The Greening of Whitney Brown

Gr 3–7—Preteen Whitney leads a privileged life, going to an elite school in Philadelphia where she is class president. When her father loses his job, they also lose their houses and their cars, and end up on the farm where her father grew up. Whitney is frustrated without cell connections and computer access to her friends in the city. The resulting lessons are predictable, but the film benefits from better than usual indie acting. Sammi Hanratti is the perfect choice for Whitney, and Brooke Shields (mother), Aidan Quinn (father), and Kris Kristofferson (grandpa) are great support characters and make the most of average dialogue. A horse named Odd Job Bob helps Whitney overcome her big city withdrawal and learn what is really important in life. While the horse may seem over the top, it's right on target for the intended audience. The only segment that might be objectionable for younger children is the opening song. A good family film with a worthwhile message without being preachy.—C.A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO