If only every children's video could be this witty and charming. It helps, of course, that the colorful scenes look as if they were lifted from the pages of the classic book Madeline and the Bad Hat and that the book's clever rhymes come to life via narrator Christopher Plummer's smooth, rich voice. In this story, Pepito, mischievous son of the Spanish ambassador, is the "bad hat" who moves next door to Madeline and company's boarding house. He makes nothing but trouble for the girls, but eventually learns his lesson. Several engaging musical numbers move along the plot, with lyrics that fit right in. "I'm Madeline, I'm Madeline," sings the heroine, "And though I'm very small ... inside, I'm tall." The same can be said for this video, which belongs in every child's library. --Valerie J. Nelson