The Velveteen Rabbit

This 24-min cartoon short is based on the children's storybook title of the same name. It's a story about, according to IMDb, a stuffed toy rabbit who desires to become a real animal through the love of the boy who owns him.

I read the book in my third grade class and then later saw the video that was shown in the classroom. While the story wasn't too appealing and the film wasn't too exciting, it is still a nice little movie for the kids to spend nearly half an hour with. Back then, it was fun to watch a story come to life on video after reading the book.

This short has still animation that pans over each frame like a slide-show as a voice-over narrates the story. This, again, does not present a very exciting or adventurous tale for a wide audience to enjoy, but it does present a peaceful and innocent atmosphere in the friendship of the rabbit and boy, which is fine for the kids to enjoy.

Grade C+

A classic story presented on DVD in "story book video" style (a narrator reads the tale while the camera pans over illustrations).

This is no masterpiece, but, having never read the tale myself, I decided to watch it before putting it on the shelves. It's a nice story for kids to see before bedtime, or in the morning, or really anytime 30 minutes must be passed in peace and quiet.

The narrator is well spoken, the illustrations are pleasant and colorful without being obnoxious or garish, and the overall experience is peaceful and quiet, all fitting attributes for a kind and thought-provoking (on a child's level) presentation.

Unlike much kids fare, this won't inspire the screaming of catch phrases or the re-enactment of battle scenes. It's a peaceful and quiet experience for peaceful and quiet minds.