VeggieTales

Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry join us for the latest installment of the groundbreaking VeggieTales series. Big River Rescue tells the story of the aforementioned as they attempt to get the wrongfully accused Little Jimmy (aka “Big Jim” and “Little Yimmy”) back to his mama in St. Louis. Of course, that would be too easy, so our friends find themselves pursued by a host of familiar, yet somehow new, characters, all of which are seemingly intent on capturing Little Yimmy…err.. Jimmy, and perhaps indirectly keeping the main characters from their land claim!

The most important part of any VeggieTales episode is the moral. While the feat of animating each one is still impressive and the character’s witty dialogue still resonates with young children and their parents alike, the moral remains the centerpiece. Here Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry learn that if you can help someone and you don’t, then it is the same as hurting them. The creators of this series have tackled many morals over the years and you’d be hard pressed to find one any more relevant than this is to today’s world. Giving of yourself, even when it isn’t convenient or may cause you to sacrifice something, is a lesson we could all learn from. In an increasingly violent world, this tale sheds light that will make those in the field of character education smile like they have never smiled before.

Another impressive aspect of this episode in particular is the use of the narrator. Led through by a Mark Twain-esqe character, Big River Rescue may just find a home in the classroom. Few examples of what exactly a narrator does and the various ways they can interact with and within a story are as striking as this one. The narrator is used in a variety of different ways here from simply guiding the viewer to learning lessons himself through the characters actions. Any Language Arts teachers out there may want to take special notice of this release.

For more than a decade the fine folks at Big Idea having been bringing us uplifting, moral tales through the medium of vegetables and each time a new DVD is released it begs the question “Has the well finally dried up?” Yet again, the resounding answer is “Nope, not dry yet.” I love this episode every bit as much as my three-year-old does but it’s the fact that Big Idea is still here over a decade later that is the true testament to the fact that they are every bit as creative and groundbreaking today as they were when they debuted.

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