KIDS FIRST! New Endorsements

Description:

The Angels are back in their first feature length adventure. With the help of a very special young girl, Eli, Kira, and the rest of the angelic crew aboard the Seven will fight to restore hope in a fallen city overcome by the dark forces of the underworld. Packed with powerful new villains, never before seen messenger angels and soaring action, this rousing story of hope and redemption takes Eli and Kira one step closer to earning their wings and becoming full fledged members of the Guardian Force.

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Using scientifically tested Same Language Subtitling (SLS), children will be able to improve their listening comprehension, reading skills and foreign language skills through Stories from Around the World

Description:

Welcome to the Happyland Zoo, where Sue and her seven colorful monkeys live, learn and play. Each day at the zoo is a magical adventure of music, laughs and discovery of how we can grow together and learn from one another. Introduces letters, numbers, shapes and colors, and stresses responsibility and other important character traits.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Fun way for kids to learn some ideas such as dental hygiene and passing along what they have learned. Brightly colored 2D animation with silly characters that will appeal to the kids. Flows well and contains subjects appropriate to preschoolers. Models good social interactions, manners and teamwork. Promotes health life style - encouraging kids to want to brush their teeth and move along to the music. It is easy to understand with vocabulary appropriate for preschoolers.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Pretty enthusiastic response from the kids. They particularly enjoyed the knock knock jokes. "I thought it was funny." "I liked the funny jokes." The monkeys were a big hit - they talked about how cute they right after the screening. "The monkeys were silly. They were all nice." They sang along with the songs. The dental hygiene message seemed to have been absorbed. "What is that ugly monster in the teeth?" Everyone loved the catchy music.

Description:

Playful, easy poses for the whole family. Helps parents consciously connect with their baby/toddler. Cultivate mindfulness and compassion while interacting with children through yoga and music.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Good advice for a mom who wishes to practice yoga with her infant or toddler as part of the practice. The child benefits from the bonding experience of being held while Mom exercises. Mom benefits by tuning into her body in a new way. Well paced, this is definitely designed for a very specific audience. The music is very soothing, as is the host's voice. If you are looking for something to bring some peace into your life as a new Mom, go no further - this is it! Very sweet.

Description:

In the second episode of the Jack, the Cuddly Dog, Jack chases his red ball across the USA by plane, train, automobile and balloon making many friends on the way. He explores spatial concepts with a unique soundtrack of American classics.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

This is not something we would play at the film festival. It is very endorsable though. Send out to jurors.

Description:

A perfect blend of dream-fulfillment, fantasy & facts, about horses and the young girls who love them. Perfect for a child who would like to learn more about horses through educational fun stories. Original sound score & theme song.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Great show for children who like horses and who already have a fairly extensive knowledge about horses. It is somewhat slanted towards a female audience. The storyline is targeted towards young viewers yet when the narrator describes a horse and why it is considered a particular type of horse it is like listening to an entry out of Grolier's Encyclopedia. Flows well from one type of horse to another with great visuals examples of each. It is mostly narrated by a young child so the language is very appropriate for kids.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids who were into horses really enjoyed this. "I liked it because it teaches about horses." They liked how the little girl follows her dream. "She's a kid like me." The cinematography was appreciated by the kids. "The pictures and photography are beautiful." Favorite part: Seeing the horses gallop. Kids who weren't interested in horses did not find it compelling. Those who did were vocal about wanting to share it with their friends.

Description:

Benjy, a 14-year old boy, is presenting his classroom video blog on respect. Through a combination of skits, group discussions, commentaries, and a short documentary, Benjy's blog reveals how young people think about and practice respect for others.

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Responsibility, one of the six pillars of character, is presented by our video blogger in a dynamic combination of teen discussion and two moving documentaries that truly show responsibility in action.

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Indian blogger, Shiv, shows inspiring stories and teen discussions to demonstrate that caring is about doing, not simply feeling. He encourages other kids to become caring people by doing caring things.

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African American blogger, Malik, shows citizenship in action through a combination of teen discussions and documentaries. This program is designed to show other young teens that they have the power to make a difference in their communities.

Description:

This DVD tells you what you need to know to become a Veterinarian. You'll hear tips and advice from a working Veterinarian, students at a college of Veterinary Medicine and the dean of the college. You'll get to see what a typical day as a Veterinarian is like.
You'll find out about careers working as an animal keeper at the zoo and how to prepare for a career as a zoo keeper. Animal Keepers featured are, Koala, Giraffe, Zebra and Nubian Ibex and Orangutan.
You'll learn about careers in animal conservation as you get a close up view of the California Condor which is an endangered species. This program takes you to a government protected preserve where Fish and Wildlife Service Staff and Interns work to study and protect this incredible bird. Their diligent efforts have helped nurse the California Condor population from 22 to 275.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Good introduction to help children start thinking about what they want to do when they grow up and how to get started. It moves a bit slowly and has a lot of talking heads. It highlights a particular career, veterinarians - and answers many questions about working with animals. Most kids love animals which adds to its appeal. It covers a broad area and suggests that they might start by volunteering - a good idea. The surgery for spaying was interesting but may not be appropriate for younger kids.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids enjoyed it. "It made me start thinking about what we want to be when we grow up." "My friends would think it is interesting and educational." "It told me about what I had to do it I wanted to become a veterinary." "It takes you to different places where you might work with animals." It was a bit slow though. "I got tired of watching people talk."

Description:

This safari musical will have kids swinging and singing through the trees to the award-winning tunes about iguanas, lions, orangutans and more! Hear amazing instruments like marimbas and didgeridoos on this adventure into the world of music.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Offers an adventure into the world of music with a very engaging duo, trio band and Kim the Guide, along with live action kids, audiences of kids and adults, and animals from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Everyone contribute to the original songs and introduction of all kinds of musical instruments from around the world. Lots of movement and dancing. The audience is invited to "swing and sing" through the trees to Lisa and Linda's original tunes. Good lessons about musical instruments, some common like the drum, piano and guitar and some unusual ones like the didgeridoo, ocarina, and mrbira (thumb piano) and tunes about lions, orangutans , lions and more. Nicely done with live action, film animation and claymation of animals.

Description:

A place where fantasy and reality unite. A vibrant wonderland and a magical cast invite viewers to play along in educational adventures. Live action song and dance, mystery and magic.

Description:

Helps to develop early literacy skills with letters, sounds and number concepts. Animated characters made from real pieces of fruit and vegetables provide a fun, multi-sensory experience encouraging healthy eating.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Bright and colorful but a bit one dimensional. Teaches learning letters, sounds, sound blends and words while learning about healthy fruit . Demonstrates positive social behavior modeling. Lots of repetition of letters and sounds, which is how young children learn, but sort of reminds you of flash cards. Excellent production quality.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Mixed reactions. Held attention of some, others - not so much. "It was okay." "It was too long."

Description:

A space adventure of the third kind! Fly Me to the Moon combines the Apollo 11 mission with a whimsical twist involving three tween-aged flies who go along on an incredible space adventure. The film introduces new generations to space exploration and the historic moment when the world was united for this awe-inspiring achievement. A g-rated family film, the story is voiced by talents Kelly Ripa, Christopher Lloyd, Nnicollette Sheridan, Tim Curry and a live action/animation cameo by real life Apollo 11 astronaut, Buzz Aldrin.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Fly Me To the Moon, from Summit Entertainment is the first 3D animated feature film. One wonders what took so long; it is such a natural for a kids' movie, which is exactly what this is. And, I have to say - it's fabulous. I enjoyed watching this film this weekend with a five and an eight-year-old boy. After the film, we talked a lot about the space program and President John Kennedy. The storyline is based loosely on the Apollo 11 space mission in 1969 which landed a man on the moon. In this story, three teen-age flies (Trevor Gagnon, Philo Daniel Bolden and David Gore) stow away on the spacecraft and we experience the adventure from a fly's point-of-view. The teens think they're off on a flight that will end in a few minutes and are surprised to find out they will be in space for a week - a bit long for kids who have never spent a night away from home. Once onboard, they have an awesome time experiencing weightlessness, finding droplets of Tang to gobble up, and even rescue the mission from a possible electrical failure. At one point, mission control discovers the flies in the video feed and insists the astronauts capture them. Once captured, they are placed in a test tube and we see their world from inside the test tube. Thanks to a shaky moon landing, the test tube falls and breaks and they escape just in time for the big event - the moon landing - and Nat is chosen as the one fly to accompany the astronauts' walk on the moon. As they venture out onto the surface of the moon, we hear those famous words of Neil Armstrong's, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind." After the movie, I had to tell my young friends what those words meant to the world in 1969.The flies have a near narrow escape returning to the main space craft and the next thing we know, Grandpa and his former Soviet flame, Nadia are righting off stereotyped Russian spy flies from jeopardizing the mission. A quick-thinking group of flies aid Grandpa in defending the U.S.'s mission and everyone lands safely. My kid viewers particularly enjoyed the larvae getting involved in the fight scene. The next thing we know they are being celebrated by a ticker tape parade in "Flyville." Based on actual transcripts and blueprints from NASA, the historical content alone is reason to take your kids or grandkids to this. The visuals are stunning, from the space craft to the minute detail on the flies' space suits. Even the choice of music during the flight is reminiscent of the era - Richard Strauss's Also, Sprach Zarathustra, the theme song from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Some of the visuals are just precious such as when the flies get accidentally trapped in the astronaut's lunchbox and we see the world from the point-of-view of a fly inside a lunchbox. Later, once in space, the flies get captured and are placed in a test tube and again, we see their world from inside the test tube. The film's theme song is Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to The Moon," which is so appropriate both to the time frame of the film and the subject. The animated fly extended family is simply adorable and who would have thought you'd find a fly cute. From the three teen explores, to the parents, to Grandpa (Christopher Lloyd), and of course, the larvae - the facial expressions are outstanding. Each character is unique in both look and dialogue. History is interwoven throughout, not just the NASA scenes but also as Grandpa's retells his tale about flying with Amelia Earhart. There are definitely some gross scenes such as Grandpa flying up Emilia's nose only to be sneezed out along with a large bugger. Yuck. Nadia is drawn in a rather suggestive manner, emphasizing her large bosom and waspish waist. There are some word choices that some won't appreciate when the Mom says "Lord of the Flies" more than once and there are the fight scenes with the spy flies at the end, but overall - this is a great to film for families. I highly recommend it for ages 5 - 12 as well as baby-boomers.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids loved this, especially when the maggot babies were beating up on the Russian spies. They were very curious about the space mission and, after the screening, we got into a long discussion about the Apollo 11 mission. I loved that the film used blue prints from Apollo 11 to create the space ship, thereby giving a chance for kids to learn a bit of history. They loved the 3D element and wouldn't take their 3D glasses off when they walked out of the theater. Contrary to the old 3D glasses of cardboard, these are pretty cool - sort of the Buddy Holly look. Having not been exposed to a whole lot of 3D films other that what they've seen at Disneyland, they were totally taken in by how "real" everything looked and how close the images seemed to be. The fictional fly community was a big hit and attention to detail was not missed on the kids, particularly the mini-space suits worn by the tween flies. Overall, they loved the film and I expect they will want to watch it again. My question is what will happen when it goes to DVD. Will the 3D element be lost?

Description:

A series of animated shorts featuring space vehicles, aimed to help children, particularly those on the autistic spectrum, better understand the link between facial expression and emotion & the role of friendships in a child's life. Includes DVD, CD-ROM and playing cards.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

This contains both a DVD and a CD-Rom. Beautiful quality, color of space and model vehicles in rockets – 3D quality. The twelve different five minute episodes explore key emotions from happy to sad, angry, afraid, worried, embarrassed, grumpy, bored, hurt, fond, interested and lonely - all emotions children are learning about in their preschool years. The vignettes do a good job of exemplifying the space models' feelings in each story situation. From Rakesh losing his rocks, accusing his team mates of taking them to finding out the night watchman took them to get them cleaned and polished, he experienced anger, then embarrassment, and was very sorry, then happy to have such good friends to help him to Bernard and Yuri not able to make the team picnic and feeling lonely and Chen came to the rescue videoconferencing them in to join the others which made them very happy. Working out solutions, team spirit and friendship are modeled, and lessons are learned. Children will enjoy the space place theme, the model space vehicles and rockets with friendly faces including the diversity of characters, from French to Indian to Asian to African American to Russian as well as the diversity of jobs from a woman being a mechanic to an older photographer, a rock collector and a techie. Their adventures in five minute blocks teach children to have a better understanding of their emotions and social interaction and they can surely identify with this. The card games, additional games on the DVD including "spot the face", "explore the planets", "find the rocks" and "build a face," will keep them active, engaged, learning and having fun.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids enjoyed playing the games and thought it was fun. This games on the interactive DVD seemed to be more appealing than on the CD-Rom, but that may have been due to the kids who reviewed it.

Description:

Mandy, an unpopular high school senior, lands a date to the biggest party of the year with Drew, the school's hottest guy - but she'll have to battle her overprotective dad and Drew's ex-girlfriend to get there. Starring Ashley Tinsdale (High School Musical), Shenae Grimes, Robbie Amell, Kevin Pollak, Maxim Roy and Lauren Collins.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

I couldn't decide if this movie was about video cell phones or teens. The girls are inseparable with their cell phones, sending images and texting constantly. In fact, in the bonus section, even the actors admitted that they got caught up in it during the shooting. The main storyline between Mandy, the school hunk, and the rich ex-girlfriend is pretty predictable. What is unusual is the way Mandy lies to her overprotective dad and uses her video phone to prove that she's at a friend's house studying when she isn't. On the plus side is that Drew, the hunk, is attracted to Mandy, the somewhat nerdy kid in school for being "real" as opposed to the ex-girlfriend who is pretty, rich and a pompous pain in the you know what. There are some sexual innuendos such as "hump and dump" and a discussion about how Drew's intention might be to "deflower" her, in a long-standing family tradition (turns out not to be his intention). Overall, its appeal will be to tweens and teens who will relate to the circumstances and see that this is a Hollywood version of reality. There are some unsafe behaviors shown, such as driving blindfolded. But someone would have to be really stupid to imitate that!

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Enjoyed it. "It is pretty funny." "This your typical high school girl movie." "I think it's very believable that a daughter would do anything to get around the rules of her parent. I think we all have had similar experiences, maybe not as extreme, but similar." "I liked the cell phones - they were neat." "This was a fun movie." "It is respectful, it doesn't always show the best role models in terms of behavior, but the girl is always respectful of her father." "Very appealing. I would have never dreamt up story of a father keeping track of his daughter through her video phone." "It was funny when Ashley's face swells up and she looks like a duck." "I would have rejected this if I believed it showed things that high school kids do not already know. I think it's okay for media to touch on subjects that may be scary for parents. It's good that they have information. " "Overall, it's very enjoyable. "

Description:

Teenage Zef and little brother, Tutu, are two happy elephants. Who wouldn't be with the biggest backyard in the world to play in — the wild plains of Africa! Zef is just the big brother to show Tutu how to have fun and get into all kinds of mischief... until one dreadful night when their mother and the family herd are taken from them by The Badness. Now these two carefree brothers must summon their courage and do whatever it takes to rescue their family! Voices - Jean-Francios Balmer and Richard Bohringer

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Zef and his little brother Tutu start out as two happy elephants. They have the big landscape of the wild plains of Africa to play in, chase zebras, ostriches, and all kinds of animals out in the wild. Zef And Tutu get into all kinds of mischief until their mother and the family herd are taken from them in the dark of night by "The Badness". Join the elephant brothers, the chimp, giraffe, the vulture and the cub on a bold adventure to find a new family at the end of the rainbow. A family movie, the African music will keep you engaged and involved at all the twists and turns that the animals experience along the way. Many jurors commented that they felt the story was way too long. They loved the video of the animals in the wild but felt the story was somewhat disjointed.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Enjoyed it. Some thought it was too long. They enjoyed the interaction between the elephants and the zebras and disliked the mean humans. "We liked the songs and the monkeys." "I thought about what it would be like if I lost my Mom. I'd be sad and scared." "We liked the animals but the story was too slow." It has lots of fun music." "The location of the elephant journey helped them find other animals along the way." "I liked how the animals played with each other and escaped from the hunters." "It made me think about different animals in the wild."

Description:

Everything to prepare a 2- to 5-year-old for preschool. Children learn the who, what, why, where and how of a preschool day with song and dance numbers and funny skits. Throughout, they are exposed to a literacy-rich environment so that essential early reading skills are developed. By the end of the fun-filled show, both parents and children will be less mystified about preschool, and more open to the joy of their journey together.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Very enjoyable, great on-air talent. The "audience" is a cute, animated group of kids. Leaving home and starting school is the very first big transition for both kids and their parents. Kids love to see other kids in the preschool situation and relate to seeing similar situations to their own. Here, they get a glimpse of the routine of the day at a typical preschool, with the live action kids reinforcing the 3 main characters (in primary colorful red, blue and yellow) actions doing song and dance. The songs have catchy lyrics, are repetitive, with words on screen. Messages throughout are about sharing, how meals are eaten at school, how to get along with other kids, and the type of play that comes along with making new friends. Excellent quality of live action and film animation. The song "Everyone will love You," has simple drawings shown illustrating the story and the text of the lyrics, printed on the bottom of the screen, very much like a picture book. Well developed for introducing both children and parents who are about to embark on that first big transition of entering school. Filled with creativity and positive energy. The three stages of Watch-Play-Show help kids learn to understand that they are competent thinkers, decision makers and problem-solvers. Thinkbox's two main curricular goals – demystifying of childhood Big Events features fun, musical, explorative segments and introduces children to the idea of attending preschool in a friendly encouraging way. Segments are social as well as conceptual. The early literacy element focuses on a text rich environment through song and dance numbers (words on screen) as well as centering on the particular three themes treated for the day – in this case, lunchbox, share, and happy.

Description:

Hey kids, check it out! Join Hip Hop great Roger G in his latest DVD. Dance, groove, stretch and have fun while learning all the latest moves like the chicken noodle soup, the snap, walk it out, and more. Watch Gaby, Amanda, D, Tremell and Jermain freestyle, break and spin as Roger G leads them through a totally phat hip hop workout. This easy to follow 45 minutes DVD includes exciting live performances and will have kids from ages 6-14 up having fun and dancing in no time.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Teaches hip hop dance slowly and methodically. The onscreen kids are very enthusiastic and good role models. The production is pretty simple and amateurish - shot with one camera and set in a gymnasium with bleachers and mats in the background. Not fancy but it is clear and to the point. The addition of nutritional and exercise information is a plus. One thing that's a bit misleading is the instructor on the cover is not the one onscreen. All the dancers are given center stage at some point. Its appeal is more for younger kids who want to emulate the older kids seen onscreen.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

The kids really liked learning the dances, they were easy to learn and fun. "It was fun! I like to dance" All the kids enjoyed it and got up to dance along. The lessons are divided into segments so the kids can tackle them bit by bit. Many of the kids wanted to take it home for a night or two to share with their family. "My big sister would like it a lot!" The dress was hip yet appropriate at the same time. "There were lots of dancers. Some were boys and some were girls. Everyone was having a good time. They wore really baggy clothes." The kids liked that they danced in a school setting which they could relate to. "It made me want to dance." "It made me think about how bad I dance." "We liked the guys who danced. They were cool. I thought the guy on the cover was going to be in the movie but he wasn't."

Description:

Fifteen songs by the award-winning Swingset Mamas brought colorfully to life by imaginative sets, costumed characters, whimsical animation and 35 kids. Fun extras include: live clips, "making of" segment, PLUS a five-song CD sampler!

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

A great great joy! Delightful, full of whimsy, fun and catchy tunes from reggae to Cajun to blues. Kids will relate to great music, engaging singers and musicians, 35 real life kids interacting and great animation and costumed characters to boot. A lot of fun and learning going on without even knowing it! The Swingset Mamas are extremely talented and bring the message across with great lyrics on everyday life and a great variety of music along with the great involvement of children. One of the most engaging music video pieces I've ever seen! The "Swingset Mamas" say, "There is a song in everything you, from waking up in the morning, taking a shower and eating." Their songs provide great joy and a real family experience. Kids will learn a lot from the fifteen music videos on this DVD including "Buckle Up," (car safety) to "The Colors of the Rainbow," (learning about healthy colorful veggies and fruits), to "Sunscreen Dance" (learning about importance of sunscreen to protect one's skin from the suns UV rays.)

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Excellent, innovative, colorful, engaging! Really captured the kids' attention. All the children enjoyed watching the video from the beginning to the end. One child said, "I like it because I'm happy." It only took a few songs to get them up and moving. During the song about books, one child started singing the alphabet. During the song about getting dressed, an alligator tries to get dressed. The kids thought that was very funny. They all moved along to the music, especially the song, "Buckle Up" which has a rap beat. They could relate to the subject matter of all the songs and really enjoyed moving to the various beats. They also really liked the Swingset Mamas themselves and the kids onscreen. This is a wonderful video with great songs that kids enjoy. Highly recommended.

Description:

Kids teaching kids how-to step into fun dance moves to popular hits; Hand Jive, Cotton Eyed Joe, Kideo Slide Hip- Hop, a basketball routine. Kids share tips on nutrition and exercise, it promotes health and fitness in a fun, learning atmosphere.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Very positive and timely - offering upbeat "dance" routines to kids that incorporates things such as jump ropes and basketballs and shows boys participating as well as girls. The kids onscreen are very authentic and seem to be enjoying themselves. It's a pretty simple, straightforward independent production but something that kids can easily relate to. Plus, it's fun. It is extremely suitable for children, particularly with the interest in dance that's been generated from High School Musical and Dancing with the Stars. So many different types of dance are included, from the jive to the cotton eyed Joe to hip hop. Fun!

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids uniformly enjoyed this. Some boys enjoyed it more than girls. They liked that it wasn't so fast that you couldn't keep up with it. "It is fun to watch and we liked trying out the dances." They mentioned that some of the music was new to them but their grandmother knew the music. They all "got" the idea that you need to exercise and cut down on sugar intake. They noticed the diverse cast. "There were a lot of people of different colors." They also noted that there was no violence or put downs and, that the kids weren't all perfect doing the dances. Everyone said they'd watch it again! They never got bored watching it.

Description:

his hilarious version of the Chinese zodiac legend depicts the legendary animal race for their placement in time. Join the adventure to find out who wins!

Description:

Monkey King fights epic battles to prove to the Emperor of Heaven that he is more than equal to any of the celestial warriors or ministers. As Monkey King runs amok, the supreme Buddha reigns in the rampaging simian with the strangest of wagers. Audio track in English, Chinese and Hanyu Pinyin.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Beautiful images, iconographic presentation - not full motion animation. Based on the traditional Chinese folktale of the Monkey King, this offers a glimpse into the Chinese culture. This may not have great mass market appeal due to the lack of full motion animation. But, it is well presented and offers good messages such as "the best battles are those we don't fight." The narration is clear and easy to understand.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Mixed responses from our child jurors from "I laughed. The monkey was funny" to ""parts of it were good" to "I was kind of bored." They did understand the story. "The monkey King tries to rule in heaven and he messes things up." "He can't be hurt and looses a bet." His appeal is like Dennis the Menace or Curious George. The kids seemed to enjoy learning about the Chinese people and the monkeys. "Most of the characters were nice but the Monkey King did things he wasn't supposed to. And, he got into trouble." "The colors were pretty." "I liked the pictures but they were slow." "They wore costumes like they do in China." They did get some of the messages in the story such as: "Be careful." "Don't be so sure of yourself." "Be respectful." "Don't write on someone's hand." They commented how they thought the Chinese people have neat stories. Overall, some felt it was interesting, laughed a lot and others just didn't get into it - most likely because it was not fully animated. It requires you to listen to the story more intently.

Description:

In this ancient Chinese folktale, the mouse leader searches for the mightiest husband for his daughter to protect her and the village from the cat. After seeking out the Sun, Cloud, Wind, and Wall, he finds the perfect husband in a surprising choice.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Pleasant story with an important theme that emphasizes children's strengths and looking at talents differently. The moral, "little guys can win," is one kids can appreciate. Beautiful illustrations. This would play very well in film festivals that are addressing cultural differences and strengths, or in the home for families and children looking for stories from different cultures.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Enjoyed. "It was cute. We liked it." "I liked the story and the pictures. They were pretty." "The mouse wanted to marry his daughter to the strongest thing in the world. He tried very powerful things like the sun and the wind. In the end, a mouse proved that he was the strongest thing in the world." "I liked the Dad, the wind, the wall and the mouse - and finding out how the mouse could be the strongest." "The way the pictures move is really neat."

Description:

Songs that introduce kids to the Spanish words for numbers, letters, colors, body parts, directions and more. Authentic, upbeat, Latin rhythms include salsa, merengue, rumba, ranchera, corrida and rock n roll.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

This is a superb CD of children's songs - all in Spanish. The packaging is somewhat misleading because it touts the idea that it is "teaching" Spanish. This isn't really the case since there is no element here to attempts a language learning lesson. On the other hand, the music is pleasant and many of the tunes are ones that kids are familiar with such as Head and Shoulders; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and The Alphabet Song. For a Spanish speaking family, this is perfect but, if you're trying to learn Spanish, don't expect this to do that.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids immediately started moving to the beat of the first song and were quite interested in the music for the first four songs. After that, it was difficult to hold their interest as they didn't understand what the songs were about. Even when coached by an adult to listen to the Spanish words of familiar tunes, they lost interest.

Description:

Filmed at the San Diego Zoo, it features little kids, baby animals and lively sing-a-long. Children visit toddling tigers, fuzzy orangutans, furry gorillas and other little newborns. Comes with a CD of just the music. English and Spanish tracks.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Fun sing-alongs, appropriate for the target audience. Many super visuals to match the lyrics of the songs. How could you not love seeing these darling baby animals? Engaging to adults as well as children. Well paced, excellent graphics, delightful characters, fun facts and music. Wonderful encyclopedic directory of animals from the San Diego Zoo. Promotes compassion for zoo animals [as kids are] learning about them. Menu allows scene selection which lets you revisit a scene without having to go through the entire program. One juror said, "yes I would buy this and recommend it to others."

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Children enjoyed it. Loved the animals and loved the catchy songs. Kids sang along and made comments. "We sang together." They also called out the names of the zoo animals as they saw them. "Elephant," "Baby elephant," "Giraffe," etc. Many got up and moved to the music. Afterwards, they talked about carousels. Fun for kids, easy to follow along, great characters.

Description:

Take a class with Ms Blanca as she motivates children to learn Spanish and English. Includes songs, illustrations, and puppet shows about colors, numbers, manners, party words and more; all finalizing in a piñata party!

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

This video is a wonderful way for anyone to introduce the Spanish language to children. It could be used in a school environment or home. Ms. Blanca is clearly a warm and gifted teacher and any child watching this will benefit from her presentation. The Spanish words explored in the video are perfect for young audiences and are presented in a repetitive yet joyous manner such that children are encouraged to genuinely say and learn the words. It's very colorful and very "real" - not a highly produced program. Instead, it's to the point and it works.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids enjoyed it, especially the music and the puppets. One said, "I want to know more Spanish words." All of the children really liked Ms. Blanca. One girl in particular kept wanting to only see her. She kept asking, "Where's the girl" whenever Ms. Blanca wasn't in the frame. They loved the words for the items often seen at a party. In fact, when the word "popcorn" came up, one of the children wanted popcorn so much that the teacher stopped and made popcorn before moving on. Another little girl, after watching it twice asked for a rojo popsicle because, as she said, "rojo in Spanish means red." They particularly enjoyed learning the Spanish word for "jump." Afterwards, they all got up and jumped around. They enjoyed repeating the words after Ms. Blanca, although some repeated in English not Spanish. The piñata was another hit with them..

Description:

Spanish & English for 3-years-old and up. Learn Numbers, Colors, Days, Greetings, Opposites, Animals and much more. Includes sing along, instrumentals and a parent-teacher guide with coloring book. Composed and performed by Ms Blanca. Music by C.Lieck

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

This compilation of songs sun in both Spanish and English would work well to teach English speaking kids Spanish or vice versa. The accompanying guide clarifies concepts. Also included is a fold out with the lyrics. It's pretty good, clearly recorded but a bit redundant. I found myself wanting something more. This would be difficult to listen to repeatedly. Some of the songs are sun to familiar tunes such as Jingle Bells, Where is John, and Farmer in the Dell. The length of each song is ideal - not too long or short. There are ten songs in total followed by instrumental versions of each song. The instrumental versions would be great for kids to work with to see how much they remembered.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids enjoyed the music, singing at times, dancing at other times. The song, "Numbers" was a favorite. "I liked all the songs." "Yes, my friends would like this." They liked learning the Spanish words for things they already knew. There wasn't much interest in playing it again though most likely, after a time, they would enjoy repeated listenings.

Description:

Put your whole body into it with your favorite Sesame pals! Move and groove with personal trainer Grover, visit the dentist with Frazzle Monster, and play Bert's "Oatmeal Game." Sesame friends engage preschoolers in interactive fun while teaching healthy habits such as exercise, brushing teeth, eating right and getting plenty of rest.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Fun and engaging while also teaching tolerance, friendship, counting. Short vignettes hold kids' attention. It is visually interesting with excellent puppetry and voice work. Its absurdity is funny and appreciated by preschoolers. Particularly enjoyable are performances by Cookie Monster and Prairie Dawn in the segment about making cookies.

Description:

Rudy and his new friend Devery plan to spend Halloween playing practical jokes on the elderly. They both take aim on Mrs. Bakewell, an old widow living in a spooky house by the graveyard. But the kids get the ultimate scare when two of them don't return from "trick or treating!" Did Mrs. Bakewell have something to do with their mysterious disappearance?

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Overall presentation is 70s style animation. Its simplistic nature makes it timeless. The messages address interaction between generations and helps children see themselves as valuable members of a community - a message as relevant today as when the series first aired on TV. Many positive role models are shown which demonstrate healthy ways for kids to deal with problems and people who cause problems. Fat Albert is a good example for the group as he is always respectful to everyone and tries to stop his friends from being mean.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Kids loved the humor. "We liked it a lot because it is really funny and teaches kids lessons." "It was fun to watch and the gang was a lot like us." "Devery kept scaring everyone. They didn't get candy and then got in trouble. It teaches a great lesson about being mean." "Fat Albert and the Gang are awesome. We related to them because they reminded us of ourselves." "Even when Devery was mean to Fat Albert he didn't care. He showed us how to ignore someone who isn't nice." "Overall, it's a great film and taught us important lessons about friends and how they treat each other."

Description:

A desperate struggle for survival is raging deep in the heart of Borneo's forests. Illegal logging is rapidly destroying the Bornean orangutans' last stronghold in the wild -- leaving hundreds of orangutan babies orphaned and homeless. Their future seems bleak but a ground-breaking project provides real hope for ensuring the survival of the species. Meet the 35 classmates of Forest School 103 at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. These precocious red-haired "children of the forest" will get the opportunity, through this innovative project led by Lone Droscher-Nielsen and her team, to live wild on a protected island. Orangutan Island is the foundation for the largest primate rescue project in the world. Go with them on their journey to adulthood as they struggle to form their own society and learn how to live free on Orangutan Island.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments:

Excellent. Well filmed, entertaining and an important real life happening. The format of this show will resonate with kids accustomed to watching a lot of television as it has that "reality" sort of feel. And, it should create a groundswell of sympathy for these endangered great apes. Good work. The educational value of this series and the way it pulls you into what is going on in the lives of the orangutans it what makes it great. It shows how the orangutans started to create their own society so that they could live free. It shows how they face similar problems to what we humans face. The island where this takes place is beautiful and wild with sounds of the forest. The power struggles among the male is very strong. The message we come away with is how humans are destroying the rainforests and the animals are losing their homes. This series helps us to see ourselves through the orangutans.

KIDS FIRST!® KID Juror Comments:

Liked it. "Kids would like this because everyone likes to watch monkeys and they are so much like us." "The orangutans are treated with respect by all at the rescue center. The workers and manager work well together. "I love the rainforest. The pictures they showed here were very realistic." "The snake scene was a little scary." The kids loved the educational information about this show. "We learned about why we should preserve our rainforests." And, most said their friends would enjoy this series.