Finally Unleashed from the Disney Vault For the First Time in Nearly 10 Years
Walt Disney’s Original Classic 101 Dalmatians

First time on Two-Disc DVD March 4, 2008 Featuring An All-New Digital Restoration, Deleted Songs, Virtual Dalmatians Game, and more

For the first time in nearly a decade, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment unleashes 101 of the world’s most famous dogs when Walt Disney’s original dog classic, 101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition comes to DVD March 4, 2008 for a limited time only. 101 Dalmatians is the true Disney Dog classic, considered by critics to be one of the best and most innovative Disney animated films. This all-new two-disc Platinum Edition is a must-own for fans big and small, featuring beloved characters Pongo, Perdita, and their 99 puppies, as well as one of Disney’s most deliciously evil villains of all time – Cruella De Vil (ranked on American Film Institute’s Best Villains of All Time List).

101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition is brilliantly restored with enhanced picture and sound and includes all-new, never-before-seen bonus features that will have fans of all ages howling with delight: An all-new interactive ”Virtual Dalmatian” game with over 101 possibilities to adopt, train and care for your very own virtual puppy, deleted songs, behind-the-scenes featurettes, an in-depth look at the personal correspondence between Walt Disney and Dodie Smith, (author of the book The Hundred and One Dalmatians), and much more.

One of the most cherished and sought-after Disney classics of all time, 101 Dalmatians is among the last films to bear the personal touch of Walt Disney. This original classic is available for a limited time only before it returns to the Disney vault.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Meet the Robinsons is the 46th Disney animated feature. Done in 3-D animation, Meet the Robinsons was actually crafted after a book, A Day with Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce. The funny thing is that though the book was the basis for the movie, the book and movie are really nothing alike.

While the interesting Robinson family is certainly present in both the book and the movie, in the book Lewis, the main character of Meet the Robinsons the movie, doesn’t even exist. I have never read the book, but I adored this movie. It offers an excellent story and is a lot of fun for both children and their parents to watch together. It has quickly become one of my favorite recent Disney films.

Release Info:
Meet the Robinsons was released by Disney Studios on DVD on October 23, 2007. Perfect for kids of all ages, Meet the Robinsons comes through with amazing video, audio, and a great story the whole family will love. Lasting for 95 minutes, Meet the Robinsons is fast paced without ever feeling rushed and offers loads of special features when the main feature is done.

The Meet the Robinsons Plot:
Meet the Robinsons is perfect for kids because it teaches them that failure is acceptable as long as you learn from your mistakes. As the elder Lewis grows up to say, life is about moving forward. Occasionally it’s good for kids to know that failure isn’t the worst thing that could happen to them.

(more…)

Written by Dom, Ash, & Robert Evans - Visit Website
---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Seeing the commercial for the Matchbox 360 Popup Pirate Island caused me, as a parent, to be somewhat skeptical. It is not that the idea isn’t wonderful because it is. I just didn’t think they would be able to pull it off. It seemed like a rather large feat, opening this world of adventure and then being able to close it and have it tuck back neatly together without a problem or a mess. It seemed like a tall order to fill. Matchbox managed to fill the order though and they filled it so well that I am happy to admit I am wrong.

The Matchbox 360 Popup Pirate Island is nice for so many reasons. You can take it anywhere so if you have restless kids it’s just a matter of carrying it along and keeping them occupied wherever you go. As a parent, the convenience factor of Matchbox 360 Popup Pirate Island is worth its weight in gold. That being said, as much as I loved how easy it was, it did not mean that children would like it. In the end, that is always going to be the most important test.

Requirements:
The Matchbox 360 Popup Pirate Island is ready to go once you open the box. Once you open it up your child or children can begin playing with it immediately. The car and everything else you might need is right inside waiting for your child to play to their hearts content. I think most parents can agree when I say that there is something nice about buying a toy that doesn’t need batteries or other non-included attachments. Mattel and Matchbox did a nice job creating a traveling toy with some spunk. There is no assembly required, which is another added plus as your child won’t have to wait and fidget while you get things put together.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Having two boys in the house, three if you count my husband, I thought that I would be the perfect choice for the review of the R/C Tyco toy, the Terrainiac. Tim (16) and Jaden (8) love the outdoors. Normally they do not like the same toys, being as far apart in age as they are, but the Terrainiac was a definite exception.

The manufacture recommends this car for ages eight and older. This is one toy where I agree completely. Every male in the house absolutely adored it. I have to admit, I found it pretty cool, too. The biggest problem I had with it was separating the fighting boys who wanted to play with it and refused to share as much as they should have. In the scheme of things, especially concerning a review, I suppose that’s not such a bad thing.

Requirements:
Tyco thought of everything here by offering a toy that is complete right out of box. You will not have to purchase anything, as batteries and the works have been added for your ease of use. Normally, the Terrainiac needs a 9.6V battery and two AA batteries. However, both of these required items have been included so you just need to take it out of the box and charge it before use.

(more…)

Written by - Visit Website
---
Being a stay at home mom to three kids and a freelance writer keeps Lisa quite busy. Lisa is the wife of Patrick and the mother of Tim (17), Jaden (9), and Kayla (3). Having a toddler in the house makes things quite interesting. Lisa is an aspiring writer. She loves working for LI Kids because she can get the whole family involved in the reviewing process and write, which is her passion. In her free time she loves sewing and scrapbooking.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

If I had to pick one thing that made the Dora the Explorer Sparkle and Twirl Mermaid doll special it would be that you receive two dolls in one. Dora is incredibly popular. I should know because I have two little girls, Madison and Emma. Both of them look forward to singing with Dora and solving her dilemmas each day. When it comes to holidays, Dora is a no brainer in my house. If someone doesn’t know what to get the girls they usually inquire about what Dora toys and dolls they already have.

Requirements
Dora the Explorer Sparkle and Twirl Mermaid comes with everything you need for your children to begin playing with this doll. The doll needs four AA batteries, 4 button cell batteries, and 3 LR44’s to work properly, but they are included in the package. It seems pretty rare to be able to purchase a toy and take it right out of the box, knowing you have all you need to make it work the right way. However, that is 100 percent the case with the Dora the Explorer Sparkle and Twirl Mermaid doll.

Basics
The purpose of this doll is pretty simple. Dora is able to turn into the prettiest mermaid in the sea. Once Dora is placed on her magical seashell, she twirls around and her skirt becomes a beautiful mermaid tail. Dora will sing to your child as she transforms into a mermaid. If you hit the story button on the base of the toy, Dora will tell your child all of her best stories.

(more…)

Written by - Visit Website
---
Kassidy received her degree in Journalism in 2002. She lives in the Midwest with her husband of six years, Jason, their two little girls, Madison (6) and Emma (3), and four month old, Little J (Jason Jr.) . The couple is very excited to welcome their first son. Passions in life for Kassidy include painting, writing, being a Mommy, watching romantic comedies, and dancing.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

From the moment I saw this toy I knew that it was poised to be the biggest toy of the year. In one package, you receive something parents will love and something that will attract kids for many different reasons. Due to the fact that it’s a little bit on the expensive side, Puppy Grows and Knows your Name makes the perfect special gift. It’s perfect as a Christmas present or for a birthday. No matter when you buy this magical puppy, your child will adore the new addition to the family whether they are young or starting to get older.

Requirements
Puppy Grows & Knows Your Name needs to be hooked up to a computer for all of the personalization features to work correctly. While the puppy will work without a computer, by hooking the pup up, you have the luxury of the puppy knowing your child’s name and birthday and the puppy’s own name, which your child can give them. If you plan to hook the puppy up you will need a standard USB cord. If you do not have one you will want to pick one up because one is not included. Additionally, you will need four AA batteries to get things working.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I am forever grateful that I had the chance to grow up in the 80s. The reason I say that is because there were some of the best (and most family friendly) television shows and cartoons of the time in the decade I was raised. There were the Smurfs, Heathcliff, Garfield, and of course, there was The Carebears.

The Carebears was one of the most family friendly cartoons I can remember from those days. The bears were absolutely adorable and they offered morals to boot. Kids not only wanted to play with Carebears, they also wanted them to come down from the sky and solve their problems. In the meantime, they taught that with enough time, love, compassion, and caring we might be able to solve our own problems.

Carebears: Gift of Caring was released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on August 28, 2007. The DVD comes in a handy little blue DVD carrying case with the Carebears on the cover. Kids will absolutely adore the case and it’s possible that you will think it’s cute, too.

When it comes to content, kids will love the seven heartwarming episodes that make up this disc. Even as an adult, I loved watching these episodes. I remember mentioning how much the disc reminded me of watching the show as a child. Well, upon looking information on this disc up, I learned that these seven episodes are restored from the original show I watched as a seven year old child. This disc was actually released on VHS in 1988 and has been restored for a whole new set of children to enjoy. While the quality is clear the retro feel from the 80s remains in tact. The Carebears look just as good as I remember from when I was a child.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The Disney Mega Mack Play Town is poised to be one of the biggest selling toys of the holiday season. If you look at it, there is absolutely no question why. Children will love this. Designed after Mack from the Cars movie by Disney Pixar, the Disney Mega Mack Play Town offers a Mack Truck that folds out into three separate race areas. Kids will get to place one of their cars (three come with the set) in the launch pad and shoot it off. This sends the car off to one of the areas. When play is done, Mack folds right up, neat and clean so there is no mess and only a small amount of room taken up.

Let’s start with the basics. Mack is a huge truck that spans about 24 inches. Mack talks so if you hit the bill of his hat you can get him to say things like “FILL THIS IN WHEN I’M IN THERE.” When you unfold the play set you have the choice of playing with three separate areas. Children are greeted with the areas of Radiator Springs, Route 66, and the Dirt Track. With the set, you have three cars that you can send down the launcher into the area of choice. The cars are Lightening McQueen, Doc Hudson, and Bessie.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tomorrow, October 19, 2007, the fifth episode of season 3 (Book 3) of Avatar will air on Nickelodeon at 8:30 PM EST. Then on October 30, 2007, the first DVD featuring the first five episodes of this awesome Nickelodeon cartoon will be available for you to purchase courtesy of Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Entertainment. Just like the past two seasons, Nickelodeon will release the show in five episode increments before releasing a full season DVD, which often contains bonus features unlike each individual volume. In truth, the Avatar volumes offer little more than the actual episodes.

Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the story of Aang and his friends. Aang is the last airbender, which means he’s the last known survivor from the Air Temples, home of the Air Nomads. The world in which he lives was made up of four nations, the Air Nomads, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, and the Earth Kingdom.

Each of these areas has groups of people known as benders, who can bend the elements in each region, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. The only person who can bend all four is the Avatar. The Avatar just happens to be Aang, and in his latest incarnation (he’s reincarnated from past lives in a cycle with his last life as a member of the Fire Nation when he was known as Avatar Roku) he just happens to be an Air Nomad.

(more…)

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
---
Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Psychology. She plans to get her Ph.D and work as a therapist in the field of human sexuality. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I was just four years old when the Carebears came on television. This was the perfect age to enjoy the loveable bears. The stories were interesting and like the cartoon kids on the television show, every kid my age wanted the Carebears to be their friend, too. My life partner, Ashtyn, was around six or seven when she first had the joy of experiencing the Carebears and knew when she had children she would want them to know these bears as she had.

The television show which aired from 1985-1987, taught children all about caring, sharing, and doing nice things for others. There was always a lesson to be learned with the Carebears. The bears even had names like Tender Heart, Funshine, Bedtime, Champ, Good Luck, Wish, Love-a-Lot, and Grumpy. There were baby Carebears, Hugs and Tugs. There were even Carebear Cousins, which were different animals such as Brave Heart Lion, Cozy Heart Penguin, and Bright Heart Raccoon. The Carebears, which originally started out as characters on an American Greetings Card, where later turned into plush Teddy Bears (and other animals for the cousins) before becoming a hit 1980s television series.

(more…)

Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
---
Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!