Karen Kreider

A nice gift set of three books and one audio CD.

The stories are all pretty generic, but the audio performance is well done and features many of the original voice actors from the two more recent movies.

Beauty and the Beast: One Magical Christmas ~ 2 stars ~

Set in the midst of the first movie, Belle is determined to celebrate Christmas even though the grumpy Beast has forbidden it. She wonders what she could give him as a present to help lighten his mood.

The story doesn't do much for me, but show more the recorded version with a full cast -- including Robby Benson and Paige O'Hara -- that accompanies the picture book is well done.

Cinderella: So This Is Christmas ~ 2 stars ~

The Christmas before the events in the movie, Cinderella's fairy godmother secretly inserts herself into the Tremaine household to give Cinderella a better Christmas than the one her cruel stepfamily has planned for her.

Without an explicit wink to the audience, I'm not sure all kids will understand the fairy godmother's secret identity in the story.

Anyhow, a bland picture book at least gets a passable audio performance from the narrator and cast, so kids should still enjoy it.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Christmas Under the Sea ~ 2 stars ~

Despite her father's hatred of all things human, Ariel conspires with Flounder to celebrate Christmas in secret, making decorations for an undersea tree. But then she feels compelled to share the holiday with everyone, consequences be damned!

The war on Christmas is won! Except, without any Christian testimony, does it really count? Or is it just heathen mermaid appropriation? Of a holiday previously appropriated from heathens? So it's a full circle thing?

Anyhow, a serviceable audio version of the story with Jodi Benson voicing Ariel accompanies this less than serviceable picture book.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Beauty and the Beast: One Magical Christmas / Karen Kreider, writer; DiCicco Digital Arts, illustrator -- Cinderella: So This Is Christmas / Gregory Ehrbar, writer; K. White Studios, illustrator -- The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Christmas Under the Sea / Paul Sigman, writer; Jane Bonnet, penciler; Al White Studio, illustrators show less

Set in the midst of the first movie, Belle is determined to celebrate Christmas even though the grumpy Beast has forbidden it. She wonders what she could give him as a present to help lighten his mood.

The story doesn't do much for me, but the recorded version with a full cast -- including Robby Benson and Paige O'Hara -- that accompanies the picture book is well done.

This classic fable is a great way to introduce fairy tales to students and it gives great interest to boys and girls because it has a princess and tons of action and adventure.

Jafar is advisor to the Sultan and he is searching for a magic lamp, but in order to get the lamp from The Cave of
Wonders he needs a young boy named Aladdin to get it for him. Aladdin meets a young princess name Jasmine, but does not yet know that she is a princess when he realizes who she is he decides that he wants to use the lamp in order to make him a prince to try to impress Jasmine. After Jafar takes the lamp and plans to marry Jasmine, Aladdin must get the lamp back , rescue Jasmine, show more and keep his promise to the Genie to free him from the lamp using his third and final wish. show less