The Traveling Trio

Gr 3–7—In this excellent series, three siblings are the "Traveling Trio" who introduce different countries and cultures. Olivia, the eldest, and her twin brothers, Everett and Ingram, narrate their adventures. Each location is introduced with a map. Viewers then travel with the children to visit specific sights, learning something about the history, geography, flora, fauna, arts, culture, currency, and foods of the region. Foreign words and location names are defined and presented both orally and visually. This is a happy jaunt with the preteen hosts trying new foods, making friends, learning phrases in foreign languages, and exploring kid-friendly locations and activities. Locations visited include: Trencin, Slovakia; Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic; Warsaw, Poland; Dalmatian Coast, Croatia; Budapest, Hungary (and another episode about Hungary that repeats some of the same material, but includes travel around other parts of the country); Krakow, Poland; San Antonio, Texas; Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Oklahoma. Three additional programs use clips from previous episodes, with some new material, to highlight particular subjects. "The Traveling Trio Goes Underground" focuses on mine and cave visits. Visits to "Castles of Central Europe" are combined with a look at a medieval fair. "Foods of Central Europe" combines all the food-related clips, adding a few new ones. These fast-paced, interesting programs both entertain and teach. The kid-appeal level is high with jousts, castles, mud baths, labyrinths, and more. Camera work is excellent and, though the dialogue sometimes seems a little complex for the children, it is not at all stilted. This series makes viewers feel like they're along for the journey, and having a terrific time.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA