

National Geographic's Wild Detectives Collection
Spring 2008 DVDThere are mysteries to be solved!
This four-episode, two-disc set from National Geographic provides information on a given animal, then allows young viewers figure out the solution based on clues from the narration. Disc One has two parts: "Animals Undercover" which includes information on how photographers and biologists set up blinds and motion-sensing cameras to catch tigers bathing in a pond or to spy on a bear family reunion. "Spy Tools" takes a more in-depth look at the technology which helps researchers observe without disturbing creatures. Disc Two highlights "Mysteries of the Deep" (and how people have learned to solve some) and "Penguin Adventures." The kid-detective angle was quite a hit with my four-year old, who grabbed his binoculars and played nature detective outside the rest of the day.
However, our viewers (young and older) found the narration a bit too cutesy and intrusive and detracting from the information and stunning images. Still, with its introduction to reasoning skills, stunning natural eye-candy, and lovely music, it is still without doubt an award-winning production.