Episode #41 from May 2007, "The Great Sky Race Rematch" again features "The William Tell Overture" with artwork titled "Whirlpool and Waves at Naruto, Awa Province" by Utagawa Hiroshige. Rocket enters the Great Sky Race again after winning the previous year's race. Rival Big Jet also enters the race and plays a few nasty tricks on Rocket. The kids use tempo and creativity to overcome barriers that Big Jet puts up for Rocket.
"The Great Sky Race Rematch" shows how the gang uses creativity to overcome the barriers they run into in the race. It's also a good way to learn how to face adversity. The episode balances all the elements of a good kids' show, including pace that meets their attention spans, strong yet simple storylines, sweetness without sugar overload, and an adventure with a purpose.The three episodes go well together with the first and last episodes guest starring Big Jet. The second episode teaches tempo and the last episode ties everything together.
Bonus features include a "Rocket Around the World" interactive activity, which takes kids on a trip to four locales. However, it's very slow even for adults and not very interactive. Kids use the remote control to pick the right Rocket vehicle for traveling to the different locations. That's all there is to it.
Two videos starring Playhouse Disney's Lou and Lou Safety Patrol cover racing and buckling for safety. Unfortunately, these bonus shorts and "Rocket Around the World" don't have closed-captions or English subtitles. Though the bonuses don't offer much, the Little Einsteins fans will watch and enjoy the DVD because they're most interested in the familiar faces on the cover.
The four-year-old Little Einsteins critic sums up his review in one sentence: "I really like the movie!" And he watched it again and again and again. The nine-year-old — who is into the more hardcore shows like SpongeBob Squarepants and Avatar — even sat with him a couple of times and he wouldn't do that if the show didn't interest him. Little Einsteins: Race for Space earns applause for presenting an enjoyable educational program that parents won't dread watching for the twentieth time.Preview a clip from Race for Space.
Run time: 72 minutes
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