Dr. Donna's Review

Barbie presents Thumbelina introduces the classic fairytale character Thumbelina to a modern-day setting. In this version of the story (told by Barbie) Thumbelina and her friends team up with a young girl named Makena to save the field they call home from demolition, learning important lessons along the way about standing up for what is right, protecting the environment, and what it means to be a good friend. This film will be favored by girls between 5 and 8 years old. However, there are jokes and characters that will appeal to younger boys and girls in the audience. In particular, the antics of Makena's puppy, Poofles, will be sure to delight younger children.

THEMES & OTHER THINGS

In this film, children will be introduced to the following themes:
1.      It is important to stand up for what you think is right, even when it is difficult. Makena deals with pressures that may be familar to children in the audience. She struggles to make friends and sometimes feels overlooked by her parents when they are preoccupied with work. When she meets Thumbelina, Makena learns that even though she is "just a kid," she can make a difference in the lives of others. By being persistent and standing up for what is right, Makena is able to get her message through to her parents and help save the Twillerbees' homes from destruction.

2.      Friendship is about caring, not competition. Before meeting Thumbelina, Makena struggles to impress her friends by having the latest and greatest toys and clothing. Despite her efforts, she is treated poorly by one "friend," a spoiled girl named Violet. Thumbelina shows Makena that real friendship does not involve this kind of competition or nastiness. Instead, Thumbelina demonstrates that friends care for one another and strive to make each other happy. This is a particularly important message for children at the upper end of the age range, who may experience similar conflicts in their own relationships.

3.      It is important to take care of the environment. This theme is seen in the story of Makena and Thumbelina, who protect the environment in order to preserve the Twillerbees' home. Additionally, Barbie tells the story to a group of children on a field trip to a nature preserve, where they are involved in "real-life" efforts to protect the environment. This theme is intertwined with the first theme and emphasizes the idea that even small people (like children or Twillerbees) can make big differences in the world.

TALKING POINTS

Ask children to talk about Makena's personality. What kind of person was she at the beginning of the story? What did she do that told you about the kind of person she was? How was she the same or different from the other characters in the film (for example, Violet or her Mom and Dad?) What kind of person was she at the end of the story?

In the story, the construction workers were hired to build a factory without knowing that the land they were using was home to the Twillerbees. Ask your child to talk about what the workers might have felt or done if they had known the Twillerbees lived there. Would they have stopped construction or kept going with the project? Were the Twillerbees right to try to scare the construction workers away from the field?

Early on in the story, Thumbelina tells her friends "we may be small, but that doesn't mean we're helpless." Encourage your child to talk about what that statement means. Does he/she agree that small people (like kids) can be powerful? How can kids (or Twillerbees) stand up for themselves and prove that they're not helpless?

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Share examples of people standing up for what is right. These examples can be personal or hypothetical. Alternatively, you could research historical examples, such as Rosa Parks fighting segregation by sitting in the front of the bus. Record the examples by drawing pictures or writing about them. Talk with your child about the feelings and fears people experience when speaking up against others. Encourage your child to think about different ways that she/he could deal with an ethically challenging situation.

Talk about what it means to be a good friend. Encourage your child to make a list of the qualities he or she thinks a good friend has. Review the list together and talk about ways your child can show caring towards his or her friends.


Reinforce the film's messages about caring for the environment by talking about ways your family can help save the Earth. Do you recycle? Do you walk to close places rather than driving? Do you try to conserve energy? Are there ways that your family could improve its conservation efforts? With your child, research local programs and events related to conservation, such as recycling programs, community or beach clean up days, or plant-a-tree events. Make a plan for your family to participate.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS

Thumbelina
by Hans Christian Andersen

I'll Be You and You Be Me
by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Friends: Making Them and Keeping Them
by Patti Kelley Criswell, illustrated by Stacy Peterson

The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein

50 Simple things Kids can do to Save the Earth
by the EarthWorks Group