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H2O-Go-Go

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PreS-Gr 4—Mr. Billy, aka Billy Zack, offers a mix of 13 educational and fun songs with a water theme in a variety of rock styles that range from the rockabilly of "H2O Go-Go!" to the rap rendition of "My Dad the Plumber." Eleven songs are original, and there are covers of the "SpongeBob Squarepants" theme song in a hard-rock style as well as the Beatles' hit, "Octopus's Garden," sung as a ballad. The back-up band, Playground, employs the usual array of rock instruments. Some of the tunes have an education flavor, such as "A Solid Liquid Gas" and "The Water Cycle," which may be useful in upper elementary classrooms. Other songs, such as "Pirate Treasure" and "Puddle Dance," are just the kind of fun that may appeal to preschoolers. Although many of the riffs may sound familiar to rock fans, there is a lot of talent and originality in the lyrics and music. Pair this selection with the Boogers' Road to Rock (CDBaby.com) for a rockin' good time.—Cynthia Grabke, Halifax Elementary School, MA
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 , Oct 01, 2010

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