The Best of the Best of the Electric Company

Entry Number: 9
Title: The Best of the Best of the Electric Company

Author:Elaine Laron, Jim Thurman, Paul Dooley, Sara Compton, Thad Mumford

Illustrator: n/a

Publisher: Shout Factory Theater

Year: 2006

ISBN: B000EF5MQS

Genre: Television

Topics: phonics, alphabet,

Age Group: 2-8

Awards: n/a

Dewey Category: n/a

Format: DVD

Yes, this TV series is from the early 70’s, but the quality is so superb, that it has remained a favorite since Morgan Freeman wore pink bellbottoms with a butterfly patch on them. While portions of this program are aimed towards older readers, episodes are still dedicated to one single letter of the alphabet, similar to Sesame Street. In the episode I reviewed, G was the chosen letter. The actors portray clever ways in which to illustrate the different sounds of G. The soft “j” sound versus the hard “guh” sound for instance. Combining skits, interactive games, and stories that develop over a series of episodes, this star cast (Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, Joan Rivers, to name a few) offers a truly unique and enjoyable learning experience for a variety of ages. Parents who grew up with the show will enjoy sharing a bit of their past with their own children, and children will benefit from the dynamic lessons and diversity presented by this classic.