, only to break out into a sort of prance when this song hit the chorus and sing along with jubilant abandon: “I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get; I just haven’t met you yet.”

The song just has that sort of effect on people, so when I saw the video a couple of months later, I smiled at the sense of authenticity. It takes place in a grocery store, nondescript aside from the name: Killarney Market. Those words, accompanied by a shamrock on the big green storefront, lend the feeling that some manner of enchantment resides inside, where a lonely man imagines meeting the love of his life in the frozen foods while the blase employees and customers around him explode with exuberance. The joy and whimsy of the song are magnified forever after once you’ve seen the music video; it’s hard to get those images out of your mind, and every time I’m in a grocery store, I hope that this song will come on the radio so I can see a real-life reenactment.

Buble has a distinctive voice that’s a throwback to 1940s crooners like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. He’s one of just a handful of contemporary artists whose voice I can instantly identify in a song I’ve never heard before. Of course, it feels a little funny to call him “contemporary” when the very thing that makes him stand out is his old-fashioned sound. In any case, though, most of his music has a refreshing innocence to it, and that’s certainly the case here. It’s a song of relentless optimism.

The speaker is a man who has been through his share of heartaches, but he’s determined not to let it get him down for long. He’s convinced that his soulmate is out there somewhere, and one of these days when he least suspects it, when he’s doing some mundane task (like grocery shopping), she will appear. “I might have to wait; I’ll never give up. I guess it’s half timing, and the other half’s luck. Wherever you are, whenever it’s right, you’ll come out of nowhere and into my life.” He won’t necessarily recognize her instantly – an idea alluded to more overtly in the video – but he has no doubt that their paths will cross and she will bring out the very best in him. This is his pre-emptive love song to her.

Buble wrote the song with Alan Chang and Amy Foster-Gillis, who previously collaborated with him on the hits Home and Everything. If you jot the lyrics down on the page and look at them there, they’re not really all that impressive. Most of the rhymes are imprecise, and one line includes the word “work” three times. But boy, when he sings them, they just pop. The upbeat music has a lot to do with that. The piano drives the melody, but other instruments join in, and by the end, it feels like you’re standing in the middle of a Main Street parade. Part of the fun of the song is pointing out the Beatles references, including the big brass band and the repetition of the words “love, love, love” toward the end.

Every time I hear the song, I can’t help grinning and singing along. While it’s specifically about being patient and waiting for love to take you by surprise, it can more generally be taken as an ode to the possibility of remarkable things happening even amidst the most run-of-the-mill circumstances. It reminds me of Dr. Seuss’s first book, And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street; this guy’s imagination is running away with him, but the fact remains that he might just see something out of the ordinary today. It’s the kind of song that makes you eager to go out your front door and face the world. Maybe most of all, it makes me think of friends I treasure but haven’t met yet; whenever I hear this song, it gives me hope that it will happen one of these days, and there will be much rejoicing.

The single for Haven’t Met You Yet comes paired with Buble’s live cover of the old standard Crazy Little Thing Called Love, which is similarly peppy, though I won’t say it’s my favorite version of the song. I think Buble tries a little too hard to put his own stamp on it, which results in some rather skewed enunciation. It does complement the main song well, but it’s more of an afterthought. Still, together, they convey the impression that life and love alike are crazy and unpredictable, and that can be a very good thing.

Don't Cast Away This Crop of Movies From 2000

It's funny to look a few years back and realize how few releases I've seen from that year. I would think that all the extra time would've given me plenty of opportunity to catch up, but by my reckoning I've only seen about 15 releases from 2000. So I certainly can't call this a definitive list, but I really did love these ten movies.

Cast Away - I've always had a special fondness for castaway stories, and Tom Hanks has long been one of my favorite actors. Reuniting him with the Forrest Gump dream team for a lost-on-an-island drama sounded like a formula for success to me, and boy, did it deliver. I'm still a little surprised Hanks didn't win for his demanding performance, which includes that grueling stretch of time with no one to talk to but a volleyball. And so compelling is Hanks that he makes Wilson's eventual departure rank high among my list of most tragic movie moments.

Almost Famous - This one caught my attention when I heard Simon and Garfunkel's America on the previews. When I saw it, I got an even heftier dose of my favorite band when the aspiring young music journalist purchased Bookends, and his horrified mother, hilariously portrayed by Frances McDormand, exclaimed that she could tell just from the album cover that they were on drugs. Simon and Garfunkel references aside, I would still be a big fan of this film that offers an inside look at the music business and the perils of potentially losing one's integrity in the pursuit of fame. In many ways it's like Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, but darker. Nonetheless, it ends on a pretty uplifting note.

Chicken Run - I love Wallace and Gromit, so I was excited to learn that the team that created that lovable duo would be doing a full-length film. Ultimately, I think Chicken Run is my favorite of all their projects. I spent much of the movie laughing hysterically; these bird-brained biddies are full of great one-liners, and the puns are relentless. The kids' meal tie-in toys and the more elaborate contraptions we snagged from the bargain bin that Christmas are great fun as well.

Fantasia 2000 - I always found Fantasia a strange animal, but there are segments of it I really love. Of course, one of those is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which is repeated in the 2000 version. As for the rest, on the whole, I like the new segments even better than those in the original. Some of the animation is simply stunning, particularly during Pines of Rome, which features a magnificent pod of flying whales. Other favorites are The Carnival of the Animals, featuring an irrepressible flamingo who annoys the other members of his flock; Piano Concerto Number 2 in F Major, which is the backdrop for a cheerier version of Hans Christian Andersen's Steadfast Tin Soldier; and Pomp and Circumstance, which has a sweet and funny love story between Donald and Daisy Duck taking place on Noah's Ark.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The story of the Grinch competes only with The Lorax as my favorite Seuss story, so I was excited to see it come to the big screen. Though it is, in many ways, different from the book and animated special, I guess it was probably necessary to change the focus a bit in order to stretch it out to an hour and a half. The end result is pretty much the same, and along the way we get some absolutely dazzling visuals and the thoroughly endearing performance of Taylor Momsen as Cyndi Lou Who. Oh, and Jim Carrey makes a pretty convincing Grinch.

Miss Congeniality - Despite a fairly lame romantic subplot, this tale of a tomboy forced to go undercover at a beauty pageant is funny and touching. Sandra Bullock is terrific throughout, while Heather Burns is terribly sweet as the ditzy girl-next-door type she befriends. Michael Caine in a gentle mentorly role and William Shatner as a lovable doofus antagonized by Candice Bergen (prefiguring Boston Legal?) add considerable charm to this comedy.

My Dog Skip - A coming-of-age drama about a boy and his dog, it's a family film for the most part, though it does get to be a bit dark in places. All the elements of a great kid-and-animal-companion film are here, and not only is the Jack Russell made famous on Frasier clever and adorable, but young Frankie Muniz turns in an impressive performance that is sometimes emotionally heavy, particularly in scenes with Kevin Bacon as his strict dad and Luke Wilson as the troubled young man the boy idolizes.

Pay It Forward - I saw this one solely because of Haley Joel Osment, who became a good enough excuse for me to see any movie after I saw him in The Sixth Sense. He's terrific here as a slightly older boy with some similar issues; he lives alone with an overworked mom, he's not particularly popular with his peers, and he's angry. In this case, the root of his rage is not supernatural; he's upset with his mom for drinking so much and is worried that she might take back his abusive father. Like Cole, he finds a confidant in an older man, a disfigured teacher portrayed by Kevin Spacey, and a purpose in a brainwave that involves a pyramid scheme of random acts of kindness.

Remember the Titans - I'm not much of a sports buff, but I do love a good inspirational sports movie. This based-on-a-true-story film about a football coach struggling to racially integrate his team, in which many of the players are deeply prejudiced, is a powerful testament to the power of close human interaction in breaking down barriers. A stellar soundtrack and great performances from a cast that includes Denzel Washington and a pre-cheerleader Hayden Panettiere help make the Titans very easy to remember.

The Tigger Movie - This was almost certainly the most heavily advertised and merchandised of the various Pooh movies that have come out in recent years. Its clever posters and toys with the various characters dressed up in Tigger costumes were great fun; one of my favorite finds on my trip to England the following year was a nearly complete set of Happy Meal toys with the Hundred-Acre Wood residents all decked out in stripes. The movie is fun and bouncy but also sweet and reflective as Tigger discovers that his friends are his family, so he needn't feel too lonely as the only one of his kind. I love the new songs, with input by notable Pooh fan Kenny Loggins, and the tear-jerking tenderness of the conclusion. It's ever so much better than Piglet's Big Movie. If they ever get around to making a movie that revolves around Eeyore, I hope it turns out as well as this one.

I could definitely stand to see a few more movies from 2000, but I still think this is a fine representation of some of the best 2000 had to offer, especially for a softie like me.

If You're Fishing For a Good Read, Give This Seuss Classic a Try

When it comes to making up critters, few authors can match Dr. Seuss. Rather, I should say few illustrators, since the genius of Seuss' sheer creativity comes out more in his unrestricted art than in his writing, which is often limited mostly to simple rhymes. There are, of course, complex plot-driven rhyming narratives that bear the Good Doctor's name - How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lorax, Horton Hatches the Egg - but much of his work is designed for especially young readers with small vocabularies and relies more on sparking the imagination than telling a cohesive story.

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish is that sort of book. Read it straight through, and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it doesn't have to. It's a series of snatches, a sampling of all the "funny things" he claims are "everywhere." The things in this book are vastly stranger than anything I have ever seen. But that's what makes this book so appealing. It's pure, silly imagination, complete with Seuss's trademark strings of rhyme, such as "What good to a Nook is a hook cook book?" and "If you wish to wish a wish, you may swish for fish with my Ish wish dish."

I was surprised, upon reading this book today for the first time in many years, how little it has to do with fish. We get a nice little listing in the first seven pages, rather like Bubba's shrimp litany in Forrest Gump, and after that I guess we're supposed to figure Seuss has said about all he wants to say about fish. There's only so much to be done with scales and fins.

As the book continues we are introduced to all sorts of bizarre beasts: the multi-humped Wump, which is a handy transportation provider; the ornery yellow fellow named Ned who is too tall to get a decent night's sleep; the enormous goat-like Zans, whose horn functions like a can opener; the Poodle-esque Yink that drinks pink ink all day; the tiny hopping Yop; the reindeer-like Gack whose antlers are grand for ring toss; the ominous-looking horned water creature that mysteriously shows up in the park. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.

I wasn't such a fan of Happy Birthday to You!, a similar Seuss book that is short on plot but long on creativity. But I get a kick out of this book, with all its excessive rhyming and zany creations. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish may not spend most of its time underwater, but it certainly makes a splash!

Seuss Offers an Overblown Series of Birthday Oddities

I turned 26 on Monday, so when I happened upon Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday to You! and realized I'd never read it before, I scooped it right up. As with other Seuss books such as Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! and Oh, the Places You'll Go!, this book directly addresses the reader, though in this case the good doctor doesn't have any sage advice to offer. Rather, he weaves a vibrant tapestry of fantastical happenings, all revolving around whoever is lucky enough to have been born on that day.

"I wish we could do what they do in Katroo," he begins, and he proceeds to demonstrate just how exactly the citizens of Katroo come together to create a memorable birthday celebration. This must be an exhausting city in which to live, because you would imagine that someone's birthday would fall on most, if not all, days, so there would be no time to recover from one day's revelry before preparing for the next.

Much of the action involves the Great Birthday Bird, and I presume that he is only one of several; otherwise, if two citizens share a birthday, one of them is definitely going to get the short end of the stick. The bird guides the birthday boy or girl through the day, encouraging them to eat all manner of delectable foods and sniff the rarest and most glorious of jungle flowers; to hitch a ride on a cable car pulled by goats and accept such impractical gifts as a Time-Telling Fish or a good-natured Hippo-Heimer; to listen to a chorus of imaginary instruments and read a birthday message spelled out by Herrings.

A more nonsensical Seuss book would be hard to find, and indeed one wonders whether half of these things are something you would even want, though the closing sentiment - "I wish I could do all these great things for you" - is touching. Still, this book has more than its share of what appear to be rhymes for their own sake, which leads to a lot of superfluous-sounding lines. I've not yet decided whether the following series of absurdities fits into that category: "If you'd never been born, well then what would you be? / You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree! / You might be a doorknob! Or three baked potatoes! / You might be a bag full of hard green tomatoes! / Or worse than all that... Why, you might be a WASN'T! / A Wasn't has no fun at all. No, he doesn't."

The pictures are certainly bright and eye-catching, and the book on the whole is obviously the product of a very imaginative mind. That said, I found it strange, and not in the delightful way I've come to expect from Seuss. Reading this book is a fun way to help recognize a child's birthday, but I suspect Happy Birthday to You! wouldn't get a whole lot of use outside of those times.

Jekyll and Hyde and Seuss, Oh My!

Last month, when I went to pick up the latest installment in the VeggieTales series, I encountered an advertisement for the next video. It was apparently long-awaited, originally having been slated for release late last year, but I had never heard of it before, so I was thrilled to discover that yet another addition to my collection would be arriving in a few short weeks. Moreover, the previews left me prepared for one of the greatest Veggie offerings to date, riddled with allusions and hearty helpings of humor and heart. I am an absolute Veggie devotee, and ranking the episodes would prove a task too strenuous for my hierarchically challenged mind, but A Snoodle’s Tale would almost certainly land in my top five.

I enjoyed it so much that I did not even miss the asparagi (both Junior and family and Archibald), Pa Grape, Laura Carrot… The only regulars who appeared here were Bob, Larry, Scooter, and Jimmy Gourd. Silly Songs with Larry also featured the unfortunately named Akmetha, the batty leek (I think?) who first graced the screen screeching her love of puppies before the king in Esther and has maintained a silly song presence since. At least her singing voice has improved…

A Snoodle’s Tale segues directly out of The Ballad of Little Joe; it begins with Bob awaiting Larry’s return from Danish Immersion Camp with a large “Velkommen Hjem Larry” sign. But when Larry arrives, he reveals – to Bob’s horror – that a canoeing incident on the first day left him stranded at the Overdone British Literary Adaptations Camp. This means that he doesn’t even know enough Danish to translate the “Welcome Home” sign, let alone fill the role of the Danish truck driver in the story that Bob prepared for the show. However, it does leave him qualified to tell another equally satisfying tale…

The Strange Case of Dr. Jiggle and Mr. Sly takes us back to the streets of London, which appeared before in The Star of Christmas and An Easter Carol. But this time, all the action takes place at night, lending this portion of the video a dark and gritty feel entirely opposite to the second half. This Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde spoof also carries hints of Sherlock Holmes and Watson in the interactions of Butterbun (Scooter) and Pool (Larry). But the object of scrutiny is the kindly but portly Dr. Jiggle and his mysterious new boarder, Mr. Sly, who dresses and dances as though he stepped right out of Saturday Night Fever. Though the original tale is a horror classic, there’s nothing scary in this riotous tale about a self-conscious gourd and his disco aspirations.

There is only one song in the first portion, reprised once. It begins soft and wistful and builds to an over-the-top, operatic chorus, resulting in an effect that is at once impressive and comical. The silly song, “Sport Utility Vehicles,” employs a similar approach, with soft, lovey-dovey verses and a loud pop chorus that climaxes with delusions of grandeur that we hear in the music as much as the words. (The instrumentation in this part was slightly reminiscent for me of the heroic version of the Into the West chorus that accompanied Sam’s Frodo-laden trek up Mt. Doom in Return of the King, an interesting observation since the Snoodle’s hike up Mt. Ginches in the main story reminded me of the same thing. Maybe not so interesting… I probably still just have hobbits on the brain! Then again, I was mesmerized by the comfort of the stranger’s home in A Snoodle’s Tale, but it was not until Mike Nawrocki referred to its hobbitishness on the commentary track that I connected it with Tolkien. Now a VeggieTales Lord of the Rings parody – that would be perfection…) At any rate, Sport Utility Vehicle is an entertaining duet, part love song, part ode to the SUV, and all over-the-top. It’s also the last song in the video, unless you count Qwerty’s “What We Have Learned” ditty.

The title tale is a throwback to The Story of Flibber-o-loo, which is featured after the credits as a bonus. Both are done entirely in rhyme very much in the style of Dr. Seuss, but Snoodle takes the Seussian inspiration a step further, incorporating brightly colored, wildly imaginative sets and dozens of bizarre words of which the good doctor would no doubt approve. The lush settings are the most aesthetically pleasing I have ever seen in a VeggieTales videos, and that’s saying quite a bit. Furthermore, the Snoodles are an entirely different type of creature, something we’ve never encountered before. Their appearance is rather gourd-like, but their skin is pastel and they sport wings, tufts of hair, and hands (but no arms).

This beautifully told story borrows some of its phrasing from The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the two books which I believe were Seuss’s finest achievements. For instance, the introduction to the idyllic lands surrounding Snoodleberg bears a remarkable resemblance to the Onceler’s initial description of the forest he destroyed. Moreover, there is an ironic correlation between the snoodle-creating tower in the center of town and the Onceler’s old factory, as well as between the stranger’s home at the top of Mount Ginches and the Grinch’s cave. This is a brilliant homage to Dr. Seuss.

Bob, who narrates the story, is the only familiar character. This story focuses on one particular snoodle, a young fellow (voiced by an actual child, as opposed to Junior Asparagus) whose belittlement by the larger snoodles around him causes him to leave home, deflated. His journey of self-discovery takes him to the peak of Mount Ginches, which he is disturbed to find populated by more than just birds. But he soon discovers that this stranger is unlike all the others. While they shower him with scorn, this snoodle makes the youngster feel welcome and assures him that he is special. The sequence with the stranger is quite remarkable; we never see his face, but his warm British voice and the way the animators showed his surroundings reacting to him yield an incredible sense of compassion and comfort. This incomplete revelation is utterly appropriate for this presence at the heart of each Veggie video who did not manifest himself until this moment.

This latest Veggie episode more than lived up to my expectations. By turns inspiring, heartwarming and hilarious, it is a brilliant addition to any Veggie lover’s collection and, in spite of the allusion to Little Joe, I would recommend it to the uninitiated as evidence of the Veggie team’s intelligence, emotional depth and dedication. Here’s to a job well done!

"Will You Succeed? Yes! You Will Indeed! (98 and 3/4 Percent Guaranteed)"

Dr. Seuss may be considered one of the premier authors of children’s books, but his whimsical rhymes and colorful illustrations aren’t solely suited for the elementary set. Many of his books are especially well-crafted tales that can be equally enjoyed by adults; I place The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas in the top of that category. But Oh, the Places You’ll Go! seems to be aimed especially at those who are just starting out in the world of adulthood. That doesn’t mean that this book won’t be enjoyed by children, and its message is worthwhile even if the reader is years away from a major crossroads in life. But there are few books that make more appropriate graduation gifts than this, with one foot in childhood and one in the future, with all its possibilities and pitfalls.

The main character in this book is “you,” a random person meant to represent the reader, much like the “you” in The Lorax. This character, a youngish-looking chap in what looks like yellow pajamas (maybe the book is all supposed to be a visionary dream…), is directly addressed throughout the book. He (well, he looks male to me, but is fairly androgynous; again, probably to make him identifiable with the reader, whoever that may be) starts off his adventure on a wide pathway out of town, along which he encounters all sorts of fantastic sights, such as elephant caravans and hot air balloons. Yes, it’s a grand adventure.

But, the narrator warns, the road will not always be paved with happiness. Troubles await you, no matter who you are, and you will need to be prepared to face them. Once you’re down in the doldrums, it’s hard to pull yourself out, and all those options that seemed so appealing before are now only cause for a headache. The illustrations, so bright and cheery in the beginning, grow dark, ominous, twisted. And the narrator warns that when you hit this low point, you may be tempted to just stay there, waiting. Wasting days or years waiting for everything under the sun. Not a way to live.

The book takes a turn back into the brightness of the beginning by insisting that this will not happen to you. You will get through the difficult times and come out on top, better than before! Or maybe not. The illustrations once more become dark and dreary… indeed, rather frightening. That picture of “you” paddling through the dark swirling waters surrounded by yowling Hakken-Kraks is particularly unnerving. But the book ends on a positive note once again, encouraging you to keep going because there’s always hope around the corner, and an adventure filled with peril is better than one never started.

The illustrations are filled with fantastic Seussical creations, but the text itself is pretty straightforward and practical with very few nonsensical words thrown in. It makes perfect sense and contains a lot of good solid advice that happens to rhyme particularly well. And it’s honest, not hiding the fact that the real world can be an awfully scary place and that a roller coaster of emotions is likely to follow. Our principal read us this book prior to our graduation from eighth grade, and I seem to recall its being quoted at my high school graduation as well. In fact, it’s one of the most quoted sources in graduation speeches and consistently remains a high seller when the time of year rolls around for those diplomas to be awarded. It’s no wonder. That Dr. Seuss, he was a pretty smart guy. So take the good doctor’s prescription and get on your way!

Picky People

Have you ever had trouble getting a child to try something new? Does your youngster insist "I hate this!" even though he's never tried it before? Well, this may be the book for you. With lots of goofy pictures and ridiculous situations, "Green Eggs and Ham" has long been helpful in getting kids to try new foods.

The story follows the bubbly Sam-I-Am's efforts to convince his friend to eat green eggs and ham. He continues to pose the question: "Would you eat them..." adding a different qualifier each time. But each time, his friend refuses. "I will not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am!"

But finally, after running down an enormous list of possibilities of ways to eat the dish, Sam-I-Am has become so annoying to his friend that he agrees to try green eggs and ham if Sam-I-Am will leave him alone. After choking down the first bite, he discovers that he actually loves to eat it, and he goes on to say how he would eat it in every situation Sam-I-Am had mentioned earlier.

This is a really fun book with great illustrations. Not only does it show kids that sometimes it pays to be adventurous about eating, it also tests their memory to see if they can remember all the ways that green eggs and ham can be eaten. A great read for kids and their parents.

"Unless..."

With bright illustrations on every page and a lulling lyric that lures us into the story, The Lorax is a masterpiece with a mission. The beginning is dark and gloomy, and one is inclined to shudder just reading the words: "On the far end of town where the grickle-grass grows and the wind smells slow-and-sour when it blows and no birds ever sing excepting old crows...". Contrast this with the sunny description of the land before the Once-ler came to develop it: "Back in the days when the grass was still green and the water was wet and the air was still clean and the song of the Swamee-swans sang out in space...One morning I came to this glorious place."

The Once-ler, an ancient hermit who lives in the top of a crumbling factory, relates the tale of his days of youthful ambition. When he saw the beautiful multi-colored, soft-tufted Truffula trees, he knew he had to stop and make something of them. The Lorax, a strange little old creature who spoke "for the trees," confronted the Once-ler angrily when he began chopping the trees down, but the Once-ler insisted he was doing to harm. His business continued to grow and grow, and the Lorax made more unwanted visits. He was forced to send the Humming Fish, the Swamee-swans, and the Brown Barbaloots away from their home in the forest because the factory had polluted the air and water and there was no Truffula fruit for the Barbaloots to eat.

Then, one day, the last Truffula tree was chopped down. All that was left was an empty factory in the middle of a stump-filled wasteland. The Lorax sadly stood on the stump and lifted himself into the air and out of sight, leaving the word "unless" carved into the stump. And so the Once-ler finishes the tale and gives his listener "the very last Truffula seed of them all," saying, "Unless someone cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better. It's not."

With typical Seussian warmth and wit, this classic encourages children to care for the Earth, for it is in their hands. It is a very important lesson, and who better to teach it than the good Doctor?