Arthur: D.W. Thinks Big (2004)

TV. Three episodes themed around Arthur's assertive (and more interesting) younger sister D.W. teach children lessons in self esteem and working together. (What the initials D.W. stand for is an inside joke of the series and direct questions are often skirted, probably to maintain a sense of mystery. Once, when asked what her initials stand for, D.W. says, "I don't want to talk about it," and once, when a Secret Service agent asks, "Just initials? Couldn't you people give your daughter a real name?" her father just shrugs. Those who watch the show, however, know that D.W.'s full name is Dora Winifred Read.) In the episode D.W. Thinks Big, an excited D.W. wants a role to play in her aunt's wedding but is put off by her self-important flower-girl cousin and every busy adult until she discovers and volunteers for an emergency errand that is well-suited for her size. (In the Now A Word from Us Kids segment that typically follows the first of three episodes on each disc, children discuss their classroom exercise in exploring what each child can do by virtue of his or her individual size.) In the episode Arthur and D.W. Clean Up, the Read siblings learn the meaning of their father's admonition "Many hands make light work." In the episode For Whom the Bell Tolls, Arthur is delighted that D.W. has lost her voice for a few days -- until he realizes that it means waiting on her hand and foot and could last for a long time (unless he can prove that she's now faking). 4 stars.