Books : Summer of My German Soldier

The rolling hills of Tennessee farmland, framed in lovely patchwork quilt patterns, set the stage for Dolly Parton's (of Grand Ol' Opry fame) warm childhood memories. The text comes directly from Parton's autobiographical hit country and western song of the same name. Perhaps the grammar is imperfect, but what C&W song ain't rife with grammatical errors--it's part of the vernacular. The story centers on a poor, but happy and loving, family (yes, they do exist) who find clever ways to deal with their poverty. As winter approaches, Mama sews a coat for her daughter from a box of scraps that someone has given her. Of course her classmates make fun of her for having a coat made of rags. But sticks and stones... "And although we had no money / I was rich as I could be / in my coat of many colors / that Mama made for me." That doesn't mean the child's feelings aren't hurt, or that she didn't feel angry. But the message comes through loud and clear (like Parton's voice): the child's mother has provided her with the strength to deal with other children's jeers, and family love can sometimes be enough to pull a person through.

The trend toward interactive video games—with an emphasis on "active"—is a welcome one for parents and kids alike. Play TV Baseball 3 is an updated version of the earlier version of the virtual reality game, with loads of realistic touches that will have baseball fans jumping off the sidelines and into the game. Simply plug the base into your TV or VCR, pick up the wireless bat, and play ball! Play against a friend or choose from one of 12 teams. Rules are the same as regular baseball, whether you’re at the plate, on the mound, or in the field: swing away for a home run, lay down a bunt to advance base runners, steal a base, strike out the batter with six different pitches (fastball, curve, screwball, slider, splitter, or change up), or field the ball and choose which base runner to throw out—or maybe you’ll turn a double play! Entertaining music and commentary included. Games need never be called on account of rain again! For 1 to 4 players. Six AA batteries required (not included). --Emilie Coulter

This decade-spanning compilation charts the singer-dancer-actress's transformation from rebellious teenager to sexy diva, along the way check-listing major hits like "Nasty," "Miss You Much," "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" and "Rhythm Nation." Two new tracks bookend the set, but even the older material--most of it helmed by writer-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis--holds up remarkably well. --Courtney Kemp

Why is Janet Jackson's Janet the best Michael Jackson album since Thriller and the best Madonna album since..., well, since ever? Perhaps it's because Michael's kid sister is the only one of these three aerobic video stars with enough smarts to realize that sex, hooks, and beats are all that matter in this field of lightweight dance pop. Or perhaps it's because the sexuality Janet radiates through her sweet melodies and hip-tugging grooves is so much more credible than Michael's arrested prepubescence or Madonna's nothing-personal-just-business comeons. After her embarrassing posture as a sociocultural analyst on 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet has returned to her strength--using her odd mix of girlishness and maturity to make dance numbers about personal relationships ring exceptionally true. Even so, the 75-minute, 27-track Janet doesn't really work as an album; there's too much filler and the between-song transitions quickly grow tiresome. The album is full of killer singles, though, starting with such proven cuts as the extremely slinky "That's the Way Love Goes" and rock-guitar-driven "If," and featuring such future hits as the Prince-like "This Time," the Motown-like "Because of Love," the breathy ballad "Where Are You Now" and the inspired Stax cover, "What'll I Do. --Geoffrey Himes

Picking up where the breakthrough funk-pop of Control left off, Janet Jackson and her production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis laced Rhythm Nation with high-minded references to societal ills--seldom the favored province of dance music, but a daring attempt nonetheless. Songs like "State of the World" and "The Knowledge" follow in the tradition of "free your mind and your ass will follow." Still, aside from the title track, it was the pure pop fare and dance music that stormed the charts: "Escapade," "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," "Alright," and "Come Back to Me" concentrate on the politics of personal relationships, not public policy, while "Black Cat" burns the place down with a fierce burst of hard rock. Rhythm Nation 1814 doesn't necessarily hang together thematically, but it's so chock full of hits, you scarcely notice. --Daniel Durchholz