Little Bill Me and My Family :: Education by Design Store

Editorial Review
Gap-toothed 5-year-old Little Bill radiates with the sunny realism of his creator, Bill Cosby, but a Fat Albert redux this series is not. For starters, pull the strings on each episode's tidy package and you'll find more family than friends. Little Bill's New York apartment, not the local junkyard, is the nexus of his universe and where he works the kinks out of his kindergartner's world alongside his parents, older sister and brother, and the improbably named and ingenious Alice the Great, his great-grandmother. Inside, there's a whole lot of togetherness going on: Me and My Family's four episodes encapsulate a crowded car ride to Super Family Fun Land (a two-parter), the forming of a neighborhood cleanup committee tasked with clearing a trash-strewn lot, and the dusting off of a time-honored family tradition as Alice the Great breaks out her magic quilt to keep the bogeyman at bay. The look of this series also is something of a novelty--it shares the Colorformish quality of its sister Nick Jr. series Blue's Clues, an effect that adds to its producers' keep-it-real commitment. That said, anybody intimate enough with the realness of inner-city strife may not be blamed for criticizing the sedateness of this show. Otherwise, the youngster himself isn't the only likable part of Little Bill. This being a Cosby creation, there's music--vintage-sounding jazz melodies thread through each story, guaranteeing a finger-snapping good time for parents as well as their more preoccupied preschoolers. --Tammy La Gorce
Cached date: AWS Called=true

Customer Reviews

My 3 year old loves Little Bill!

2007-07-01
This video is so cute and my son loves it. I love the focus on family and how they encourage Little Bill to be hopeful and unafraid. I would love to see the Little Bill videos come out on DVD!

Cosby gives kids yet another gift

2003-09-25
First order of business -- the "editorial" reviewer for Amazon says that this show is set in NYC. WRONG, Tammy, the show is set in Cosby's hometown, Philadelphia. Look at the buildings in the frequent skyline shots and figure it out. Anyway, what one finds is a middle class family in a middle class neighborhood, in a city that is just as racially diverse as the cast of kids one sees in this show. In other words, it is true to life.

It is really refreshing to hear an animated child character whose voice (as far as I can tell) is actually *performed by a child*. Again, it adds to the reality. And underlying all that is the simplicity and believability of the storylines. Nothing too presumptuous or grand, but always charming and stimulating.

If I would make a criticism, it is that the series seems to have a lot of preschool messages, for a character who attends school. So some episodes will appeal to younger viewers more than others. Our child is almost 3-1/2 and is developing an interest in the show, but I don't think all the episodes are equally appealing to one that young. Time will tell whether the stories remain appealing, as our child gradually approaches Little Bill's age.

But that's pretty subtle and is a faint criticism. Meanwhile, I think it's fantastic that the same jazzy musical score that appeals so much to us as parents is also appealing to our little viewer.

Yes, toddlers of one race can be fans of cartoon characters of another race. Yes, a simple animation style is adequate to convey life issues that matter to little kids. Yes, toddlers can enjoy jazz soundtracks in their TV diet. Hats off to Cosby and his team, as well as Nickelodeon, for bringing this to the screen.

Now, let's see more episodes on tape and DVD!!!

Outstanding Tapes for Every child 2003-03-18
Bill Cosby has done it again. My daughter only wants to watch the Little Bill series. She relates to it as a Black child but also as a little girl watching the trials and excitement thru the eyes of Little Bill. I can't recommend enough. Hopefully, more tapes are forthcoming - there are only 4 out there to date.

Wonderful family video!! 2001-08-08
Bill Cosby has done it again!! This video is a real winner!! My 2 1/2 year old son asks to watch this tape everyday. Barney used to have exclusive rule in our house but now he has to share the stage with Little Bill.

It is wonderful seeing Little Bill interact with the rest of his family while delivering important life messages that even young children can absorb. My 10 year old son also enjoys watching this video (even though he probably won't admit it).