The age of modern parenthood has brought us a lot to be thankful for on a superficial level: Baby Einstein videos, the Diaper Genie (and successors), and strollers that come in colors other than black, gray and navy. But perhaps the mother of all inventions is the portable DVD player, guaranteed to provide Junior with hours of entertainment on planes, trains and in automobiles. Here are some new DVDs to give your player a workout this summer and beyond.
He lives in pineapple under the sea and just celebrated his 10th anniversary. He is, of course, SpongeBob. In the title episode (a new one) “To Squarepants or Not to Squarepants,” SpongeBob has shrunk his last pair of square pants and can’t find any additional pairs in the local stores. (Guess they don’t have Google in Bikini Bottom.) Will anyone recognize America’s most famous sponge without his pants? This DVD contains eight episodes in all.

The sassy 6-and-3/4-year-old, who can accessorize like no celebrity pig since Kermit’s gal pal, Miss Piggy, makes her full-length DVD debut. Olivia contains one new episode plus three others new to DVD (eight episodes total). See how our attention-loving heroine reacts when she’s cast as “Cow #2″ in the school play after Francine gets the lead.

Never have buttons seemed so scary. This Tim Burton-esque film isn’t for every kid. In this stop-action, animated movie, Coraline, dissatisfied with her life, enters an alternate universe with an Other Mother and Other Father, who at first appear to be model parents. But all is not as it seems. Hence, the movie’s tagline: Be careful what you wish for. Not for the child who is easily spooked. Three-D version available.
Coming soon …
Newsflash: Each train is finally getting its own voice! (It’s about time.) Thomas, Percy, et al. help save new friend Hiro from the scrapyard in this animated movie. Special DVD features include a Thomas & Spencer racing game and a Thomas & Friends Bedroom Makeover. (Coming 9/8)
British icons Wallace and Gromit long ago catapulted themselves into in an elite category of children’s entertainment - the much-sought-after realm of cross-generational appeal. Translation: you’ll actually enjoy their films. In Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death, a British Academy Award winner for Short Animation, W & G open a bakery called Top Bun. But their timing’s not so great. A murderer is targeting all the bakers in town. Gromit must discover the identity of the Cereal Killer before BFF Wallace becomes his next victim. This is the dynamic duo’s first, new half-hour adventure since 2005.(Coming 9/22)