Video Recommendations
—Compiled by Melly Anderson, Collection Development

Storybook Treasures: Day of the Dead...and More Halloween Tales DVD

Rita Moreno narrates Bob Barner's tale of two youngsters in a celebrating their ancestors on the vibrant Latin American holiday in The Day of the Dead. Three more Halloween tales include The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd, Kitten's First Full Moon written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke. Interviews with the author/illustrators are included in the bonus features. Animation/Short Film. Not Rated. Recommended for ages 02 to 06. Juvenile. Fiction.

Dora the Explorer: Dora's Great Roller Skate Adventure DVD

Get ready to skate into adventure as Dora and Boots zoom to Skate Park and stand up to the bullying Big Wheeler! Plus, help Dora bring her friends to the doctor and join her on a science-filled adventure to the Green Power Science Fair! V monos! Let's roll! Animation/TV Series. Rated TV-Y. Recommended for ages 03 to 06. Juvenile. Fiction.

Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo

The steam team's quest begins when a special guest arrives on Sodor with a big surprise and important jobs for Thomas, Percy and James. The engines meet new friends and discover suits of armor; coats of arms and legends of long-ago heroes. Then their bravery is put to the test when their new friend Stephen goes missing. Animation/TV Series. Rated TV-G. Recommended for ages 03 to 06. Juvenile. Fiction.

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel DVD

After Dr. Doofenshmirtz's latest "-inator" scheme accidentally removes the powers of some very well-known Marvel Super Heroes, the heroes enter the world of Danville and team up with Phineas and Ferb to relocate their powers, defeat the Marvel Super Villains who have also shown up to steal Doofenshmirtz's power-draining technology, and save Danville from ultimate destruction! Animation/TV Series. Rated TV-G. Recommended for ages 05 to 11. Juvenile. Fiction.

Monsters University DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo and 3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer. But during his first semester at Monsters University, Mike's plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, "Sulley", a natural-born Scarer. The pair's out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University's elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Animation/Adventure. Rated G. Recommended for ages 05 and up. Juvenile. Fiction.

Monster High: 13 Wishes DVD and Blu-ray

It's a new school year at Monster High™, and the little sister of Clawdeen Wolf™, Howleen, is determined to be more fangtastic than ever. Her dream of popularity turns out to be easier than anyone imagined when she stumbles upon a genie named Gigi Grant™ who grants her not 3, but 13 wishes! But the ghouls quickly learn to be scareful what you wish for, because each wish comes with a dark side, and soon the student disem-body of Monster High is turned upside-down! Animation/TV Movie. Not Rated. Recommended for ages 07 and up. Juvenile. Fiction.

From Up on Poppy Hill DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Set in Yokohama in 1963, this lovingly hand-drawn film centers on Umi and Shun and the budding romance that develops as they join forces to save their high school's ramshackle clubhouse from demolition. From Up on Poppy Hill captures the innocence of new love as well as the beauty of Yokohama's harbor and lush surroundings. With its rich color palette, stunning exteriors, sun-drenched gardens, bustling cityscapes and painterly detail, From Up on Poppy Hill provides a pure, sincere, and nuanced evocation of the past, and marks yet another creative triumph for Studio Ghibli. Animation/Anime. Rated PG. Recommended for ages 09 and up. Juvenile. Fiction.

After Earth DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo

A crash landing leaves teenager Kitai Raige and his legendary father Cypher stranded on Earth, 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape. With Cypher critically injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help, facing uncharted terrain, evolved animal species that now rule the planet, and an unstoppable alien creature that escaped during the crash. Father and son must learn to work together and trust one another if they want any chance of returning home. Action/Adventure. Rated PG-13. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Young Adult. Fiction.

Iron Man 3 DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo, and 3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Marvel's Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? Action/Adventure. Rated PG-13. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Young Adult. Fiction.

Bryce Begins DVD

Bryce Begins is a gripping documentary that gets you closer to Bryce Harper than ever before. At age 16, Bryce appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline "Baseball's Chosen One." At age 17, Bryce was selected as the first pick in the MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. And at age 19, Bryce lived up to the hype and won the NL Rookie of the Year Award by putting together one of the greatest seasons by a teenager in baseball history and leading the Nationals to the Postseason. Bryce Begins takes you on a journey with one of the game's greatest prospects -- who became one of its greatest players. Documentary/Biography. Not Rated. Recommended for ages 14 and up. Young Adult. Nonfiction.

The We and the I DVD

The We and the I is the heartfelt and comical story of the final bus ride home for a group of young high school students and graduates. As kids depart the bus for the last time, we get to learn about these graduates as they step into the world - their love, their conflicts, their despair and their hope. Drama. Not Rated. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Young Adult. Fiction.

Bless Me, Ultima DVD

Based on the controversial novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about Antonio Marez, a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera named Ultima comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question the strict Catholic doctrine that he has been taught by his parents. Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events Antonio must grapple with questions about his own destiny, the relationship between good versus evil and ultimately how to reconcile Ultima's powers with those of the God and his church. Drama/War. Rated PG-13. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Young Adult. Fiction.

World War Z DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, and 3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is a retired United Nations troubleshooter of the highest caliber. Living the sweet life with his loving wife and two daughters, his world is about to change dramatically when he is called out of retirement to traverse the world to stop a Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. Director Marc Forster brings author Max Brooks zombie apocalypse to the big screen without the gore, but with a tremendous amount of tension. Action/Adventure. Rated PG-13. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Young Adult. Fiction.