The Library DVD Shelf Chris Isaak Christmas Koch Vision www (dot) kochvision (dot) com 1417230991, .99, VideoSales@kochent (dot) com Chris Isaak is joined by Michael Buble, Brian McKnight and Stevie Nicks in this Christmas celebration featuring such classics as White Christmas, Let It Snow, Christmas on TV and more. It's mixed in surround sound for the finest of listening experiences, is captured in high-definition, recorded live in Chicago and provides five of Isaak's own holiday originals as well as the complete performance as original broadcast on PBS. An outstanding presentation. Dog the Bounty Hunter: Best of Season 4 A&E Home Video c/o A&E Television Networks 235 East 45th Street New York , NY 10017 1422906418, .95, www (dot) aetv (dot) com The fourth season of DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER finds him tracking down more criminals then handing more tough love after capture. Baby Lyssa joins Dog's family team in this set of Dog adventures: a series of more gripping action-packed - and spiritual-packed - true crime stories to attract both prior Dog fans and newcomers to his bounty hunting business. Yoga With Your Baby Jackie Long Yoga With Love www (dot) yogawithyourbaby (dot) com DVD, .95 jackie@yogawithlove (dot) com New parents can connect with their baby and toddler even in a busy world with the help of a special DVD that melds teachings from Buddhism, yoga, and neuroscience to offer an interactive format perfect for newcomers as well as yoga practitioners of all types. Kids ages 3 months to 4 years are the perfect age range to benefit from this DVD of some 20 yoga practices for adults, 15 baby yoga poses, and songs to sing. Cardiokickboxing DVDs Lynn Hahn Bayview Films 107 Pink Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 DVD, .99 Each www (dot) getrealfit (dot) org www (dot) amazon (dot) com Cardio kickboxing uses different martial arts stances and forms to strengthen the body, offering agility moves and workouts lending to weight control and body toning alike. KICK and PUNCH AND FIRM by Lynn Hall offers user-friendly workouts that require no prior knowledge to prove useful. The fun, lively workouts are outstanding exercise and martial arts routines and offering maximum kickboxing benefits to all levels of users - and to libraries catering to them. Children of the Stones Acorn Media Group 8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403 .99 www (dot) acornmedia (dot) com Children of the Stones is the DVD collection of all seven episodes of a British science fiction thriller, filmed on location at the Avebury stone circle (which is older than the nearby Stonehenge). When astrophysicist Adam Blake (whose other credits include "Blake's 7") and his teenage son Matthew come to research the standing stones, they discover fascinating and harrowing mysteries hidden in the stones' past. The seemingly druidic Rafael Hendrick holds an inexplicable sway over the entranced "happy ones" of the local village - and why is it said that "nobody ever leaves the circle"? The menace gradually builds up to the suspenseful climax, in this exciting and dramatic saga enhanced with interviews, production notes, series trivia, and a photo gallery. Highly recommended. Approximately 174 min., full screen, color. Makeup Assignment - Brow Abilities Monique Powers Empowers Beauty, Inc. PO Box 16245, Beverly Hills, CA 90209 .99 www (dot) MakeupAssignment (dot) com www (dot) MoniquePowers (dot) com Licensed esthetician Monique Powers, who has over 15 years of experience as a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist, presents Makeup Assignment - Brow Abilities, a how-to DVD teaching teenagers and women of all ages how to create, groom, and enhance one's eyebrow shape, regardless of one's natural eyebrow structure. Step-by-step instructions walk the viewer through the composition of an aesthetically pleasing eyebrow shape, how to fake a full eyebrow, how to efficiently and effectively use inexpensive eyebrow tools and makeup, and more. An easy-to-follow, professional-quality instructional highly recommended to not only prospective and professional makeup artists, but also to any woman determined to look her best. 20 minutes, color. Dance Off The Inches: Dance It Off Ballroom Kristina Milova, host Anchor Bay Entertainment 1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084 .98 www (dot) anchorbayentertainment (dot) com Part of the energetic Dance Off the Inches series, Dance Off The Inches: Dance It Off Ballroom is a fun exercise DVD featuring cardio ballroom routines perfect for burning calories and getting into shape. Ballroom dancer Kristina Milova guides the viewer through mini dance routines that draw upon three of the most popular styles of ballroom dance. No partner is needed for these samba, cha cha, and jive routines that make working out as fun as it is tummy-flattening. A Dance Off The Inches Step Guide teaching the viewer ten basic dance steps in ten minutes rounds out this welcome addition to DVD fitness libraries. 61 minutes, closed captioned. The Romance of a Vanishing Race Rich-Heape Films, Inc. 5952 Royal Lane, Suite 254, Dallas, Texas 75230 .95 www (dot) richheape (dot) com 214-696-6916 The Romance of a Vanishing Race collects three vintage motion pictures of Native Americans and their daily culture, originally filmed in the early 1900s and featuring tribal chiefs who participated in the last Great Indian Council, including some who fought at the Battle of Little Big Horn. The first, "The Romance of the Vanishing Race" (released 1916, 29 min.) features Navajo, Pueblo, Crow, and Hopi tribes and re-enactments of Indian battles on the plains as well as tribal ceremonies and medicine men. "Rodman Wanamaker Expedition of Citizenship to the North American Indian" (released 1913, 26 min.) has Dr. Joseph Dixon explain the important symbolism of the flag to different Indian tribes and their dedication ceremonies. "Winter Farm Life on a Crow Reservation" (released 1921, 8 min.) features World War I French hero General Ferdinand Foch, and shows scenes from reservation life including the butchering of a cow, erecting a teepee, and the ceremonies to welcome General Foch. Suitable for viewers of all ages, The Romance of a Vanishing Race preserves invaluable evidence of Native American culture and is an enthusiastically recommended addition to public and college library DVD collections. 63 minutes, captioned, black-and-white. Kathy Smith: Total Body Lift Kathy Smith Lionsgate 2700 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404 411 Video Information (publicity) PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953 .98 www (dot) lionsgatedvd (dot) com www (dot) 411videoinfo (dot) com Kathy Smith: Total Body Lift is a fitness DVD featuring energetic, dance-inspired exercises as demonstrated by host Kathy Smith. Expensive equipment is not required, though a simple mat, towel, chair for support, and light weights are recommended. The workout itself consists of a five-minute warm-up, upper body lift, leg lift, butt lift and tummy lift, and can be customized to a degree; a music only option is also available for the audio track. A user-friendly DVD suitable for all ages and experience levels, Kathy Smith: Total Body Lift is a welcome addition to any exercise DVD collection. Approximately 69 minutes, full screen, color. Rules of the Road Vat 19 11783 Borman Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146 .95 www (dot) Vat19 (dot) com Rules of the Road is an interactive driver's educational course on two DVDs, ideal for teenagers but also useful for adults seeking to refresh their driving knowledge and awareness. Disc 1 is specifically prepared to help the viewer pass the written driving test with flying colors, as well as sample the Virtual Driver experience to heighten awareness of one's surroundings. From parallel parking to highway merging, night driving, right-of-way rules, and more, the viewer is guided through everything he or she absolutely must know before getting behind the wheel. Disc 2 includes a complete behind-the-wheel curriculum ideal for assisting parents and teachers, enhanced with tips on auto safety, car maintenance, preventing road rage, and what to do in case of an emergency. A bonus of nine printable drive packets spanning ninety-five pages, as well as eight interactive practice DMV written tests round out this enthusiastically recommended addition to school and community library collections. Rules of the Road is also the perfect gift for any teen who has just turned old enough to start learning how to drive! 192 minutes, English and Spanish subtitles. Cook's Country Season One Chris Kimball WGBH Boston Video c/o SSA Public Relations 15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 9781593758431, .95 www (dot) ssapr (dot) com Cook's Country Season One is the DVD collection of all thirteen episodes from season one of the public television show "Cook's Country", featuring Chris Kimball and America's Test Kitchen Chefs. A distinctly American cooking show that demonstrates how to create great recipes like Chocolate Blackout Cake, Cincinnati Chili, Raspberry Chiffon Pie and much more, Cook's Country Season One also broadens its informative repertoire with general food shopping and preparation tips, tricks, and techniques, such as which cookware, kitchen tools, and supermarket foods are most worth buying. Printable versions of 26 selected recipes round out this highly enjoyable presentation of tasty delights, highly recommended for viewers of all levels of skill and experience in the kitchen. Approximately 5.5 hours, closed-captioned. Lionel Nation 2 A McComas/Stachler Production TM Books & Video PO Box 279, New Buffalo, MI 49117 9781932291735, .95 www (dot) tmbv (dot) com 1-800-892-2822 Kindred spirit to the first Lionel Nation DVD yet featuring all-new footage, Lionel Nation 2 is a DVD tour of a prewar layout and collection of amazing model railroad trains. Laid out by expert craftsman, and hobbyist Norm Charbonneau, the made-to-scale trains are stunningly realistic, sure to delight and inspire model railroad enthusiasts. Additional material includes a behind-the-scenes look at a toy train auction, a tour of the engines and cars that inspired the Lionel brand's new series of Conventional Classics, and model railroad operating tips. Lionel Nation 2 is a treat for anyone with an interest in model railroading. 60 minutes, color. Composing the Beatles Songbook MVD Entertainment Group PO Box 280, Oaks, PA 19456 .95 www (dot) MVDb2b (dot) com 1-800-888-0486 Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon and McCartney 1966-1970 is an independent DVD documentary examining the partnership and music of Lennon and McCartney, widely beloved creator of some of the most popular songs by the classic 60's rock band "The Beatles". Filled with rare footage including classic Beatles performances, and also testimony from friends of the pair, Composing the Beatles Songbook is sure to prove as inspirational as it is educational to songwriters today. Extras include extended interviews and biographies, in this superb gift for dyed-in-the-wool Beatles fans. 112 minutes, black-and- white. Encounters With John Wesley Vision Video PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540 #501297D, .95, www (dot) visionvideo (dot) com Few itinerant preachers in 18th Century England would equal the accomplishments of John Wesley as he went around the country spreading the Protestant gospel and founding Methodist societies. As with all Christian reformers, Wesley faced unrelenting persecution, endured tremendous hardships, and was both fearless and dedicated in his Christian labors. Now a thirty-minute story of his life has been produced in a DVD format starring Mark Topping as John Wesley in an action-packed docudrama filmed on location in New Room, Bristol (the oldest Methodist chapel in England), and the Charles Wesley house. The DVD format is enhanced with the inclusion of an interview with Mark Topping. Of special note are the dramatized versions of four sermons by John Wesley. Superbly produced and thoroughly engaging from beginning to end, "Encounters With John Wesley" is very highly recommended for personal, church, and community library Christian Studies and Christian DVD collections. Language Partners: Building a Strong Foundation Boys Town Press 14100 Crawford Street, Boys Town, NE 68010 0974788961, .95 www (dot) boystownpress (dot) org 1-800-282-6657 The third DVD in the Early Intervention Illustrated Series, Language Partners: Building a Strong Foundation teaches parents of deaf or hard of hearing children how to create a language-rich environment that gives children the tools they need to develop thinking, communication, and learning skills. Simple techniques ideal for use early in child's life when their language-learning ability is amazingly malleable make Language Partners: Building a Strong Foundation easy to follow and utterly invaluable. Especially recommended for public library collections and parents or caretakers of young, hearing-impaired children. 20 minutes. Blue Dragon Volume 1 Viz Communications Inc. 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 DVD, .98 www (dot) viz (dot) com 1-800-394-3042 Based on the hit role-playing game for the Xbox 360, Blue Dragon Volume 1 collects the first five episodes of the Japanese animated fantasy-adventure television series. Featuring the main characters from the game (all of whom were designed by Dragonball Z creator Akira Toriyama), Blue Dragon follows the plucky young hero Shu and his friends - his cool-headed rival Jiro, the sensitive girl Kluke, the boisterous Devee Marumaro, and the icy warrior woman Zola in their quest to combat the spreading evil of Nene and the Grankingdom. The titular Blue Dragon itself is Shu's shadow come to fierce life, the better to fight for courage and justice! The plot of the animated Blue Dragon series differs significantly from that of the Xbox 360 game, to the extent that it could be considered an alternate universe; anyone who has played the game is sure to enjoy the surprises in this new story. Blue Dragon Volume 1 is a family-friendly DVD, particularly recommended for fans of fantasy, anime, and dragons! English, 100 minutes, color. Blue Dragon, Volume 2 Viz Communications Inc. 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 1421522640, .98 www (dot) viz (dot) com 1-800-394-3042 Containing episodes 6-8, volume 2 of Blue Dragon continues the family- friendly anime (Japanese animated) DVD series loosely based on the popular Xbox 360 role-playing game about a group of young people who can bring their animal-like shadows to life to fight for what's right in a fantasy world threatened by war. Though the personalities of Blue Dragon's characters (and their nemesis, the villainous Nene) will be familiar to game players, as well as much of the musical score, the storyline is completely different from that of the game, to the extent of being set on a parallel world. Led by the mysterious Zola, wielder of Killer Bat shadow that never speaks, Shu (Dragon shadow), Jiro (Minotaur shadow), Kluke (no shadow yet), and Marumaro (Sabertooth Tiger shadow) must defend themselves against not only invading Grankingdom spies and attacks at sea, but also the gushing gratitude of a young girl with the power to turn invisible or change shapes! Trouble is, their klutzy newest admirer has a tendency to accidentally hurt as easily as help - and she just might have a crush on Shu, much to Kluke's dismay! A saga of fantastic action, rivalry, and a dash of intrigue, Blue Dragon Volume 2 is highly recommended to viewers of all ages. 100 minutes, color. A&E Home Video c/o A&E Television Networks 235 East 45th Street New York , NY 10017 www (dot) aetv (dot) com CRISS ANGEL MINDFREAK: THE BEST OF SEASONS ONE AND TWO (1422913228, .95) tells of Criss Angel, part Cirque du Soliel, part magician, who has taken magic to new realms in his series of hit shows featuring his death-defying stunts. These stunts are performed live and never with camera trick, and this collection captures a powerful magician's best episodes from his first two seasons. Fans of British comedy will relish THE BEST OF MR. BEAN VOLUME 2 (1422919501, .95), a collection starting Rowan Atkinson as the amazing Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean is always in trouble and funny - and this collection offers up some of the ongoing bests of his world in a hilarious set of outrageous circumstances and mishaps. Both will appeal to a wide audience. EDITOR'S NOTE: The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so. The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to: James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review 278 Orchard Drive Oregon, WI 53575-1129 To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price). James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review
