The Classic

Do card games get any better than Uno? Such a simple game, but few games have achieved success like it has. It has spawned numerous special editions, including Sesame Street, Star Trek, and Toy Story, but the instantly recognizable original is what can be found in nearly every home in America.

It can be played with as many or as few people as you wish (though it would be pretty boring with one!). Just sit at a table or on the floor, hand seven cards out to each person, and leave the rest of the deck in the middle. Match numbers or colors, and foil your friends with Reverse, Skip, Draw Two, and Draw Four.

Easy to learn and fun to play, Uno is a definite plus for a camping trip or even a long car ride. Anyone can play, and if you can't win at any other game, maybe you'll have a chance with this one!

Just be sure to remember to call Uno when you have one card left!

Megacabuterimon!

I am nearly certain I spelled that wrong, but who's keeping track? That's one qualm I have with this show: the Digimon's names are so ridiculously long! Of course, that is only when these Digimon are ridiculously huge. Instead of evolving gradually like the Pokemon, they evolve and de-volve instantaneously. And when they have reached their highest level of evolution, these tiny little critters become half as big as the Earth. Not much exaggeration there. And they talk. While Pokemon could say no more than their own names (except for Meowth and Mewtwo), these Digimon talk just like people.

They don't have Pokeballs; I've rarely seen them not walking around, but it seems that they are stored in a tama gachi sort of device when they don't feel like being outside. Or maybe that just contains their vital statistics. The story centers around seven digimon and their digi-destined (does that sound cheesy to anyone else?), a group of kids from the "real world". Together they have to do...something, I haven't quite been able to figure that out yet. But they've been looking for an eighth member to join their group.

At many points in the show, Japanese writing comes zooming out of the screen, usually with the names of the monsters fighting one another. There are no "battles" here; the fights are for real, and they appear to be battling for the protection of all mankind. As with Pokemon, there is an emphasis on the importance of friendship, but the story is so complicated that I can hardly make any sense of it and still don't know the characters by name. I think this is one of those shows you have to watch from the beginning to understand, and I suspect that even if I had seen the first episode I would still be rather lost. Yes, Pokemon won me over, but I'm afraid that Digimon didn't make the cut.

*** All right, it is now June 21st, over two months after I first wrote this review. And now I feel compelled to add on to it, having been subjected to two more months of this show. I won't hesitate to say that I still don't quite get it, but I'll admit that it has grown on me a bit. The interaction amongst the main characters is often entertaining, sometimes even borderline heart-warming. The lovable nerd Joe remains my favorite. Kari, with her heart of gold, is a close second. Dead last, with the distinction of "How the heck did she wind up a digi-destined?", is Mimi, the whiny princess-type with a high voice.

The show focuses largely on the friendships between each of these characters, with the digimon usually being the voice of reason. Adorable in their first couple of digivolutions, they are enormous and frightening as ultimates and megas. I still hate the fight scenes, even though these battles are the whole reason that these kids are in the digital world. Most enjoyable are the episodes in which the kids are whisked back to Earth with their digimon and they have to tread carefully to make sure that no one discovers them.

I still seem to be missing the most important episodes, because I remain a bit muddled. But I guess I'll survive. I wish Puppetmon didn't have to be a Dark Master; I kinda feel sorry for him. But maybe that's my little brother talking. Anyway, I still think Digimon is incredibly complicated and very strange in more ways than one, but I guess it at least deserves more than a two.

Do You Believe in Angels?

I do, and I was thrilled when my grandma first sent this magazine along to us a couple years ago. It is filled with inspiring true stories about angel encounters from all across the globe. Like "Chicken Soup for the Soul," most of the stories are sent in by ordinary readers. Sometimes the stories leave me wondering if perhaps divine intervention was involved, and sometimes there is no room for doubt in my mind. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people have poured their angelic experiences out on paper to share with the world. Each tale is different, but they are all tied together by the sense of peace each of the writers was left with.

Because those "touched by an angel" come from so many walks of life, not all of them have any professional writing experience. But the beauty of the encounter shines through every time, whether the account is written by a retired schoolteacher, a mechanic, or a kindergartner.

In this hectic world, it's very comforting to think that there are angels looking out for us. Whenever I escape a harrowing situation, I cannot help but wonder...was that a wingtip that just brushed past my shoulder? The stories in this magazine will leave you amazed and peaceful, and they very well may inspire you to lighten the angels' load by performing random acts of kindness whenever you get the opportunity.

This is one of the very few magazines which I read cover to cover, and it always leaves me thirsting for more. If you need some inspiration, just stop at the nearest bookstore's magazine rack and pick up a copy. Just remember, "Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly!"

It's So Easy Loving Green!

When I first laid eyes on this Talking and Singing Kermit, I knew I had to get him for my brother. This special 30th anniversary Kermit comes complete with Jim Henson's signature stitched into the foot. Even though he's not a puppet, you can squeeze his stomach while he's talking so his mouth moves along with the words.

Even the box is adorable, with a bright Caribbean background. We kept ours. Kermit is just the right size to perch jauntily on a desk, swinging his legs over the edge. Stick a pair of sunglasses on him and you're sure to get a laugh. We've found that a rubber band will secure them quite comfortably to his head.

Kermit is made of soft green material, and his posable limbs make it easy for him to wrap his arms around a child in a return embrace. With all the charm only this lovable frog could possess, Sesame Street Magic Talking Kermit the Frog practically comes to life as he entertains his young audience with his tunes.

Squeeze his foot and he'll introduce himself: "Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here. Everybody sing!" and proceed the sing "Caribbean Amphibian". If you close his mouth during this time, he'll hum. Press his hand and he'll say "ribbit-ribbit". His other hand produces a buzzing fly noise, and if you close his mouth while it is buzzing you'll hear "gulp...mmm, delicious!" That is probably the most amusing feature of all.

While this Kermit is not exactly cuddly (he needs stiff limbs for posability and has a box in his stomach for his voicebox) he is certainly lovable. A must have for any die-hard Kermit fan, age 1 to 100, this friendly frog will keep you entertained long after the first batteries have worn down.

Don't Sample the Cuisine!

I grew up on Hungry Hungry Hippos, frantically controlling my hippo as marbles flew across the feeding ground, trying desperately to get more marbles than my cousins and brother. Sometimes it seemed that the harder I tried the fewer marbles gained successful entry into my hippo's mouth...but it was a lot of fun anyway. Very noisy, very chaotic, but definitely a blast.

Why hippos and marbles? Well, marbles are the easiest objects to maneuver, and hippos are so big and hungry, they'll eat anything. (Though I would be quite surprised to find a live hippo happily gobbling up marbles in his native habitat.) And they're just so darn cute!

This game is great fun for young children, preferably four of them. Five minutes is an unusually long duration for this game, which works quite well since children this age tend to have such short attention spans. It's the ideal game to be found in a kindergarten classroom or at a picnic with young children. But the children shouldn't be too young -- probably no younger than three or four. A baby or toddler could decide the hippos ought to share their dinner with him, and you could end up with a choking child on your hands. For five- and six-year-olds, though, this game can't be beat!

It's a Dream Come True

When I was very little, we had the record for Joseph, and I recall listening to it and enjoying it. But somehow or another it got misplaced, and for years the only thing I could remember about the show was "It was red and yellow and green and brown and blue."

But three years ago, I was with my cousin listening to an Andrew Lloyd Weber tape when Any Dream Will Do came on. It sounded awfully familiar, and my heart skipped a beat as I heard it. Then, a couple of songs later, Close Every Door began to play, and it just about blew me away. A wave of wistful nostalgia washed over me as I fell in love with this song I had last heard when I was probably no more than three years old. The two songs which had been dimly lurking in the shadows of my subconscious mind emerged now, and I was determined to bring them into full light. Imagine my delight when, a few days later, I was flipping through channels and found an ice skater doing a routine to Close Every Door!

I became desperate to find the soundtrack, and I finally met with success in Media Play. Ecstatic, I took home my new tape and played it over and over again. Within the week I knew it by heart, and my aunt bought me the sheet music. Then, just this year, I was thrilled to discover that the play I loved so much but had never seen was going to be performed by youth at our local theater. I was grinning from ear to ear when I left the Playhouse, finally having seen Joseph as well as hearing it. Sure, these were not professional actors, but the show debuted as an elementary school program, after all.

Well, when I heard last week that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond was going to be on PBS last night, I was on cloud nine. I absolutely could not wait to see it. And I was not disappointed.

Going back to its roots as an elementary school production, it begins with a crowd of schoolchildren in uniforms streaming into the school auditorium. Excited to be out of class, they chatter noisily until a severe look from their bespectacled teacher renders them silent. Stiff-necked and formal, the other teachers, mostly men, file in and sit down. An uncomfortable silence ensues as the audience waits for their special guest. As she arrives, flying through the auditorium and dropping her purse, the children erupt into laughter. Regaining her composure, she steps up to the podium on the stage and begins the tale...

As the narrator begins, she is singing directly to the children, and she even leaves the stage to wander among the audience. She finishes her introduction of "the story of a boy whose dreams came true" and Donny Osmond, white-robed as Joseph, emerges in a dramatic burst of fog. Making his way to the stage, he mingles with the children while singing a bright version of Any Dream Will Do. When the song is finished, the red curtain is opened to reveal the narrator in Canaan, where the story really begins.

Much of the charm of this particular version of the show lies in the fact that, although it is a movie, it is presented as a play. The scenery makes no attempt at being realistic; it is as fanciful as possible. Fake sheep on a turnstile, a giant Pharaoh's head whose face lifts up to reveal the pharaoh himself, and an oddly surrealistic jail cell are only a few examples of the overall stagey quality of the show. A grotesquely hilarious scene involves the brothers dismembering a very fake goat, yanking off his legs which have bloody stumps on the end. And when Joseph is trying to get out of the well, watch for his goofy encounter with a cobra puppet that he is obviously controlling himself.

The costumes are phenomenal, and Joseph's coat truly is amazing. Some of the women in Potiphar's home and Pharaoh's palace are clad in rather risque regalia, but it is tasteful enough that I wouldn't worry about young eyes being corrupted by it.

And the songs...what can one possibly say about them? Ranging in style from Western to French to Calypso to 20s gramophone, each song is pure gold. The children lend their harmonies to many of the songs, most notably Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door. At times rushing onstage and instantaneously changing clothes, other times singing from the audience, their sweet, pure voices sound like a chorus of angels as they are swept into participation in the story.

Ramses, the pharaoh who looks and acts suspiciously like an American King of the 50s, delights the audience as he demonstrates "how we rock and roll in Egypt". Maria Friedman is versatile in her role as narrator, simultaneously observer and participant in the tale. The brothers provide one laugh after another as they don Southern, French, and Caribbean accents. And grandfatherly Richard Attenborough's low-key performance as Jacob, the father of Joseph and, eventually, the entire Israeli nation, radiates with warmth and tenderness.

Dripping with sincerity that even Linus van Pelt would be hard-pressed to match, Donny is enchanting as the starry-eyed youth who rises to greatness despite his brothers' nearly fatal jealousy. His expressions of disgust, confusion, and fear at various points in the show are priceless, and the sheer panic evident in his face as he is repeatedly fallen upon by throngs of ruthless women will have you in gales of laughter. His ingratiating smile lights up the screen time and time again, and the pain and concern in his eyes in Potiphar's dungeon and upon his reunion with his family, particularly his father, are nothing short of heart-wrenching.

After years of fervently wishing Joseph would come to video, my prayers have finally been answered more fabulously than I dared hope. The play-within-a-play idea is unique and truly made me feel like a part of the production. Excellent acting, delightful scenery, fabulous songs, and lots of slapstick bring this beloved Bible story to life in a way that is reminiscent of an elementary school production. The movie retains that charm, though it does include a few cinematic tricks that are expertly interspersed throughout the film. We get to see Joseph flung unceremoniously into a pit not once but twice, and the second time his descent appears endless, like Alice down the rabbit's hole.

A much more light-hearted production than Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph can get away with the abundant anachronisms. Indeed, they are deeply ingrained into the play; such numbers as Pharaoh's Dream, One More Angel in Heaven, and Go Go Go Joseph demand it. And because it is done as a theatrical production, somewhat similar to Peter Pan and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, it is encapsulated in its own whimsical world where anything goes. Of contrast to this is the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, which is filmed in a vast expanse of desert which simply doesn't fit in with the wacky costumes and oddly placed props.

The grand finale of Any Dream Will Do tops off the movie, soft and gentle in the beginning as Joseph receives from his father the coat which he lost so many years ago. The children chime in with an echo as Joseph grows louder, and he is the joined in exquisite harmony by the narrator. Finally, the entire cast belts out the final verse, and as Joseph demands "Give me my colored coat, my amazing colored coat" the cluster around him disperses, forming a beautiful multi-colored Star of David with Joseph in the center.

Even the credits are entertaining, as we get to see which teacher corresponds to which character. Of some disappointment to me is the way Joan Collins (Mrs. Potiphar/the elementary school spinster) is given co-star billing in everything I have read when she played such a minor role. I think Maria Friedman got slighted, not receiving proper acknowledgment for her excellent work in this film. However, that is a marketing concern and did not detract from my enjoyment of the film.

This movie is an absolute delight for all ages. The timeless tale of ambition and loyalty will never grow old, especially when preserved so delightfully as it is on this video. Who knew that nine chapters of Genesis could be this much fun?

Oops!

Do you remember the $100,000 Pyramid? I recall watching it years ago and itching to be able to get into that seat and get the other person to guess my word without saying something I wasn't supposed to. I thought, "That looks so easy! How can they not figure out what to say for that?" Of course, it always looks easier when you're not the one playing.

Taboo follows along the same lines as that lightning round of the $100,000 Pyramid. Each card has a word at the top and four words which you're not allowed to use in your clues. If you say one of the words accidentally, you get buzzed by a delighted delegate from the other team and must forfeit that point to them. The idea is to go through as many words in one turn as possible. I think the hourglass is two minutes. Four or five cards in one turn in considered great, but I've seen someone go through nine cards in a single turn!

The trick is to look for connections that the game makers might not have seen. Depending on how well you know your teammates, you may be able to judge what kinds of connections they'll make. You can even relate to something only they would know about. You can make fill-in-the-blanks. You can take it in an entirely different direction. For instance, I once had the word "cruise" and the taboo words were "boat," "vacation," "water," amd "carnival," or something to that effect. I said "actor, Tom..." and received the right answer in two seconds flat.

This is a game for fast thinkers. If you drive everyone crazy by free associating to the point where you're compared with Robin Williams, you will excel at this game. As long as the other players have some idea what you're talking about. This is a great game for parties and get-togethers, and it's sure to produce some laughs. And if younger children want to participate but find it too complicated, bestow upon them the honor of blaring the buzzer. You may wish you hadn't, but they'll have a blast.

Butterfingers?

I am an avid card player, but every time I play anything from double solitaire to Uno I find myself having to ask one of the other players to shuffle for me. My most valiant attempts always seem to turn the game into 52-card pick-up. When it happens that I am in a group of people which does not include a natural-born card dealer, then we're all in trouble.

That's not a problem, however, when I go to my grandma's house. Because of this magical little machine she has, all I have to do is put half the deck on one platform, half on the other, push the button...and presto, my cards are shuffled in a nice neat pile. I doubt if I'll ever get the hang of shuffling -- I've had perhaps fifteen years' practice and haven't gotten it right yet -- but if I can get my hands on one of these then I'll be all set.

Of course, if you're one of those people who likes to show off your ability as a casino-worthy card shark, this sort of device is extraneous, maybe even insulting. But if you're all thumbs like me, it'll make every card game a little bit less intimidating.

"You Roll Your Dice, You Move Your Mice. Nobody Gets Hurt."

Bob the Tomato was right on when he made this dry remark in Veggie Tales' "The Toy Who Saved Christmas". While "Mouse Trap" is as zany and crazy as it gets, it is also completely safe (unless someone swallows one of the mice). Younger kids enjoy just playing with all of the neat gadgets without bothering to try to put it all together. Just be sure not to leave a toddler alone with it as there are a very few game pieces small enough to be swallowed.

On the other hand, for the future engineer or inventor in your family, the elaborate setting up of the game is so intriguing that they may insist on setting the whole thing up before the game begins. The elaborate chain reaction which eventually leads to the capture of the unfortunate mouse/mice is simply ingenious, and the young participants may feel inspired to set up a fancy machine of their own.

Bright colorful plastic pieces and whimsical gameboard illustrations come together to create a five-year-old's cross between miniature golf and a role-playing game. One of the most creative games ever invented, no children's game closet is complete without it.

Pop! Goes the Dice

A simple dice game, Trouble has become a favorite in my house. Up to four people can play at a time. The more the merrier, because a more crowded board means more opportunities to jump your opponent. While this game is mostly luck, there is some strategy involved in trying to decide which pieces to move when. One thing to learn very quickly: never land on an opponent's starting point if you can help it. He may have been stuck there for twelve turns, but nine times out of ten he'll roll a 1 or a 6 on his next turn and send you back to where you started from.

This game usually doesn't take more than half an hour to play. It's simple enough that most kindergartners can grasp it, but it is entertaining for parents and grandparents too. This is a great game to bring along on a car ride or camping trip, and the POP! is so much fun that you'll be eagerly awaiting your next turn just so you can push that plastic dome.

Never Has a Board Game Tasted So Sweet

The bright and enticing illustrations on this gameboard immediately attract the eyes of young and old alike. This is a wonderful first game for a toddler. Using colored cards instead of numbered dice, even a three-year-old can figure it out.

Adults will enjoy playing this game with their children as it takes them back to their own childhoods. One look at the gameboard makes me feel sunny all over and I am more than glad to transport myself into this magical fairyland.

There is another game similar to this one which is instead centered in the Hundred Acre wood and has different colored plastic Pooh characters as playing pieces. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of it and I haven't come across it in stores, but it could maybe be found in a shop that sells used toys.

At any rate, far from being hard to find, Candyland is a constant in every store's game section. And the measly seven bucks you pay to take this game home with you will soon be forgotten as you return to this game over and over again.

Love Makes You Real

A story that has been treasured for years, this gentle tale will most certainly be enjoyed for many years to come. Often found among the Easter books when the holiday rolls around because the main character is a rabbit, The Velveteen Rabbit is all the more appropriately placed because it tells how love gives new life.

The Velveteen Rabbit is a lovely stuffed bunny given to a young boy for Christmas. He lives in the nursery, where his only friend is the ancient, ragged Skin Horse. The Skin Horse explains to the rabbit that he, unlike most of the toys in the nursery, is real because he was once loved by the boy's uncle. He describes how, when you are loved, you begin to grow tattered and torn and you no longer look beautiful to most people. But by the time you are real, none of that matters anymore. To the one who loves you, you are the most beautiful thing in the world, and once you have become real, no one can ever take that away.

The Velveteen Rabbit dreams of the day when he might become real, and on one magical night, quite by accident, the boy is reunited with him. They become constant playmates, and soon the boy will not settle for any other toy. The Velveteen Rabbit doesn't notice as his fur grows shabby and his eyes lose their polish. He has become real.

That year, the boy becomes gravely ill with scarlet fever. The Velveteen Rabbit remains at his side at all times, but when the boy is on the road to recovery, he is still infested with germs and sentenced by the doctor to be tossed into the burning barrel. And as the rabbit awaits his demise, still grateful for the chance to have been real, a miracle occurs that will leave tears in your eyes and a new song in your heart.

This book can be enjoyed equally by adults and children. It is a lovely story whose moral never grows old. Pick up a copy during this season of growth and renewal. You may never be the same.

Laugh Until You Short a Circuit

The very first time I saw this movie, I was not thrilled about watching it. In fact, I curled up in the other room reading "Watership Down" to avoid watching this boring military movie. But as I read, the spontaneous outbursts of riotous laughter from my family convinced me to wander over to see what was going on. And I was hooked.

Since that first viewing, I've probably watched "Short Circuit" a hundred times, thoroughly enjoying it each time. It is the tale of a robot who wants to be more. The story begins at the NOVA robotics center, where a demonstration is cut short by a sudden storm. Upstairs, the robots line up to promenade down to show themselves off to the visitors. Number 5 is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or should I say the right place at the right time?) and is struck by lightning. Seemingly unfazed by the incident, he follows the other robots but gets distracted by a robotic coffee server. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself outside, in the bed of a truck leading out into the country. Voraciously reading everything in sight, he is a sort of metallic Pinocchio who finds himself brought to life by the blue fairy of lightning.

While NOVA is in an uproar looking for him, he hitches a ride on the back of a snack truck driven by a young woman named Stephanie. She unknowingly drives him home, and when she discovers him she welcomes him into her home, convinced he is an alien. Fascinated by all the wonderful new things in Stephanie's house, he begins to investigate...wreaking havoc in the process. The rest of the movie is pure laughs as Stephanie learns Number 5's true identity, NOVA tries to recapture him, and Number 5 tries to convince everyone that he is alive.

Great characters are just as essential to this movie as the hilarious situations and memorable lines. There's Number 5, of course, the robot who is learning what it is to be human and teaching everyone else in the process. Stephanie is the rather ditzy animal-lover who takes him in and eventually begins to believe his story. Newton Crosby, the creator of Number 5, is a pacifist who has fallen for Stephanie but thinks she's crazy to believe that Number 5 is alive. And then there's Ben, the idiom-mixing-up fellow from who-knows-where who evokes a laugh each time he speaks.

This movie is just plain clean fun, and it raises some very interesting issues as well about what it means to be alive. Number 5 (re-christened Johnny 5) was one of the predecessors to Star Trek's Data and many of the other androids we love so much. He appears in a second film with Ben, and that is well worth a viewing. But the original movie is the one which I will continue to watch over and over again. One of the funniest movies of all time, any connaisseur of comedy should pick this one up. It is sure to become a family favorite.

It Keeps Going and Going and Going...

Have any of you ever noticed that it is nearly impossible to play a short game of Monopoly? There are many different schools of thought on how the game should be played, but none of them allow for a quick game that lasts half an hour. If you pull out Monopoly at noon you are doomed to be shackled to that board for the remainder of the afternoon.

And don't ever play it in a room with an open window or heavy traffic, especially by dogs and cats. You will be helpless to intervene as you watch all of your carefully sorted money fly across the carpet.

That said, this game is a classic. It has spawned countless new versions specific to a town or school or movie. It has made the words "Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." an everyday phrase. And, of course, it has turned children at a very young age into little business people. I wonder how often Bill Gates played this while he was growing up?

Monopoly is a family-friendly introduction to the world of commerce and real estate, and the time a family spends playing it together can be very rewarding. Just don't take it too personally if you go bankrupt.

How Do You Spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?

All right, so it's got about 25 too many letters. And it probably wouldn't count as a real word. But just think what a score it would get! Scrabble encourages everyone, from reading-level children to adults, to enhance their vocabulary. The more words you know, the more creative and lucrative your turns can be. Of course, the placement of the words is just as important as the words themselves. A well-placed three-letter word can easily outdo a six-letter word out in the open.

A delightful way to get kids interested in spelling and give adults a chance to show off to each other, there isn't much bad you can say about this game. You and the other players determine the course of the game. You can even bend the rules a bit for an interesting twist. For instance, you could have a "Star Trek" night where every word had to have something to do with Star Trek. Or a name night so you can use all those names you're not allowed to put on the board in a regular game.

The possibilities are endless, and each game of Scrabble is a couple of hours well spent engaging your mind and having fun at the same time. One word of warning: If you buy this particular version, you risk the letters sliding all over the board. The deluxe rotating plastic gameboard with grooves for each square is more expensive but it is money well spent. There are few things more infuriating when playing a game than to be winning gloriously only to have the gameboard wrecked before your victory can be sealed!

Don't Want Me for a Surgeon

It's been a long time since I've played this game, but I have fond memories of my cousins and I huddling around that poor plastic man, tweezers in hand. The concentration was so intense, you could hear a pin drop -- and if any of us did, we jumped halfway to the ceiling in fright, dropping whatever body part we had so carefully been trying to remove.

And then it came...the dreaded BUZZ! Accompanied, of course, by the flashing red nose. Is this guy the human version of Rudolph, or what? The ideal, of course, was to avoid that noise at all costs. Not only would it mean I had lost, but no one else wanted me to drop my piece because the nose alarm was so grating on the ears! Even still, I got the BUZZ often enough to tell me that I was perhaps not the ideal candidate to consider a career as a surgeon.

This game is a lot of fun for young children to play. It teaches them their body parts, and they will be so intent on doing the operation correctly that it will keep them quiet for quite a while. Except, of course, when that infernal buzzer goes off! So, for your sake, I would suggest you wait until your children are old enough to have a pretty steady hand before buying this game for them. The pieces are also quite tiny, and the last thing you need is your two-year-old swallowing another kidney!

Are You Still a Caterpillar?

I came across this book a few years ago while browsing Barnes and Noble's bookshelves. I began to read, and luckily my dad took a long time finding what he was looking for because I was able to finish it. Some time later, my high school junior Ethics teacher read it to us in class, stretching it out over a month. I finally purchased it last year.

This book is deceptively simple. With large hand-lettered words and pictures that fill the page, this nearly 100-page book can be read easily in one sitting. However, I think the author, by breaking it up into chapters, was trying to tell us that this is a story to be savored.

The story centers around Stripe, a small black and white caterpillar. We watch as he is born and eats his way through the first days of his life, much like Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Then, one day, he wonders if there is more to life than eating. Opening his eyes to the world around him, he sees a mountain of caterpillars in the distance climbing towards the sky. Intrigued, Stripe makes his way to the mountain and begins to climb.

A feverish frenzy overtakes him as he becomes more determined to reach the top, not knowing what is there. One day, he meets a caterpillar about his age and is talking to her when the pile shifts, and Stripe steps on her head to make his way further up the mountain. Soon he is so riddled with guilt that he finds Yellow and apologizes, and much to the astonishment of the other caterpillars they climb down together.

They are very happy together on the ground, and they spend their days hugging and eating to their hearts' delight. But Stripe begins to grow restless again, and he decides that he must find out what is at the mountain peak. Yellow sadly refuses to go, so Stripe returns to the brutal race alone. It seems even worse this time, and Stripe begins to wonder if it's really all worth it. He climbs, zombified, towards the top of the pillar, hardly caring anymore. But just as Stripe is on the verge of plunging into despair, Yellow discovers a wonderful secret that can turn Stripe's life around if he lets it...

This beautiful story of hope is illustrated entirely with simple white, black, and yellow line drawings. While it may hold the attention of a child, it is really an allegory geared towards adults. As it criticizes the mediocrity of those goals which seem so all-important to us at the time, it offers us hope for a much more satisfying existence. It does not come without cost, however; we must be willing to "throw off everything that hinders" and leave ourselves completely vulnerable. Only then can the magic work.

A wonderful gift for anyone who is experiencing a great change, "Hope For the Flowers" eloquently poses the question: Why crawl when you can fly?

Addictive

Based on a traditional African game, Mancala is a good investment for any family. It generally takes no more than fifteen minutes to play a game, though whether you can just play one remains to be seen. The premise is very simple. Each side of the board has six egg-shaped "pockets," each of which contains four brightly colored gem-like rounded pieces of plastic. The point of the game is to make your pieces travel around the game board, depositing one in each pocket you pass. At either end of the board is a long basin, one for each of the two players to collect game pieces in. The player with the most pieces in her bin when the game pieces run out wins.

This game is a lot of fun, but it can be maddening. When you lose one game, you insist on playing best of three. Then it's best of five. And so on. You could find yourself in a championship Mancala tournament. The polished game pieces and lovely board make this edition of the game one that whose quality will last for years to come. If you're the crafty type, though, you may have even more fun making your own. Children can use an egg carton and marbles just as effectively. Just put a bowl on either end for the basin. No matter what form this game takes, it's a great way to spend a rainy day -- or maybe even a sunny one!

The Good of the Many...

After the floundering "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (couldn't they have come up with a better title than THAT?), "The Wrath of Khan" is a glorious triumph. Following up on an episode in the show's first season, the movie centers around Khan, a criminal exiled to Seti Alpha 5 by Captain Kirk. With his band of shipmates from Botany Bay, an Australian penal colony, Khan had been wandering through space cryogenically frozen for two centuries before he encountered the Enterprise. Unfortunately, after leaving Khan and crew on the ideal planet, no one ever checks back to see what has happened to them. An astronomical disaster on Seti Alpha 6 lays waste to Seti Alpha 5 shortly afterward, turning it into a desert.

Mr. Chekov and another officer are sent to the planet to scan it for life. If it is uninhabited, it will be the test site of the Genesis Project, which will attempt to create life from scratch. While surveying the planet, they discover a hideout and Chekov sees the words "Botany Bay" printed inside. He realizes too late the dangerous situation they have stepped into.

Khan inserts a parasite into one of each of the officer's ears, thereby rendering them under his control. Using them as the bait, he plans to trap Captain Kirk and get revenge for his abandonment which led to the death of his wife. Kirk's own conflicts with his aging self, his newfound son, and his dull position as admiral take the backseat as he fights for his life, and that of his entire crew.

The most moving of the Star Trek movies, "The Wrath of Khan" tackles such issues as creation, aging, and friendship. There are many great lines, especially among Bones, Kirk and Spock. The death of Scotty's nephew towards the beginning is the first tear-jerker in this movie. The lush beauty of Genesis coupled with the orchestral soundtrack are stunning, but it is the ultimate sacrifice at the end that makes the film so memorable.

A must-see for any Star Trek fan, it is guaranteed to leave you weeping. With its underlying themes of friendship and new life, it can be enjoyed by anyone, Trekkee or not. And it also made "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one" a welcome well-known phrase...and philosophy.

Just in Time for Easter

As Easter approaches, this movie is a great one to pick up to get you in the spirit of the season. This energetic retelling of the last week of Jesus' life is more powerful as a play, but as a video it holds its own. Sung in its entirety, J.C. Superstar features a cast of rock singers with bizarre costumes.

For the most part, this Andrew Lloyd Weber-Tim Rice production stays true to the story, though they put a very different spin on it. Instead of focusing on Jesus, they attempt to show us the Passion of Christ through the eyes of Judas. A tortured individual, he believes that it will be to the betterment of his people to turn Jesus in to the authorities. Filled with remorse after the deed, he wonders if Jesus could still love him after his betrayal. Then he hangs himself, later confronting Jesus in limbo, in our current time, asking if he thought it was all worth it.

The music makes this movie. Similar musical themes run throughout, giving different songs the same tune. All are memorable, from the tender I Don't Know How to Love Him to the hilarious Herod's Song to the hesitantly triumphant title number. As that's the only dialogue in this movie, you almost might do just as well to simply buy the soundtrack.

There are so many absurd costumes in this movie, and the dances which go along with some of the songs are downright disturbing. As for the props...the scene in the temple includes everything from postcards to firearms. Herod's palace includes a huge swimming pool, a honky-tonk piano, and a big basket of bagels which he throws at Jesus. And in Judas' delusions, he sees himself being chased by tanks and B2 bombers.

All anachronisms aside, this is an interesting modern treatment of a sacred story which millions across the globe consider to be true. The music makes it entertaining and accessible to all manners of people in our young generation. Everyone should see this production at least once. It is highly preferable to see it in the theater, but if your local theater can't accommodate then give the video a shot.

Down to Earth Humor

"Star Trek IV" is the contender for best Star Trek movie. It is as hilarious as "The Wrath of Khan" is touching. And it provides us sophisticated 20th-century folks with a look at our society of fifteen years ago. Have we changed that much? Hmm...

And beyond being hilarious, it also has a wonderful message. The Earth is being destroyed by a probe which is searching for hump-backed whales. The whales became extinct in the 21st century, and Earth's only hope is to go to the 20th century and bring a couple of hump-backed whales to the future. It shows just how important the protection of endangered species is.

Each of the crew members has a special task when they reach Earth. Chekov and Uhura have to try to find the Alameda naval base. Sulu gets a crash course in flying a helicopter. Scotty and Bones have to find plexiglass for their makeshift aquarium. And Spock and Kirk take on the mean streets of San Francisco to convince a marine biologist to let them beam the whales in her care on board.

From the moment Kirk and company land their cloaked Klingon bird of prey in the park, this movie is nonstop laughs. Experience all the "colorful metaphors," "dark age" medical technology, and other 1980s phenomena as seen from the viewpoint of our favorite folks from the future as they race to save Earth. And watch as Spock becomes a bit more human in the process.