Entre les 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 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.

My kids are now 5 and 3 and they both just love this show. They stop whatever they are doing and pay attention to the show. They love Gawain's Word, Chicken Jane, and the musical skits. We always let our kids watch this entertaining and well-written program. Even my husband and I have found tips that we didn't realize before regarding English grammar.

i have to give wgbh props for making this show. this show is great for kindergarteners and early elementary children! the whole cast of puppet characters are so cute and the fast-paced and creative segments are sure to entertain kids while parents will be amused by the witty puns: for instance, gawain's word (wayne's world)and even the title between the lions (between the lines) are just a sample. the show really brings books to life for kids, especially when characters pop out of the pages of the novels. additionally, during the story readings, the narrator's words are highlighted so that children can follow along... this is especially important since one of the most important steps of literacy is to recognize words with their sound. there are also segments and songs about vowel sounds and sounding out words. this show is very innovative in the way it presents reading... i'm sure you'll agree once you watch the show.

perhaps those people who don't understand the purpose of this show might find it a little cheesy, but one must remember that who the targeted audience of this show is: young children, and while adults might find the humor banal, little kids who, who have a simpler sense of humor, find it hilarious. not only that, i totally trust the folks at wgbh... because this organization is dedicated in providing educational and entertaining programming for children. you can't overlook the fact that this company has a whole development, research, and content department that puts a lot of time and effort, as well as research and testing to make sure that the programs you see are developmentally appropriate and entertaining. they just don't take ideas and pull them out of their butts, there's a process that scrutinizes every program and episode so that the end result is quality programming.

the kids love it, and isn't that what really matters?

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.