"Arthur Loses His Marbles" DVD Review

Based on Marc Brown’s best-selling children’s books, the Arthur TV show and DVDs depict the life and times of Arthur and his fun-loving family of Aardvarks. “Arthur Loses His Marbles” features three Arthur adventures which focus on his Grandma Thora:

• “Arthur Loses His Marbles”
• “Half-Baked Sale”
• “Clarissa is Cracked”

In general, the stated goal of the “Arthur show is to help foster an interest in reading and writing, and to encourage positive social skills. The episodes in the “Arthur Loses His Marbles” DVD work to together to teach children lessons about relating to others.

The Arthur series has won several awards including the George Foster Peabody, and for good reason. Arthur presents issues and situations kids can relate to, and teaches positive behaviors and responses to these issues in a genuine and comical way.

In “Arthur Loses His Marbles,” the three adventures resolve situations concerning sportsmanship, honesty, and respect for other’s things. Grandma Thora’s interactions with Arthur and his kid sister, D.W., provide insights into the warmth and value of intergenerational relationships, and help children learn about how relationships with grandparents can be both respectful and fun.

The episodes contain some mild imitative behavior, such as when D.W. makes the comment, “Everyone in our family got stuck with brothers, how sad!” Or, Grandma Thora tells Arthur’s dad to “get with the program.” While children may mimic some of these phrases, the show provides a good springboard for parents to talk about the issues with their children and point out the importance of considering others’ feelings.

• Instant and Continuous Play

In reviewing the Arthur DVDs, I was able to speak with Kim Brown, Marc Brown’s sister and the inspiration behind D.W., she was able to give me the following insights and ideas for helping kids get even more out of the “Arthur” show:

• Many of the characters and situations in the “Arthur” books and shows are based on real life people and events in creator Marc Brown’s life. D.W. was modeled after Kim Brown, and they really do have a Grandma Thora! Encourage your kids to write a story of their own and read it to the family.
• Marc Brown and his sister Kim are both talented and creative. Their real Grandma Thora was instrumental in helping them by encouraging them and saving their artwork, which made them feel special.
• Because children love the Arthur television shows, they also get excited about reading the books, so parents can encourage children to read by introducing kids to the books as well as the show.
• While on tour, Kim Brown teaches kids how to draw Arthur. You can find the 7 step method for drawing Arthur on the official website.

*In addition to drawing Arthur, PBS Kids' Arthur website offers games, coloring pages, parent information, and more.