When we are very young, it is hard to understand the idea that stumbling blocks can become stepping stones. Such is the case for Stuart Little (voiced by Michael J. Fox), the adopted Manhattan mouse who finds himself quite alone in his household. His brother George has made new friends and doesn't want him tagging along with him as in the past. His mother has become overprotective monitoring Stuart's every move, and most of the household attention is lavished upon the new baby Martha. Only his philosophical father has something to contribute. He tells him: "Keep your back straight, your chin up and your heart open!"

So Stuart heads out into the big, busy and confusing world looking for adventure. He gets to play a few seconds in a soccer game but pays the price of physical pain and the humiliation of being driven by the ball into the goal. Then, while he is tooling down the sidewalk in his little car, Margalo, a, canary, plops down in the seat next to him. She's seeking safety from a predatory falcon who's bothering her. Stuart volunteers to become her guardian and, after finding out that she's an orphan, offers her shelter in his home. At last Stuart has a friend. But things aren't always what they seem, and our little hero soon will be challenged to become a mighty mouse.

Rob Minkoff directs this spiffy family film that easily matches the entertainment quotient of the first movie. Michael Fox does a fine job voicing the torrent of feelings as Stuart begins his quest for adventure and winds up with much more excitement than he bargained for. Melanie Griffiths is appropriately sweet as the cute little canary who has her own dreams to fulfill if only she can muster the courage. James Woods is quite ferocious as the dive-bombing falcon, a predator with a yen for jewelry. Hugh Laurie as father, Geena Davis as mother and Jonathan Lipnicki as George are fine as members of the Little clan but it is their idiosyncratic cat Snowbell who steals the movie with Nathan Lane's snappy one-liners. This fussy feline endears himself to us and to Stuart with his appealing mix of selfishness, sarcasm, and silliness.

Stuart Little 2 is perfect family fare with its bright and appealing message about always being able to see the silver lining in troubles, set-backs, and disappointments.

The DVD has several nice bonuses: an informative audio commentary with director Rob Minkoff and special effects supervisor Jerome Chen, a featurette on the creating the villain Falcon, and another featurette entitled "Life in the Fast Lane" on the making of the film. There is also a nice bonus for younger viewers: "Stuart Little's Big Adventures Read-Along" that includes the opportunity to make your own read-along version of the story.