A PUPPCORN IS A PUPPET YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF Puppcorn Productions, 1981. Distributed by Puppcorn Productions, Box 6787, Station J, Ottawa, ON, K2A 3Z4. Phonodisc. 1-12", 33 l/3rpm, stereo. $8.95. K-Grade 4. Reviewed by Maureen Pammett. Volume 12 Number 1 1984 January Performed by Lois Walker and the Puppcorns, this disc presents three facets: songs, creative puppet ideas and a folktale. The purpose as outlined on the jacket is to "produce creative educational materials. . .to encourage children (and adults too! !) to THINK AND DO rather than SIT AND WATCH." The attractive, colourful jacket designed by Perfect Vision (productions) shows children and adults doing just that. Included on the disc are five songs, "Puppcorn Is a Puppet You Can Make Yourself," "Just You and Me," "There's Something Special," "Don't Munch a Puppcorn," "Our World Is Blooming up Puppcorns." These are rhythmic and repetitive, just the kind to have kids joining in with glee. Interspersed with the songs are snippets of dialogue and of instructions for making puppets to encourage the listener to become more actively involved. With the printed words are further instructions and diagrams to facilitate puppet construction from readily available materials. On the reverse of the disc is an Inuit folktale, "The Other Side of the Weather: The Story of Kiviok," told with verve and with attention-getting sound effects. The suitably sinister Raven rivets the children's attention and the mountain draws them into his chant. Presumably, this story could lead to puppet plays being performed by the listeners. While tending to overdo the message, the songs are catchy, humorous and with a strong beat, all attributes so enjoyed by primary children. The diction is particularly crisp so that the children have no difficulty following the words. Former university professors, Herb and Lois Walker design their material to entertain in an educational way. With them for this production were Les Lye and his daughter Daraly Dunn as well as members of the Woodroffe School Choir, Ottawa. According to the jacket, this is part of a project described as "an audio-visual series ot thirteen 15-minute programs on the subject of making Puppcorn puppets." Included in the package was a flier advertising other records, three books, and Puppcorn Workshop and Residency Programs. Maureen Pammett, Peterborough County Board of Education, Peterborough, ON.