Between the Lions

Let me start by saying that I have a child. I have read comments from several people either praising the show or hating it. And I fall in the category of liking it. The skits are childish but it's what helps keep child interested in the program. Since you may notice that children these days tend to have short attention spans or be more interested in video games instead of a book or informative programs. My only complaint these days is that there hasn't been very many shows like this out there. These days there are only repeats .Which sort of annoy my child.But it ends of giving us time to stop and read a book and bond. We only hope that PBS will have new programs that keep kids interested in reading.Not just the annoying bright colors and creatures and make odd noises...

This show is the about the best 30 minute reading lesson you can give your kids short of having a reading teacher give them a one-on-one lesson. It presents a sound or word in multiple ways to get children thinking about how our reading works.

It also uses contemporary children's books so if one show really works with your kids, you can take them to the library and see the same book they saw on the show. (Although they won't see talking lions)

The show focuses on teaching reading, not math or manners or anything else, which is where it differs from Sesame Street. It also doesn't try to make jokes for the parents who might be watching the show with their kids. So, if you're not a small child or the parent of one, you probably won't see much point in the show. There is a quite negative review of this show on this site and it's probably from someone for whom this show was not intended. Some kid's shows really are just for kids.

This is in response to the review that david-345 wrote: Don't take yourself too seriously! My wife and I homeschool our little boy, and he was having trouble learning to read. He was just not interested enough to put in the effort to really learn. My sister-in-law, a first-grade public school teacher, suggested that we begin watching "Between the Lions." She uses the show in her classroom sometimes.

After we began watching it, my little boy began to become much more interested in reading. He began to see the value in reading. He went from a beginning reading level to reading at 2nd grade level in less than 6 months. He especially related to the "boy" lion, Lionel. He even asked for a Lionel stuffed toy recently. This seems to be because he enjoyed the show! He was very entertained by the skits, and the repetition allowed him to learn more quickly.

I think it is arrogance to view a child's television program with the same type of standards as that of an adult. Often children like things that are "obnoxious" to adults. And in this case, I personally find many of the characters entertaining. The "Chicken Jane" clips are a great parody of the old "Dick and Jane" series. And, although annoying to me, my little boy loves the Cliffhanger character.

It's also great how they introduce other cultural aspects from around the world to children, and they usually stray away from the trap of many shows that preach political correctness to indoctrinate children.

In short, the show is effective, and entertaining to children. Therefore, it is a great show.

"Between the Lions" is a thoroughly engaging, well written, entertaining program that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. My 3-year-old and I like to get up early and watch it together. The only character I could really do without is Arty Smartypants; the others are entirely likeable, even the curmudgeon Busterfield. My wife and I feel that "Between the Lions" is like "The Electric Company" reborn, except that the writing is superior, especially with the incorporation of puns and other wordplay that are meant for grown-ups to enjoy ("Click" the computer mouse, a dinosaur called a thesaurus, Clay and Walter Pigeon, Chicken Jane, the sidekick Russell Upsomegrub, the author Livingston Dangerously, Monkey C. Monkeydew, etc.). "The Electric Company" was fast-paced, musical, and educational, but it can't match the humor and thus the total value of "Between the Lions."

This series wonderfully combines learning and entertainment and provides a half-hour where the children will be enthralled in the jokes, skits, and songs; and the parents will not mind watching along with their children. Each show centers around a vowel sound that is constantly repeated in different skits and songs for effective teaching value. Each show also contains a theme; one delightful episode focused on Shakespeare in a light manner for a quick introduction to the Bard for young children. They might not have understood the verse, but the fact that a chicken puppet played Juliet will have them giggling. This is a great show to rival other shows that teach reading, especially Reading Rainbow.