Like no marionettes you have ever seen

Strings

Wellspring

Ages 9 to adult; DVD: $26.98

www.wellspring.com/homevideo

“Hal, my son, when you read this I shall be dead.” So begins a remarkable marionette epic, four years in the making, from director Anders Ronnow Klarlund about a guilt-ridden king who leaves his throne and his hope for redemption in the hands of his young son. Prince Hal’s quest for vengeance becomes a quest for peace when he discovers true love and the truth about his sworn enemies. Beautiful and haunting, a critically acclaimed “official selection” at several international children’s film festivals, this astonishing flight of imagination is most definitely for adult fantasy fans as well as older children. (Available Tuesday.)

Make a Wish Little Fish

Music for Little People

Ages 0 to 6; DVD: $10.38

(800) 346-4445

www.mflp.com

Venerable record label Music for Little People launches its new NatureKidz DVD series with this beautiful and practical tool for easing babies and preschoolers into the Land of Nod. Even stressed adults may find their blood pressure dropping in the swing and sway of ocean life moving to a soft soundtrack of lullaby melodies. Filmed with high definition cameras at Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific, no survival-of-the-fittest moments intrude, just majestic jellyfish, waving anemones, forests of kelp and myriad varieties of brightly colored fish in a serene, natural ballet.

Harry Potter and

the Half-Blood Prince

Listening Library/Random House

18-CD set (approximately

19 hours): $75

www.listeninglibrary.com

A long road trip in store? Grammy Award-winning Jim Dale’s tour-de-force performance of each and every voice in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books continues. In this dark, eventful installment of the saga, the British actor memorably voices 117 characters, including Harry’s nemesis, evil Lord Voldemort, as a most disturbing child.

Bear in the Big Blue

House Greatest Hits

Walt Disney Records

Ages 2 to 5; CD: $12.98

www.DisneyRecords.com

Seven feet tall, cuddly and furry, the star-host of “Bear in the Big Blue House” heads the jewel in Disney Channel’s preschool show lineup, but if he ever loses his gig, he should try Broadway. Some of the tracks, sung in the voices of mouse Tutter, otter twins Pip and Pop and others, are on the shrill side. But the songs about love, helping out, overcoming fears and taking pride in new accomplishments are as warm and reassuring as Bear’s baritone.

The Backyardigans

Nick Records/Sony MBG SMG

Ages 2 to 5; CD: $12.98.

www.amazon.com

A sunny collection from the popular Nick Jr. show about five colorful little pals who use their imaginations to turn backyard play into magical outdoor adventures. The original songs, tunefully crafted in a wide array of musical styles, are part of the computer-animated show’s lively format, but they stand quite nicely on their own. A couple of highlights: the samba-flavored “Castaways” and a “Secret Agent” tango.

CD extra: a music video, “Go! Go! Go!”

*

Mike Whitla, Early Morning

Knee-Slappin’ Tunes

Deep Down Productions

Ages 3 to 8; CD: $16

www.DeepDownProductions.com

With R&B;, bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll and reggae arrangements, children’s educator and musician Mike Whitla and solid instrumentalists serve up a pleasant mix of traditional, folk and original songs as varied as Woody Guthrie’s “Clean-O (The Baby Washing Song),” “Hokey Pokey (Funky)” and Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.”

Gwendolyn and the

Good Time Gang, Live

in Grandma’s Living Room

Whispersquish Productions

DVD: $17

(323) 953-3537, (866) GTG-SONG

www.gwendolyn.net

In this uneven concert DVD, recorded live at the Geffen Playhouse, the setup is that Gwendolyn and her accomplished bandmates are putting on a show for a proud grandma. In her little girl jumper dress, knee socks and Mary Janes, Gwendolyn, a popular musician with a local following, delivers a perplexing mix of regrettable cutesiness and fine and rowdy kids’-life rock ‘n’ roll.