Happy New Year, Charlie Brown

The teacher assigns Charlie Brown's class to do a book report on War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Peppermint Patty tells Charlie Brown about her New Year Party. He drops in on dance class and Peppermint Patty grabs him. He continues to struggle with the book while she keeps dropping hints about an invitation. He tells her about inviting the little red haired girl, Heather. He decides to put the invitation in her mail slot but his hand gets caught. At the party, Peppermint Patty wins musical chairs and continues to drop hints on the clueless Charlie Brown. He is left alone reading the book and falling asleep. Heather shows up and Charlie Brown miss her. In the end, he gets a D- for his book report. Even worst, they have to read Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky.

I just can't get over that Charlie Brown is reading War and Peace. It's pretty outlandish. I do like a jealous Peppermint Patty. She has a great awkward charm about her. They could have had more fun with her and Marcie in this one. The style is still as charming as ever.

Well, New Year's Eve is coming up but poor Charlie Brown is stuck with having to read "War and Peace" (which is about a thousand pages) for his school book report. On top of that, Peppermint Patty invites him for her and Marcie's party while Linus tries to avoid Sally and her calling him her "Sweet Baboo". Oh, and there's a certain "Little Red Haired Girl" that Charlie's crazy about...Another funny and insightful "Peanuts" special with a wonderful script by creator Charles Schulz, direction by Sam Jaimes and usual helmer Bill Melendez, and a not bad musical score by Ed Bogas and Desiree Goyette who also wrote a couple of songs as well as sang on one of them. Too bad no one thought to put the late Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" in there but otherwise, this was another fine "Peanuts" holiday special.

Although not the best animation of Charlie Brown and Snoppy, it is a short short film. This short, had a great animation, had actors and had a story, the only part I did not like, was the fact that the story does not have a very good development, making the story a bit annoying. Even so, I highly recommend it.

Due to an unfinished homework assignment over holiday break, Chuck Brown is left to read War & Peace while everyone else parties. The two songs in this special, about dancing (Slow, Slow, Quick Quick) and musical chairs are entertaining. Altogether, worth the watch if you are a Peanuts fan.

First off, I remember first watching this Charlie Brown special on Disney Channel before 1995 began. Also, Charlie Brown is to read Tolstoy's novel, "War and Peace," during Christmas vacation. This is not really grade school material. It is more for college students. If I was assigned to read a lengthy novel during vacation taking a college course, I'd pick a Jules Verne novel like "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" or "Around the World in 80 Days." I also remember when this special ran on Nickelodeon at one time or another.

My favorite part of this Peanuts special is the musical chairs game. I always like to watch this special to ring in the new year, but I don't thinkI'd want to read "War and Peace." It's too lengthy for me to read.