The Classic Short Films DVDs from the Walt Disney Animation Collection contain those Disney cartoons we loved as kids. Remember "Lambert the Sheepish Lion," "Mickey and the Beanstalk," and "The Three Little Pigs"? Many of the short films are the classic Disney renditions of well-known tales; others are Disney original stories. The films are sure to bring back fond memories; however, the classic cartoons contain some content you might have forgotten that wouldn't be allowed in cartoons today. Can you imagine a bunch of drunken ducks smoking cigars in the 3D animated kids' shows now? Ah, the good old days.

1. Mickey and the Beanstalk

Mickey, Donald and Goofy go after the golden harp in "Mickey and the Beanstalk." How brave they are in the face of the big, dumb giant. The DVD also contains the classic story of "The Brave Little Tailor," which is also available as a book. If your child is a fan of giant stories, you can read a few renditions of these two beloved stories and then watch the shows on the DVD and compare them to the books. The DVD contains five shorts in all:

• "Mickey and the Beanstalk"
• "The Brave Little Tailor"
• "Gulliver Mickey"
• "Thru the Mirror"
• "Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip"

Watch out for the giant in "The Brave Little Tailor." You may have to explain to your child why he rolls up some hay in a cloth and smokes it!More »

2. The Prince & the Pauper

Mickey puts his own spin on the classic tale of "The Prince and the Pauper." Small children might get briefly frightened during this cartoon when the guards throw the prince in the dungeon or come after Mickey and the prince with swords, but overall the cartoon is a great rendition of a timeless tale. This DVD also contains a very old school Disney cartoon of "The Pied Piper." Here is a complete list of the short films on the Prince & the Pauper DVD:

• "The Prince & the Pauper"
• "The Pied Piper"
• "Old King Cole"
• "Thru the Mirror"
• "A Knight for a Day"
• "Ye Olden Days"

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3. Wind in the Willows

Toad makes a bad decision to do business with weasels in "Wind in the Willows." The DVD also contains a couple of classic fables that are great for teaching kids about morals in stories.One story, "The Ugly Duckling," is told using only "quacks" and other bird sounds. It reminds me of the book Oink (), by Arthur Geisert, which tells a story about pigs using only the word "oink." Parents could use both the short and the book to teach kids about the power of voice inflection in telling a story using only one word.

Here is a complete list of the six shorts on the DVD:

• "Wind in the Willows"
• "The Ugly Duckling"
• "The Robber Kitten"
• "The Grasshopper and the Ant"
• "The Wise Little Hen"
• "The Golden Touch"

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4. Three Little Pigs

"Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Featuring a few stories starring the big-teethed canine, these shorts are edgy compared today's kids' shows. Watch out for drunken ducks smoking cigars in "Chicken Little" (and the fox who eats the farm fowl). Even though the cartoons contain some material that might be questionable now days, though, the DVD offers an opportunity for learning. Read and watch the classic tales with your kids and discuss the antagonist--The Big Bad Wolf.

• "Three Little Pigs"
• "The Big Bad Wolf"
• "Three Little Wolves" (Look out for that little wolf who chases the pigs with a butcher knife!)
• "Lambert the Sheepish Lion" (Who could forget that one?)
• "Chicken Little"
• "Three Blind Mouseketeers"
• "Elmer the Elephant"

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5. The Reluctant Dragon

Dragons have a bad name, but in "The Reluctant Dragon," a young boy finds out that Dragons have feelings too. In fact, the Reluctant Dragon is musical and even poetic. A fake fight between the dragon and a knight makes for a comical cartoon.But, the dragon isn't the only one bucking the stereotypes. Ferdinand the the Bull is also a lover, not a fighter. Here is a complete list of the shorts on the DVD:

• "The Reluctant Dragon"
• "Goliath II"
• "Ferdinand the Bull"
• "Johnny Appleseed"

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6. The Tortoise and the Hare

What fable could be more classic than that of the old Tortoise and the Hare? But did you knowthe Tortoise and the Hare had a rematch in the boxing ring? (The shorts on this DVD are old school Disney, so parents might want to know that the Hare smokes a cigar and the Tortoise smokes some weird device in "Toby the Tortoise Returns.") Very young children may be briefly frightened by the witch in the Hansel & Gretelish story "Babes in the Woods," or by Pluto who, with his army of imps, kidnaps the Goddess of Spring to Hades.Here is a complete list of the six shorts on the DVD:

• "The Tortoise and the Hare"
• "Babes in the Woods"
• "The Saga of Windwagon Smith"
• "The Goddess of Spring"
• "Toby Tortoise Returns"
• "Paul Bunyan"

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