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The Candy Machine

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PreS-Gr 3—Zak Morgan and David "Dela" LaBruyere have written 15 songs that lead listeners on a search for sugar with siblings Suzy and Joe. Many of the numbers have a modern musical feel ranging from rock to jazz. Each song explores themes related to candy such as a beach made of sugar or nutritious sweets. Children will enjoy the humorous "Funny Farm," where the "goats go oink and the pigs go bleat." Grandma Lucille's solo in "Suzy and Joe" is wobbly, but the lyrics and the upbeat nature of the song compensate for it. "All the Parts That Are a Part of You" is an entertaining tune that describes body parts and allows time for kids to guess which part is being referenced. Some of the vocabulary will be over the heads of the youngest listeners, but the upbeat music should be enough to keep their attention. Listeners will enjoy the smooth quality of the male voices and be entertained by some of the kooky backup vocals. The engineering quality and the instrumentalists are great. A solid purchase for public libraries.—Caitlyn Walsh, Fayetteville Public Library, AR
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 , Mar 01, 2011

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