There’s a new VeggieTales video out just this week!  We got to take a slightly early look at The Little House that Stood — which was perfect timing, as we still haven’t been able to get everyone healthy around here.  (Not everyone has been sick, but someone has been sick at pretty much all times since before Christmas.  Come on, spring!)  So the girls have been doing more vegging (no pun intended) on the couch watching movies than usual — and this way we got a new option, that’s short enough to not be an all-afternoon investment, and that will be teaching them biblical values as they watch.

Now, I don’t remember the exact timing, but a few years back, VeggieTales was sold.  The original creators are still involved with the project, but the same people are not in charge, and the direction of the company was changed, from one aimed primarily at building Christian homes to one aimed at secular households.  Unfortunately, I think that shows.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first VT video I’ve seen since then, and I didn’t think the writing was quite as good quality as what I’ve seen in the past.  It was still good.  But they used to be so good that we grownups would sit down to watch one even without the kids. 😉  This just didn’t have that “wow” quality, in my opinion.

What I was more disappointed in, though, was the verse at the end — or, rather, the lack of a verse at the end.  Maybe it just happens to be the way they did this video because they were trying to cover a lot of ground, but QWERTY only gave Scripture references for the passages containing the original parables that were adapted for the stories in the video.  They didn’t read any actual Scripture.  Whereas we’re accustomed to what amounts to a “memory verse” being recited.

Having been familiar with the older VeggieTales videos almost from the beginning (we watched them before we even had kids — and even before we were married!), these things were a disappointment.  However, the video is still very good, and if I had nothing to compare it to, none of this would have crossed my mind.

On this particular DVD, nursery rhymes and parables are combined.  This results in some pretty silly settings, and an enjoyable entangling of familiar nursery rhymes.  Meanwhile, the primary story still does its job of presenting a biblical truth.  The parable of the wise and foolish builders is reframed in “Cabbageville,” with three little pigs seeking new homes.  Viewers will learn the importance of “building on solid stuff.”  Unfortunately, I think the primary purpose of Jesus’ parable — that we have to build our lives on Him, is pretty much omitted, but the story offers plenty of opportunity to open this discussion with your children.  Despite its being less blatant than I would prefer, I like this one.

The other story is fun, but a little less impressive, from a “parable” perspective.  It combines a variety of classic nursery rhyme characters to tell the supposed “back story” of Humpty Dumpty’s fall.  (Although they do, in fact, put Humpty Dumpty together again at the end.)  The story is supposedly based on that of the Good Samaritan and is about helping your neighbor.  It doesn’t really seem to be the neighbors that help each other, though — rather, the mayor seems to be the only one able to help anyone.  A subtle distinction, perhaps, but I can’t help but wonder whether this was intentional, as it certainly wasn’t necessary for making a workable story.  I wasn’t overly impressed with this story, and wouldn’t have a huge interest in seeing it again.  (My little one also petered out around here — I’m not sure if it didn’t really catch her attention, either, or if her attention span was just running out.)

I am not sure “making good choices” would have been the verbiage I’d choose for summarizing the whole thing; I’d be more inclined to emphasize building on a solid foundation.  (But maybe that’s the difference, again, between trying to teach biblical values in a secular setting and teaching the Bible to Christian kids.)  I particularly like the song about building on something solid.

My girls enjoyed it, and even Livia (the 2-year-old) came and asked me to watch it.  So, yes, we liked it.  But I have to say that we didn’t like it nearly as much as any other VeggieTales video we own.

If you’d like to preview it yourself, here’s the trailer:

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