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Wild Child

Celebrate Earth Music Series
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PreS-Gr 4—For the fourth title in the "Celebrate Earth Music" series, producer Nancy Doan has compiled a collection by 14 current children's music performers singing songs celebrating Africa and its wildlife. This delightfully wide range of musical styles, popping percussion, beautiful tunes, smart lyrics, and outstanding musicianship will bear repeated listening. Each track is crisp and sharp, giving the recording the feel of live performance. Opening with the ethereal "Earthly Lullaby" by Kathy Lowe, listeners will cross the "Serengeti" (Aaron Glassman), pass through the folksy "Rainforest by Morning" (Penelope Torribo), see many animals during "Sunrise in the Jungle" (Jack Grunsky), meet "Rita the Cheetah" (Ed Jordan & Alan Glass), answer "Africa Calling" (Danny Adlerman and Friends), and learn the "Mysteries of the Nile" (Anna Moo). Other performers include Kimmy Schwimmy, Birdie's Playground, Melita Doostan, Aaron Burnett, Wayne from Maine, Cosima Grunsky, and Tish Steinfeld. A portion of the proceeds will go to Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots youth program. A musical trip worth taking!—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH
In this beautiful, heartrending, yet horrifying film, North Koreans tell their stories of imprisonment, sexual slavery, torture, murder, and escape to China or South Korea during the nearly 50-year regime of Kim Il Sung (1912—94). The interviews are illustrated through the interspersion of dance sequences, archival news footage, and drawings. Particularly interesting are the North Korean propaganda films celebrating Kim Il Sung as God and showing in the face of mass starvation happy workers, elaborate military displays, and the creation of a new flower in 1988 in honor of the 46th birthday of Kim's son and successor, Kim Jong Il. A valuable time line traces 20th-century events in Korea. Bonus features include previously unreleased footage of camp refugees. This mesmerizing film displays excellent production values and is highly recommended for Asia collections.—Kitty Chen Dean, formerly with Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Reviewed by Kitty Chen Dean , Dec 01, 2011

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