"Sesame Street Playground" from Putumayo Kids; $14.99.

From the cultural music phenomenon company Putumayo comes these classic songs and videos from around the world featuring the "Sesame Street" bunch. With a zesty collection of ditties on the CD in English, Spanish, French and Dutch, and a bonus DVD with five international music videos, "Sesame Street Playground" appeals to Big Bird and Elmo fans everywhere.

Preschoolers will enjoy hearing the "Sesame Street" theme song in Dutch, plus France's "Song of Friendship" and Tanzania's "Don't Be Sad Song," but will especially love dancing along to "Street" favorites, "Elmo's Song" and "Sing — the Kids."

"Sesame Street" fans might also like two new DVDs." Let's Play Games" from Play With Me Sesame and Genius Entertainment, ($12.99), features numerous games and activities starring the "Sesame" friends; and "Sesame Street: Love the Earth!" is green and Mother Earth-friendly and available only at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.

"Munsters: The Complete Series" from Universal Studios Home Entertainment; $69.98.

Completely and timelessly wacky and weird, the monster family from the 1960s happily continues to entertain with this boxed DVD set. With all 70 classic episodes of "The Munsters," plus two feature-length movies," Munster, Go Home!" and "The Munsters' Revenge," this grand package also includes a rare full-color episode entitled "Family Portrait."

Unforgettable devoted Frankenstein-like dad Herman, sassy homemaker Lily, former Count Grandpa, werewolf boy Eddie and beautiful "black sheep" of the family Marilyn continuously present howling entertainment.

A highlight of my own childhood, "The Munsters" is perfect for Halloween or holiday gift giving, and is delightfully frightfully appropriate and hilarious for all ages.

"White House Pets" from Genius Products and Animal Planet; $12.95.

With Washington and the presidential race out in force, kids are interested in all things White House. And after viewing this enjoyable DVD from Animal Planet, they'll certainly realize that the real top dogs don't wear suits and ties. From bears to hyenas to alligators and especially dogs, presidential pets have certainly influenced elections and captured the hearts of American people for more than 200 years.

Entertainingly and humorously presented, "White House Pets" amazingly points out that the White House has seen more than 400 pets come through its doors. I hope they were all potty-trained!

"Masterpiece" by Elise Broach; read by Jeremy Davidson; Macmillan Young Listeners Audiobook/Henry Holt and Company, $29.95.

From the author of "Shakespeare's Secret" and "Desert Crossing" comes a fantastical tale for all those who've wondered what it would be like to be tiny — very tiny. An unlikely pairing between regular-sized 11-year-old boy James and beetle friend Marvin, "Masterpiece" tells the story of how the pals get involved in an art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after the beetle creates an elaborate miniature drawing.

A fast-paced mystery now on five audio CDs, "Masterpiece" is dramatically told by actor Jeremy Davidson, (now appearing on TV's "Army Wives"), and is 5.5 hours of suspenseful audio entertainment for middle graders.

"SpongeBob SquarePants: WhoBob WhatPants" from Paramount Home Entertainment; $16.99.

Yeah, yeah, I get it. SpongeBob yells out from the TVs of most child-filled homes every day after school. So instead of fighting the SpongeBob phenomenon, why not join it?

This all-new DVD features an amnesia-riddled Mr. SquarePants, who defeats the ruthless leader of the Bubble Poppin' Boys, voiced by Ray Liotta, and is then made mayor of New Kelp City. But when his friends from Bikini Bottom come to take him home, SpongeBob has to decide between his new life or the one he left behind.

With tons of extras including a national sweepstakes decoder game, this new Nickelodeon show also includes five other new-to-DVD episodes and is truly great fun.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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