CHILDREN OF PROMISE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND ART FOR YOUNG PEOPLE;THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

BOOKS CHILDREN OF PROMISE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND ART FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Edited by Charles Sullivan (Abrams, $24.95, ages 12 and up) This handsomely produced anthology draws on two centuries of song, poetry, art, photography, and documentary to illuminate the African-American experience. A slave auction handbill is cleverly juxtaposed with Thomas Jefferson's letter in praise of the mathematical skill and ''mor-al eminence'' of Benjamin Banneker, an Af- rican-American who helped design Washington, D.C. A searing poem by Langston Hughes gives the lie (or the inner truth) to a 19th-century photograph of a grinning minstrel: A tender oil painting of an old Af-rican- American man teaching a child to play the banjo is resonantly paired with verses from the folk song, ''The Blue-Tail Fly.'' The selection of materials is sometimes inspired: The photograph of the 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.-a line of heroically determined figures silhouetted against a stormy sky-is almost mythic in its impact. But the selection is quixotic, too. Why are there so few women activists, authors, and artists? Where are Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks? Why so few firsthand anecdotes from slave narratives? Of course, the African-American heritage is so rich and diverse that it would be impossible to cram it all into one volume. At least this provocative collection may spark young readers to explore further on their own. B+ -Michele Landsberg

VIDEO THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (Public Media Video, 800-262-8600, 174 minutes, $29.95, all ages) Nearly three hours long, this splendid adventure doubtless will require multiple viewings for children to see in its entirety. But this is the rare sort of stuff to which kids are eager to return. An adaptation of the first of C.S. Lewis' seven books about the imaginary land of Narnia, this WonderWorks drama produced by the BBC enchants on many levels. The costumes, for example, are detailed, imag-inative-and sometimes frightening. Geoffrey Burgon's memorable score contains leitmotifs even the youngest listeners will pick up. The theme is as lovely as the message of Lewis' story, published in 1950. Used sparingly, the animation and special effects are especially striking. The tale unfolds in England in 1940. Four children discover that a clothes cabinet is the entry to Narnia, ruled by a witch. In trying to rescue the boy the witch has taken hostage, the children encounter a lion, who agrees to give up his life for the boy's. The lion later comes back to life to help the children defeat the forces of evil. Although the fantasy explores Christian themes, it does so subtly. Many children won't notice the similarities between the plot and the story of Christ's death and resurrection. What they are likely to notice is a nonsectarian message: Help others, tell the truth, and make decisions based on ethical standards. A -Jeff Unger