Movie Info:
Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Kim Roberts, Lisa Lennox, Chad McNamara, Jonathan Wexler, John Catucci, Jackie Richardson
Rating: G
Studio: Lionsgate

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 9, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon

From all I have seen, parents have either a love or hate relationship with the Doodlebops. I have heard complaints that one of the characters is a homosexual in real life. I have also heard complaints that the show does not offer real educational value. However, despite these claims, which I will address in a moment, small children absolutely adore this show and with good reason!

It is true that Chad McNamara is a homosexual. However, in this instance he is not playing one on television. McNamara plays the role of Rooney Doodle and he does a good job. It should not matter that he identifies as homosexual in his personal life no more than it should matter than Anne Heche kissed Harrison Ford in a movie when she was claiming to be a lesbian. It’s acting. He acts like a character that probably has little to do with his real life. Furthermore, most kids don’t even understand what homosexuality is and even less of them can spot it in a children’s show character that is playing a part, like McNamara is here.

It’s also true that the academic value of Doodlebops is low. However, the creativity value is high. Not only that, but with all the singing and dancing kids are encouraged to get on their feet, which will be good for their health. Kids also learn some type of lesson, a la Barney that may not be educational, but is still important to learn. These lessons vary depending on the episode and range from things like sharing and being a good friend to the importance of being truthful.

I wouldn’t end up watching this all on my own, but with young children it’s an incredibly fun experience. The kids adore the show and dance and sing along with the television. The characters are harmless and good natured, not to mention amusing in many different ways. It makes for a great show for young children.

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Movie Info:
Rating: G
Studio: Hit Entertainment

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 9, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.99

For the last twenty or so years, one of the most popular kids shows has been Thomas & Friends. While Thomas can be a hit or miss with parents, most adults seem to be able to at least tolerate it and the kids all seem to really enjoy it. It’s surprising that this is the first full length movie to come out of the show since it has been on the air.

While the show has had a couple of narrators in its day, this time around the narrator is Pierce Brosnan. This may not be that impressive to the kids, but parents should appreciate the big name, talented celebrity. He also does a pretty good job here, which will add to the pleasing nature of the film.

The animation here is a little different than the average cartoons of today. It’s live action-ish animation. You can see the trains moving more than anything, but the people rarely move. It is the sharp writing and witty storytelling that will please children more than anything. It’s also this very thing that will help adults watch the show without getting the boredom effect that sometimes happens with other shows.

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TV Show Info:
Writer:John Derevlany
Director:Riccardo Durante
Cast: Mark Rendall, Denise Oliver, Tara Strong, Martin Villafana, Lisa Ng, Julie Lemieux, Kedar Brown, Jason Marsden, Jayne Eastwood, Terry McGurrin
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Nickelodeon/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: June 25, 2007-Present
Season Air Dates: June 25, 2007 – December 24, 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 19, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.99
Episodes: 13 episodes from Season One

I reviewed Wayside: The Movie last year when it first came to DVD. I had heard buzz about a television show being planned. At the time I wasn’t sure if I was going to be a fan or not. In cases like that, where I am not fond of a cartoon, I usually let my girls decide. If they like it, I will begrudgingly watch it for them, but that doesn’t mean I look forward to the process. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I like Wayside School a lot more than I did the movie version.

The premise of the show is still the same, based on a series of books that offer a unique spin on the classroom environment. Kids really do seem to like this and after giving it a second try I have to admit it’s not a bad show. The main difference between the movie and the show is that many of the voice actors are different. The most noticeable difference is the teacher; Mrs. Jewls is no longer voiced by the talented Kathy Najimy. The new Mrs. Jewls, Julie Lemieux, is equally as amusing, but it would have been nice to see Najimy stick around.

The Wayside School: Season One Plot
Rather than take about the inner workings of the plot, I have decided to offer a plot synopsis for each episode. This gives you, as parents, the chance to see what each show is about and it will help you decide if you feel the show is right for your kids.

“Pull My Pigtail”/”Class Cow”: Dana wants to force Todd to love Maurecia because it’s Valentine’s Day. She plans to make Todd fall in love by having him pull on Maurecia’s ponytail. Next up, Mrs. Jewls is away from class on a faculty retreat and while she’s gone a cow wonders into class! The students assume that it is their substitute teacher and wouldn’t you know it, they end up learning more from the cow than their own teacher!

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As I mentioned in my previous review, for the Lilly doll, my daughter Maddie received the Hannah Montana Summertime Surf Shop. Maddie is a huge fan of the Hannah Montana television show on the Disney Channel. On the show there is a place called Rico’s Surf Shop. Now, just in time for the summer, a Hannah Montana play set, the Rico’s Summertime Surf Shop, has been released along with four, different, summertime Hannah Montana dolls. The dolls available with this set are Hannah Montana, Miley, Oliver and Lilly.

With all of the Hannah Montana gang ready to hit the beach it only seems fitting that the Hannah Montana Summertime Surf Shop would be included in this set. While other reviewers had the chance to check out the Oliver and Hannah dolls, Maddie was thrilled that we received the Lilly doll with the surf shop. In the time since we’ve received these toys to review, Maddie has played non-stop with her Hannah Montana toys. She’s already begging me for the three other dolls that would complete this set. With her birthday coming up, there’s a great possibility she’ll be receiving them!

Positives & Negatives:

Positives
-Inspires Creative Play
-Fun for Hannah fans
-Somewhat Durable
-Easy to Assemble
-Allows for solo or ensemble play

Negatives
-Sometimes falls over
-Seems to be made of flimsy materials
-Small Parts

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Hannah Montana has been all the craze for girls between the ages of 3 and 12. The Hannah Montana franchise, as you probably already know, features a hit television show on the Disney Channel. From there, Hannah has gone on tour and has produced loads of merchandise. The Summertime line offers more than just the Lilly doll. Little girls and other fans of the show can collect Lilly, Oliver, Hannah and Miley. They can also purchase the Summer Surf Shop to give them places to hang out and play.

With a six year old daughter, Maddie, who is obsessed with everything Hannah Montana, I knew that the Lilly Summertime doll would be a hit. Maddie received Lilly along with the Surf Shop to review for LI Kids. All I have to say is that I haven’t seen her since I gave her the doll to play with! She’s been that enthralled in playing Hannah games and re-enacting scenes from the show. The nice thing is that she can play at the surf shop with her other Hannah dolls and she’ll have the opportunity to spend the entire summer playing with Hannah and her pals thanks to this doll!

Positives & Negatives:

Positives
-Inspires Creative Play
-Positive Girl Role Model
-Comes with Multiple extras to inspire different adventures
-Something a wide age group can enjoy
-Fun and Engaging Toy
-Realistic-looking doll
-Affordable

Negatives
-Small Parts
-Younger Kids will want to play with it, but might only be allowed limited access

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It’s always hard to predict what kind of toys are going to be good for babies. Some of the toys work well and others just fail miserably. After three kids, I’ve discovered that this also depends on the child. With each child, it is hit or miss. Some toys all three of my children love. Some toys only one of them liked. Other toys just don’t fare well at all. With a 6 year old daughter, Maddie, a 3 year old daughter, Emma, and a 4 month old son, Little J, I was extremely interested in finding out about what the Brainy Baby toys had to offer.

Positives & Negatives:

Positives:
-Inspires Creative Thinking
-Inspires Logical Thinking
-Multiple Games in one Tin (more bank for your buck)
-Eight Different Learning Solutions in Four Games
-Graphically and Aesthetically Pleasing
-Keeps the Interest of a Young Child
-Ease of Use
-Use is Possible Right out of Box

Negatives:
-None that I’ve Found

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Writer: Adam Rifkin, Joe Piscatella
Director: Frederik Du Chau
Cast: Amy Adams, Jason Lee, Peter Dinklage, James Belushi
Rating: PG
Studio: Disney Home Video
Release Date: December 18, 2007

Underdog presents a live action version of the popular 60s cartoon. This is one of those situations where parents might automatically be skeptical about whether or not this is going to be any good and kids and going to want to see it as soon as they hear about it. What got me excited about this movie was the option of hearing the large number of stars that offer voiceovers and traditional performances for this film.

Jason Lee is the star of the show as Underdog. Even though I am a fan of the original Underdog cartoons there were elements of this movie that I found enjoyable, as well. Additional talent is handled by the likes of James Belushi and Peter Dinklage amongst others. None of the performances are truly awful, though you will not find any Oscar contenders in the bunch.

While this is not the worst children’s movie I have come across in my years, it is certainly not the best either. The kids seemed to like it a little more than the adults in the room. On the family fun meter it will pass quite well because while I was not always in love with the movie I was not rushing to turn it off either. I felt it tended to dumb things down for the kids more than I normally like, but the younger ones seemed more interested in the flying dog than the older ones so I wasn’t too worried.

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Preschool programming is one of the most watched areas of parental television monitoring. As a parent, most people want to know that their children are watching something somewhat educational, enjoyable, and something that offers some values. Shows that promote creativity, problem solving, and logic are a plus, as well. For these things parents tend to narrow it down to two main stations, PBS and Nick Jr. Generally, both stations do well at not letting both parents and children down. This is the case with Dora the Explorer, a cute seven year old Hispanic child who finds adventure in the midst of helping the people around her.

I have two little girls, both near the preschool age. Madison is five and Emma is three. Both of my girls absolutely adore Dora. Choosing to review Dora Saves the Mermaids was a no-brainer for our family because had we not received the DVD for review we would have definitely purchased the DVD on our own. The girls love Dora so much they have many of the Dora products that Nickelodeon has released from the dolls to Dora outfits. It is nice to have such a positive role model for my girls at a time when so many non-animated females are setting a bad example for their young fans.

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Creators: Jennifer Oxley, Robert Powers
Cast: Sofie Zamchick, Teala Dunn, Danica Lee
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Video
Release Date: October 2, 2007

As Christmas approaches, parents are clamoring to find the perfect presents, including DVDs for their children. Recommended for children between the ages of 2-7, the Wonderpets! is one of the most popular cartoons on Nick Jr. Kids love the Wonderpets! and it is easy to see why. These adorable animals are fun, entertaining, and help kids learn about various types of animals and different locations all while enjoying singing and dancing by three animals that are the pets in a elementary school classroom.

We had a Christmas party with Emma, Madison, and Lil B, three of our children reviewers. The OG Kid, one of our teen reviewers, also got the chance to check out the latest Wonderpets! DVD, Wonderpets!: Save the Reindeer. Emma is 2, Lil B is 3, Madison is 5, and the OG Kid is 13. Despite the age differences, nobody was totally bored. Even the OG Kid begrudgingly admitted he like the show. It’s hard to be a teen who likes a preschool aged show, but the Wonderpets! are just so darn cute. How could anyone not love them?

Release Information:
Wonderpets! first aired on Nick Jr. on March 3, 2006. Fans of the show have been waiting nearly a year for new episodes. This DVD features the double length Save the Reindeer episode as well as three additional, regular sized episodes. It also includes a few different bonus features. This translates to 97 minutes worth of Wonderpets! fun.

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There are so many new cartoons on the market that it can be hard to keep up with all of them. When you add in the influx of preschool cartoons it becomes incredibly easy to get lost. When it comes to Peppa Pig it is safe to say that this is one show that will stand out from the crowd. Peppa is an adorable pig who lives with her family. Originally, a British series, Peppa Pig has been brought to the USA in this region one release. Peppa is adorable and offers some important messages, without being too obvious or preaching about anything.

Release Information:
Peppa Pig Muddy Puddles and Other Stories was released by Lionsgate on September 25, 2007. The DVD includes 12, five minute Peppa Pig episodes and a few special features. Peppa Pig runs for one hour for all of the episodes. The features are detailed below and include two games that kids will be sure to love.

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