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Best of ! Most of ! 
Satiate the need 
Slip them into different sleeves ! 
Buy both, and feel deceived" - 
The Smiths - "Paint a Vulgar Picture"

Those hoping for something new out of the Veggie Tales group will have to wait a little longer. God Made You Special is a compliation of previous stories, centered around the theme of celebrating uniqueness and use of gifts each person (or vegetable, in this case) has been given from God. There is one new short, "Bob's Vacation" ( 3 1/2 of 5), in which the tomato undergoes an identity crisis caused by a misunderstanding of an overhead phone conversation. An attempt to add depth to the stories is done by adding kids' commentary in between each chapter - with the children who are speaking drawn as generic vegetable characters. 

"Dave and the Giant Pickle" (3 1/2 of 5), a retelling of the David and Goliath story, is first. Featuring Junior Asparagus as the diminutive David, it features the song "Little Guys Can Do Big Things Too". The Silly Song that follows, "Belly Button", (4 1/2 of 5) is a brilliant parody of the 90's boy bands - Junior Asparagus, Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt, and Jimmy Gourd from the band "Boyz in the Sink". The only question is if younger viewers will get the joke. 

"The Gourds Must Be Crazy" (4 of 5) is a homage to Star Trek, a tale of the Starship ApplePies facing an unknown threat that could destroy their spaceship. The first Veggie Tales story to include Jerry and Jimmy Gourd, it highlights the differences that God has placed in people, and how those differences can be used together to do great things. Junior Asparagus is again the star, this time with the song "I Can Be Your Friend". 

Another Silly Song, "The Yodeling Veternarian of the Alps" (2 1/2 of 5) follows. The chorus is dead on, featuring a Moxy Fruvous-type of harmony, but the story itself falls somewhat flat, too silly for even my four year old to enjoy. 

The last story, "A Snoodle's Tale", (5 of 5) is the reason to purchase this DVD. Presented as a tribute to the poetry of Dr. Seuss, it is Big Idea's crowning acheivement to date. A Snoodle struggling to find self-esteem is ridiculed by his older, seemingly wiser contemporaries. Weighed down by their pictues of him, he leaves town in search of acceptance. He meets a mysterious stranger who is unlike the rest. This entity loves the young Snoodle, and informs him that the portrait he has been given of himself from others is not the real picture. He shows the youngster a new drawing, a bigger, more confident, fully developed Snoodle with wings. He commands the child not only to fly, but to soar, and use the gifts that the Stranger has given him, and to see himself as his creator does. Written very poignantly, this story is touching and very real to any child who has ever been given the wrong idea about himself by a classmate or parent. 

Junior Asparagus comes back for a new song called "My Day" (4 1/2 of 5), retelling his good and bad moments to God, and realizing that God is with him throughout all of those incidents, not just the good ones. 

Fans who own these stories may be disappointed with only one new song and the "commentary" segments. For those who are just starting their Veggie Tale collections, the DVD is worth purchasing, if only for "A Snoodle's Tale". As always, the writers at Big Idea include jokes for the older viewers as well as for the kids. In fact, they are better at it than anyone since the old Warner Brothers cartoons. God Made You Special is highly recommended for new viewers and for completists.

Brian A. Smith
27 August 2007