LI Kids is proud to be giving away two copies of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not hear from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win.

We will choose a winner for this on March 14, 2008. This means that you have until March 13, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST to enter the contest.

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LI Kids is proud to be giving away three copies of The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town: Deluxe Edition on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not hear from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win.

We will choose a winner for this on March 10, 2008. This means that you have until March 9, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST to enter the contest.

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Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Zach Tyler, Reginald Davis Jr, Jonah Bobo, LaShawn Jefferies, Naelee Rae
Rating: G – Y7
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: February 26, 2008

When The Backyardigans were handed to me for review I admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I understood the premise and thought it was adorable. What’s not to like about a show that fosters creativity in children?

The show is about a group of children (animals) that have backyards that are all connected. The kids go out to play and create imaginary scenarios, which are shown in each one hour or 30 minute show. This DVD has the kids imagining being Knights for King Pablo, citizens of a ping-paddle, Western town, and as crew on a Garbage spaceship in space.

At first glance I assumed this would be no better or worse than I have seen on a million other kids’ shows. However, by the end of the first episode I was smitten with these colorful kids and their adorable backyard fun. It’s easy to see why the show is a hit and why parents and children both love the show so much.

Release Information:
The Backyardigans has been on the air since 2004 and continues to be a fan favorite. In addition to the kids that love it there is a cult following of parents and adults, as well. Shown during Nick Jr hours, the show is meant to teach creativity and imagination while sneaking a few life lessons in, as well.

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Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Annie Bovaird, Tyler Brody Stein, Ryan Tilson, Vanessa Lengies, Cara Reynolds, Jennifer Seguin, Pat Fry, Brigid Tierney, Bob Stutt, Pauline Little, George Morris
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: PBS - Paramount
Release Date: February 26, 2008

I like the educational cartoons that my nephew and son watch to at least have some sort of reality to them. While my son used to watch Caillou and I knew it was one of the shows I found to be more annoying than anything else, I’d never really sat and watched an episode (I couldn’t bear to), until I had to review the DVD Caillou - Caillou’s Family Favorites. Boy was I surprised by how terribly unrealistic this show is. I had to laugh at the message to parents in the special features, because if this show was made by a psychologist, I have to wonder if she ever had any kids of her own and whether she emulated Caillou’s parents perfectly.

Don’t get me wrong, Caillou tries to provide some sort of message to children. How it goes about doing that is in a way that doesn’t work, at least not on the children I know, who watch the show. I’ve seen comments by parents saying their child’s behavior is worse since they’ve started watching Caillou. Yes, they see him as their role model of how to behave, but Caillou doesn’t usually learn his lesson until the end of the episode.

Unfortunately, all the bad behavior leading up to that point is more easily absorbed than the overall message, especially for toddlers and preschoolers, who might not grasp the moral lesson. Similarly, Caillou’s parents react in a way no parent on the planet reacts. The whole show seems to be one big joke.

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Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Don Messick, Paul Winchell, Barry Gordon, Lucille Bliss, Danny Goldman, Frank Welker
Rating:
Studio: Warner Bros
Release Date: February 26, 2008

Anyone can tell you that some of the best cartoons ever made came out of the 80s. These colorful works of art were something that will forever live in the hearts of all children of that decade. I have waited for years for The Smurfs to hit DVD. A huge fan, and child of the 80s, The Smurfs have always been one of my favorite cartoons. I love the bright, cheery message, the cute little mushroom houses, and everything else you can think of. When I was growing up The Smurfs was my thing.

So, it was a wonderful surprise to find out that this collection of The Smurfs was coming out. I could barely contain myself when I found out that it was on the way for review. Watching this show, I was back to the days of my carefree youth, singing along with the “la, las” and having a great time. Of course, if you have kids they will love this too. However, the beauty of The Smurfs is that adults can get just as much enjoyment from them, if not more.

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Cast: Long John Baldry, Tracey Lee Smythe, Kelly Sheridan, Veronika Sztopa, Kristin Fairlie
Rating: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: February 5, 2008

It is possible that I am one of the few females of my age bracket that does not remember growing up with Madeline . She was quite the popular little French diva when I was a child, but for whatever reason, I never managed to connect with her. As an adult, I always thought she was cute.

Had we connected, we probably would have been good friends, Madeline and I. We had so much in common. I always wanted to be able to speak French and she was the perfect little French troublemaker. It’s likely she would have been one of my favorites. There is an even bigger chance that she is or could become a favorite of your daughters.

Madeline: Meet Me in Paris is an absolutely adorable video that offers more than one episode of Madeline doing the things that she does best. Having never really seen the show, I do not have others to compare it to, though I will say that I loved what I had the chance to see. It was funny, intelligent, and it was the kind of cartoons that had substance, like the ones I grew up watching. It’s hard to find too many faults with something so great for kids to enjoy.

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Writers: Rosemary Wells, Kate Barris, Nicole Demerse, Bruce Robb
Director: Jamie Whitney
Cast: Samantha Morton, Billy Rosemberg, Cameron Ansell, Julie Lemieux
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: February 26, 2008

I love Max and Ruby. Despite not speaking a lot, you can tell Max is smart. I love his little facial expressions and the gleam he gets in his eyes when he knows he’s right about something despite Ruby’s protestations.

Ruby is a bossy, but lovable big sister. She tries to explain how to do things the right way to Max, rather than let him explore in the world and learn on his own. He’s able to figure out, in the end, how to do things, and though this may make Max seem a little spoiled, things usually work out for the best in the end. This show is pure entertainment for the preschool crowd and even adults and teenagers seem to tune in to watch this Nick Jr. show.

Release Information:
The pilot for Max and Ruby aired on Nick Jr. in 2001. In October of 2002, the series premiered regularly on the network. All of the information I’ve found does not make it clear how many episodes of Max and Ruby are available. I do know there were at least three seasons of the show, though. Max and Ruby - Berry Bunny Adventures is just one of the DVDs available for the series. We’ve had the chance to review Max and Ruby - A Very Bunny Christmas, as well.

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Writer: Simon Nicholson, Keith Chapman
Cast: Neil Morrissey, Mac Silk, Lorelei King, Emma Tate
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: 20th Century Fox/Hit Entertainment
Release Date: February 5, 2008

Hit Entertainment has a hit on their hands with their Bob the Builder television series and DVD releases. I’ve always loved cars and trucks, especially when I was little. Having a three year old nephew who is obsessed with trucks and construction made reviewing Bob the Builder On Site: Roads and Bridges a breeze.

I’d never seen the show before, even though my son, who is now 13, claims he used to watch it on Nickelodeon. I wasn’t really surprised by how good a show Bob the Builder is. I was surprised by how much I, as an adult, liked this DVD.

Bob the Builder On Site: Roads and Bridges, and I’m assuming all of the other various Bob DVDs and episodes, really do teach kids about building. I’m pretty sure I learned a thing or two, myself. I don’t know much about actual construction. Bob the Builder is a child friendly version of Bob Villa, though I think Bob the Builder might actually be more interesting!

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