Qualified Endorsement Titles

The Qualified Endorsement category has 177 titles

Here are up to 50 of them

KIDS FIRST! has linked to external websites through which you may order many of the KIDS FIRST! endorsed titles

BATMAN: DARK KNIGHT RETURNS PART 2 - WARNER HOME VIDEO-ALAMEDA
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 12-18, ANIMATION
Description - The Dark Knight and Robin have finally reclaimed Gotham City. With Batman back in the spotlight, the media coverage has awoken a far worse evil. The Joker! He has a diabolical scheme that may pull Batman down to the darkest levels of insanity. While on the horizon, a global catastrophe races toward Gotham and with it comes The Man of Steel, though this time he has Batman in his sights. Animated film based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - I'm a Batman fan and LOVED IT! So in my opinion I give it 5 firecracker flashes out of five flashes! I think they really captured that side and the transition from novel through screen. The death of the joker is epic even more so then the Superman confrontation. However, there is a lot of violence. It is very intense and bloody. But, no cursing.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mark Twain once said, "Every one is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody." Well, this rings true in the animated move, "Batman the Dark Knight Returns part 2" which is adapted from the graphic novel written by Frank Miller. Let me just say, this film is very graphic and mature in its presentation. This film has voice overs by Arielle Winter as Robin, Michael Emerson as The Joker, Mark Valley as Superman and Peter Weller as Batman. This film is about Batman's return from his self-imposed exile and how he is faced to deal with the Joker and his robot children. He also must face his greatest opponent yet, Superman himself. This film picks up where part 1 left off and Gotham City is in very dark time where crime is rampant and the city is in fear of the criminals. The Joker has been locked up for many years and while he seems lost and harmless, he is biding his time to make his escape and take control of Gotham. Batman's quest is none other than to save Gotham and once again make the city a safe place to live at any and all costs. My favorite character is Robin, as I like the spin of Robin being female in this film. I like how, though she is a girl, she is still very tough and courageous. My favorite scene is the ending but you'll have to watch the movie to see what happens then. Is Batman gone for good? Time will only tell. The animation in this film is very good and so well done that it seems very real. As I stated earlier - for an animated film, this is extremely graphic with many violent and bloody scenes that you don't normally expect in an animated file. This is a film geared towards teenage boys, at least 13 and up, due to the violence and graphic details. Because of this, I rate this movie 3 out of 5 stars. However, the visual presentation is done well, and the music matches so well with the scenes you are intrigued to continue watching. Graphic novel and DC Comic fans will love this film. Review by Julianna Noone, age 13, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. And remember, there's a storm coming........
Runtime: 78 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 13-17 Suggested Retail Price: $ 24.98 Media: DVD

LOST IN TRANSIT - NI-COLA PRODUCTIONS
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-12
Description - Tranhopping is the quickest way to get from one planet to another. A person would vanish in a little black box, and reappear in a box across the galaxy. One Christmas, little Jaymee Sky went to visit her grandmother on a distant planet and never made it.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Though odd, the story of the little girl visiting her grandmother has appeal. She cares for her family, and teamwork is exhibited. However, the pace is slow and the production quality is choppy and not particularly well edited. It is a fun idea to imagine how one might travel in the future. Some of the actors are very believable, but others are awkward and hard to watch. It might make a nice cult film for a niche audience. The special effects were very amateur and didn't hold my interest. Older kids might appreciate the cultish quality of the film.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Jaymee is going to visit her grandmother through a teleporting thing. She gets lost and Cortez has to come to her house and find a way home. Her parents are very worried about her. "It seems kind of old, and it's weird that she was supposed to be able to go in a box and get to a different planet." "The house seemed real, but they didn't show much else." "It didn't look real when they traveled in space."
Runtime: 30 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 12-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ 10 Media: DVD

IT'S JUST PRETEND - CHRISTOPHER GLENNON
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 8-12
Description - A ten-year-old boy must save his sister when a ghostly force taps into their imagination, creating a mystical fantasy world with dangerously real consequences.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Interesting story with great dialogue. The main characters are strong and likeable. They all learn that even during hard times that it is better to choose real-life over fantasy. The kids mature and learn to deal with their parent's divorce appropriately. A fun, exciting adventure that encourages siblings to watch out for one another and protect each other. There is some negative adult behavior that could be confusing to younger children. It would be nice to see the adults learn the same maturity as the kids do in this story.
Juror Recommended Age: 12-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

POSSESSION, THE - LIONSGATE FILMS
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 12-18
Description - A young girl buys an antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. The girl's father teams with his ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - coming soon
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - The Possession starring Natasha Calis, Jeffrey Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick, is a spine tingling thriller about a young girl named Em who becomes possessed by an evil spirit. I really enjoyed this film. It wasn't the scariest I've seen, but that is to be expected because of it's rating, PG-13. I liked the cinematography because the more the plot thickened, the darker and more glooming the visuals got. The special effects were pretty good swell, however some of the effects towards the end of the film were a little disappointing. The acting in this film was good to some extent. Although, some of the interactions between the family members were a bit unrealistic. For instance , the way Em's mother reacted to her child being possessed on the kitchen floor was a little odd. Em was screaming and crying on the floor, stuffing her face with raw meat and her mom just stood there. If that was me in that situation I know my mom would have ran to me and seen what the matter was, so it seemed rather unrealistic. My favorite scene would probably have to be the end. It was just so evil and unexpected, I don't want to give it away, but the reaction that the audience and myself had to it was great. I really through me off guard and I couldn't stop talking about it after the film. I'm not sure if I have a favorite character, because each of the characters had the same amount of enjoyable qualities and flaws. So, it's hard to pick one. One thing that really stood out to me was how subtle and gradual Em transformed from an innocent child to the host of an evil spirit. This film definitely gave me the chills, but like I said it wasn't terrifying. Everyone has a different tolerance level when it comes to horror, but I would recommend this film for ages 13 and up. Overall, The possession deserves 4-5 stars! Check it out in a theater near you. Reviewed by Raven Devanney, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15
Juror Recommended Age: 13-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: FeatureFilm

BIG FAT LIAR (HDNET) - HDNET MOVIES LLC
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 8-12
Description - A Hollywood producer gets his hands on a young boy's school essay and turns it into a movie. The boy, however, is on his way to claim his credit.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Funny, addresses realistic problem about whether or not to lie. Has a little mystery, romance and comedy blended in. HDNet re-release. Originally released in 2002.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - This is a good family film. It teaches a valuable lesson and is really fun to watch. Big Fat Liar is about a 14-year-old boy named, Jason shepherd, (Frankie Muniz) who writes an essay to avoid summer school. His essay mistakenly finds its way into the hands of a well known Hollywood producer, Marty Wolf, (Paul Giamatti), who turns his thoughts into a hit film. Jason travels to Los Angeles, California, with a best friend to claim his credit and to prove he is telling the truth to his parents. My favorite part is when Jason and his friend pour blue colored dye in Marty's pool and put orange dye in his hair shampoo. While Marty takes a shower and washes his hair, he finally realizes that he is a blue man with orange hair. This is really funny to see and he actually goes out in public looking like this. One of the reasons I like this film is because of all the different sets on the movie lots. It goes from a snowy winter scene to a hot desert day and then other good sets as well. I also like the costumes that Jason and his best friend are trying on. Some of them are from different time periods which look very nice. The background music is very upbeat and energetic. Shawn Levy, (Night at the Museum and Date Night) directs this adventurous film. It also stars the talent of Amanda Bynes (Kaylee), Jason's best friend, and also Amanda Detmer, (Monty Kirkham), Marty's main assistant. The talent is doing a great job in portraying their characters and Marty Wolf is playing a great villain. He really makes me not like him. One big message in this film is that the truth is never overrated. It doesn't matter if it is a small lie or big lie; a lie is still a lie so always tell the truth. It is just better in the long run. I recommend Big Fat Liar to ages 5 to 12 and it's a good family film. I give Big Fat Liar 4 out of 5 stars because it has a good message, some comedy, adventurous and is funny to watch. Keep in mind, the truth is never overrated. Please tune in to see Big Fat Liar as it is playing all month on HDNet Movies Kid Scene. Reviewed by Brianna Hope Beaton, age 12, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. This movie is hilarious for children and adults. This is a live action comedy movie about a 14-year-old boy name Jason Shepard (Frankie Muniz), who is known to lie his way out of anything. His sidekick Kaylee (Amanda Bynes), will help him through some tough times. Jason is on his way to school to turn in his English paper, or else he has to attend summer school. He is hit by a limo that has Marty Wolff, a producer from Hollywood, inside. Jason gets a ride from this producer to get to school on time. He accidentally leaves his English paper in the limo. He tells his parents and teacher about what happened but no one believes him. In the meantime, Marty steals Jason's story and makes a movie trailer out of it. Jason sees the trailer and tells his dad about it. But his dad does not believe him because he lies so much. Jason realizes that he needs to get Marty to fess up about who wrote the story, so his parents can trust him again. He and Kaylee go to Hollywood to prove he is not lying. The movie setting is at the back lot of Universal Studio. It's cool to see all the sets for the other movies, while watching this movie. The only part I did not like is the yelling from Marty. He is constantly yelling at somebody. The message is to be truthful and not to get your self in trouble with lies. The lies just get bigger and bigger. I rank this movie 3 out of 5 stars. Kids ages 10-14 will enjoy this fun movie. Look for this classic family film on HDNet Movies KidScene this month! Cheyenne Nguyen, age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. I really like the mood of this story! Big Fat Liar is about a boy named Jason Shepard (Frankie Muniz), who likes getting out of doing things like his homework when he doesn't feel like doing it by lying. Most of the time when he lies he gets caught. Now, Jason has only a few hours to write a thousand-word essay. Jason finally gets it done, but is running late for school. On his way Jason runs into Marty Wolf (Paul Giamatti), a Hollywood producer, and begs Marty to give him a ride to school. Jason gets to school on time, but leaves his homework in the limo with Marty. Marty reads the paper and likes it so much he decides to turn it into a movie and claim it was his idea. Much like in the story of the boy who cried wolf, when Jason tells his parents and teacher the movie was from his essay, no one believes him. Jason decides to travel to LA to find Marty and make him tell the truth. Jason asks his friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) to come along and help him. Technically, the film was good overall, but the sound was weak and should have been louder. The acting was quite good. I enjoyed Paul Giamatti's character a lot because he really brought out the humor. I think the story is interesting. My eyes were glued to the screen waiting to see what would happen next. I liked that it played with the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf even naming the villain, Marty Wolf. The moral of the story was really good, telling the truth is not overrated. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars and feel anyone will enjoy this movie, but kids over 5 may understand it better than littler kids. Big Fat Liar was originally released in 2002 and it will be playing all month on HDnet Movies kidScene! Hunter Willow, age 11, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.
Juror Recommended Age: 8-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: TV

DIVE, THE - ONE-DIVE
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-12
Description - Join a spectacular dive on a huge seamount, covered with hard and soft corals, and giant sea fans. Divers encounter schools of blue anthias, drums, blackfin barracuda, a hawksbill turtle, an eel, anemone fish, giant trevallies and more.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - A deep sea dive filled with coral reefs and exotic fish with classical music set in the background. The shots are beautiful, but the pace is very slow. It's interesting to see the dive from the perspective of the dive. This may be useful in a classroom of toddlers to help them nap, or even for adults looking for relaxation.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - The kids are intrigued by the visuals at first, but then are a bit bored. This film might works better when shown in small pieces as a way to help relax. Little kids like the fish and it is appealing to kids especially interested in underwater life.
Runtime: 33 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

WAKATOBI! - ONE-DIVE
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-12
Description - Visit a famous dive resort on a remote island in Indonesia. The diving is spectacular, despite the rough weather. Divers tour the village of sea gypsies who are transitioning from subsistence fishing to an ecotourism-based economy.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The underwater scenery and breath-taking views are the most appealing thing about this. The reefs are beautiful and the diving is amazing. There is calming music. Overall it is a bit slow-paced and the lack of narration made it less able to hold my interest. This would be very appealing to those who are interested in, or enjoy, underwater diving. It might spark some interest in Wakatobi and what it would be like to go there.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - They enjoy seeing some of the underwater scenes and all the fish and reefs. Some kids thought they would like to have learned more about Wakatobi from the film. "It was really cool at first." Although they liked many of the scenes, it did not hold their interest overall. "It is more for adults because kids will lose interest after a few minutes."
Runtime: 40 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

FLIGHT! - ONE-DIVE
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-12
Description - Travel with pilot Carl Foster and friends on a vintage light airplane, as they fly to the Village of Mulege from La Paz, Baja California Sur. The landing at Mulege is thrilling and the views from the air are spectacular.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - A short film about an airplane trip to the east coast of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, to the Village of Mulege. It shows all of this from inside the airplane. There are some nice views and a few beautiful shots, especially as they approached landing. Too many of the scenes are of inside the airplane and focus on the pilot, so close sometimes all you see is a single body part. This film shows what a trip in a private plane is like. The pilot, Carl Foster and his wife seem excited about the trip, but it is hard to understand them, given the home movie style quality of the film. The film is non-narrative, but the characters converse among themselves in both English and Spanish.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids are not engaged and do not understand the home movie style of filming. The landing is everyone's favorite, and the scenes as they approached landing. They like this because you can see more of the great view outside the plane. They had trouble understanding the English dialogue, and did not understand the Spanish which was not subtitled.
Runtime: 19 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

MY COLLEGE ESSAY - MARY KRELL-OISHI
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 12-18
Description - Stuck in a unhappy rut, a confused Indian-American sixteen-year-old boy finds sudden popularity when his singing talents are recognized by his classmates. Just when he thinks he has the world on a string, his parents discover he has been lying to them, sneaking out and disgracing the family. He must decide to follow the rigid life of academics his parents have chosen for him or embrace his love of arts and accept the consequences that will go with his decision.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The theme of this screenplay is original and touches on a very important issue for many teenagers. Parents often have goals and dreams for their children, and they aren't usually the same as what a teenager has in mind. This shows a nice sneak peak into the culture of India. Bully comments like "singing like a homo," "screw you" and "you're such an ass" would need to be removed or softened in order to garner a higher KIDS FIRST! review.
Juror Recommended Age: 15-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

This title is in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival - it may not be a regular, endorsed title

DRAGON FLUTE - BLISSSCRIPTS
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 12-18
Description - Every kid sees animals in clouds, but Mei-Li hears them. This young girl in China brings her imaginary band to life, wins a contest and saves her poor family.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Original and appealing for a girl to use her imaginary cloud band to enter a real contest and literally show her mind to people. Needs more character development and smoothing out of the story. Draws you in and shows good character. Children will be excited by the magical animal clouds and the dancing. Making music creates a fun, happy atmosphere appealing to kids.
Juror Recommended Age: 6-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

CHRONICLES OF ALBION - SUZANNE GREEN
Series: FOREIGN SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 12-18
Description - In 2011 three children Alice, Charlie and Jim all 15, catch hold of the book and are whisked through various time periods where they must solve the riddle of how they got there and how to get home. Its soon clear that the book is the key and they must complete a quest to move forward
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - An entertaining adventure story with aspects of mystery, in which young and old are put in the position to help others and stop evil from destroying all that is good. Shows children breaking from the constraints of society to show that there is more to people, more to life than meets the eye. Ranking is low because of excessive bad language and violence. The themes of travel, magic powers, and good vs. evil, though not new, are appealing and interesting. The characters are three-dimensional. Though children's films do not benefit from showing prostitutes on the street, or bare chested men rushing into the camera, I liked that the characters paid no attention to the former, and the camera shots of the kids on the latter. For children who are used to being labeled, i.e.. jock, nerd, instead of as a complex individual, this story might help them to cast off their labels, looks past other's labels and unlock their expansive personalities.
Juror Recommended Age: 15-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

HEALTHIER HAPPIER LIFE SKILLS: HEALTH: FUN TIME, RELAX TIME - PENNIE SEMPELL & CO
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-8, ANIMATION
Description - In a music-rich, animated environment, children learn strategies for healthy habits, building a strong body and handling stress. Lively Q&A and hit songs engage children in a world of wellness and language arts, learning in a fun radio show format.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The basic premise is great: teach kids and families about being healthy. The content is respectful and the songs are simple. There is a mock panel of experts that receives telephone calls from children on various topics and then the singing begins explaining the basis of the topic being discussed in that particular episode. It seems a little disjointed at times and the menu is cumbersome and not easy to navigate. The production quality is a bit amateurish, with voices not appearing to come from the panelists mouths and a sort of PowerPoint style presentation for parts. There is good information in here.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - The kids had trouble staying engaged. The subjects covered clearly need to be facilitated by an adult. Younger kids were confused and older ones weren't interested. Some of the songs were fun and they liked the talk show host concept.
Runtime: 50 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 3-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 29 Media: DVD ISBN # 9780962413544

HEALTHIER HAPPIER LIFE SKILLS: HAPPINESS: THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE - PENNIE SEMPELL & CO
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-8, ANIMATION
Description - In a music-rich, animated environment, children learn strategies for self-esteem, mind-body connection and emotional well-being. Lively Q&A and hit songs engage children in a world of wellness and language arts, learning in a fun radio show format.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The songs are good, format is easy to follow. Lots of good and important information. Touches on behaviors of stress, would not be suitable under age 5. Visually bland and unengaging. Might work well in a therapeutic setting. I like that they give you the words to sing along with the music.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids learn to talk about their feelings and not be judgmental. This requires adult moderation and questioning to work. It's simple enough for young kids, but deals with issues of older ones (elementary aged.) Kids like seeing the kids on the screen at first, but quickly lose interest. This would hold attention better in a therapeutic setting, but not at home.
Runtime: 50 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 4-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ 29 Media: DVD ISBN # 978-0-962413551

MR. ROBERT'S BONES 3.1A_ANON - GARY GAUTIER
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 8-12
Description - When three precocious children unlock the mystery of an old haunted house, they discover hidden treasure, green and the ghosts of the neighborhood's racist past. But the real discovery is not about the haunted house, but what makes a neighborhood: working together with acceptance, connection to a communal past and unity of purpose.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - This screenplay has some appealing elements, but needs substantial development to achieve an unqualified recommendation. A diverse case, appealing setting (New Orleans, past and present), substantial emotional material and active roles for children. However, the pace lags, many of the characters are two-dimensional and the multiple story lines are confusing. There also needs some clarification about the history of racism (including the Swastika element.) This has the potential to become an entertaining and educational ghost story.
Juror Recommended Age: 7-15 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

CONFESSIONS OF A NAUGHTY KID - RC SPECK
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 8-12
Description - With the North Pole going broke, Santa and his elves are reduced to repossessing toys from naughty kids to fix and repackage for Christmas delivery. But evil elves using Easter Bunny technology secretly steal from nice kids too. Charlie, a nice ten-year-old boy, catches an elf and heads to the North Pole to clear his name. The evil elves try stop him, and Charlie must lead an elf rebellion to convince Santa that it's wrong to promise what you cannot give. Can Charlie defeat the evil elves? Can he convince Santa to stop the repossessions? Will the Easter Bunny stand watching his secret Santa contract revealed? And can Charlie's sister keep all of this from their parents while Charlie is gone?
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - This story is imaginative and unique, but has a lot of violence. Redeeming qualities include a love of Christmas, good overwhelming bad and kids working together to save the holiday. Puts a completely new twist on Christmas and what it means to be naughty or nice. Mrs. Claus is very aggressive and some people might not appreciate all the dirty underwear references. The characters are very distinct and unique - great characterization. I especially love how the villain uses lofty verbiage and found his own come-uppance in the end - even linguistically.
Juror Recommended Age: 8-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

SECRET CHRISTMAS - JOEY DECOURT
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 8-12
Description - Two boys experience an unusual Christmas Eve.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - In this short screenplay, two kids have a Santa encounter on Christmas Eve. Time honored theme, but not particularly original. The demeanor of the story is sweet and childlike and very kid-appropriate, it portrays the innocence of childhood well. Very little character development, but the boys are very likeable and the dialogue believable. We are impressed with the ability of this ten-year-old writer, Joey DeCourt, who has excellent grammar and is very adept at telling a story. The screenplay would benefit greatly from more detail. Young Joey has a lot of promise as a writer and it will be exciting to watch him mature in his craft.
Juror Recommended Age: 3-11 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

MEMOIRS OF A DOG, BY COUSCOUS MACKEY - BARBARA MACKEY AND DAWN IRELAND
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 5-12
Description - Magical things can happen to anyone, even to a dog. And, that is exactly what happens one late summer morning to Feathers, a purebred Pekinese.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - This is a story of a couple of dogs and their other animal friends who get together after one of the dog's puppy is stolen. The puppy is found by a man who takes it home and his dog and cats care for it. The mom and dad of the puppy set up a network of animals to try to find her. The dad's human makes flyers and puts them up. The puppy's mom makes a wish on the first star she sees one night and just feels her puppy will be returned soon. The man who found the puppy brings home a flyer and the cat eats it. It's Christmas Eve and the man and his animals decide the right thing to do is take the puppy back to her mom and dad. There is a wonderful reunion with mom, dad and puppy. Kids will love the talking animals and the way all the animals work together to solve the mystery of the missing puppy. Not recommended for younger children due to excessive drinking, swearing and abusive behaviors by some of the human characters.
Juror Recommended Age: 6-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

CHANCES - JEFF TRENTLY AND ANTHONY STITT
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 12-18
Description - Imagine if you go to bed at night and whatever you dream comes true the next day. That's what happens to a little boy named Chance Elliot. He's 11 years old, a troubled kid -- his mom is dead; his family shattered. But Chance has a secret: Whatever he dreams at night comes true for 24 hours.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The story focuses on Chance, a grief stricken boy who is coping with the sudden death of his mother, while being the target of bullies at school. Fate gifts him with a book of Ultimate Power, but as one could guess, Ultimate Power comes with ultimate consequences. This is a very visual story, possibly best told through animation. Strong characters with a magical story. The ending is not as strong as the beginning and there is too much name-calling and violent bullying, also some minor swearing, which affected the overall rating of the screenplay.
Juror Recommended Age: 8-18 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

RUBY'S STUDIO: THE FEELINGS SHOW - THE MOTHER COMPANY
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - A stylish DVD to help young children understand and express their feelings. Featuring a lovable live-action host, art projects, animation, puppet shows, and original songs. With the voice of Mel Brooks and "The Happy Song" by Elizabeth Mitchell.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Ruby offers a friendly and encouraging guide into the tumultuous world of feelings, with visuals from a feelings "dial" to artwork made by kids to give external expression to internal feelings. It dignifies children's' emotions, teaches a process to identify them and offers techniques for responding productively. Slow pace, repetitive, some lack of sincerity, but will nonetheless appeal to many children lacking in other sources of essential instruction in the area of recognizing and responding to their feelings.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - "I liked the part where they played hopscotch." "It was a little boring." Some segments held more interest than others and girls seemed to appreciate more than the boys. One child juror said it made her think about when she is mad. "It was fun to watch, everyone was nice to each other."
Runtime: 45 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-6 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.99 Media: DVD

EWE STEW - DOROTHY IRWIN
Series: SCREENPLAY FOR AGES 8-12
Description - When Fanny's sheep go missing, she and her dog Jiggs must rescue them from a huge gourmet cooking coyote who only understands rhymes.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Off-beat and original, guaranteed to bring smiles to viewers with it's wry characterization of the infamously treacherous coyote. Anyone who has suffered a loss to coyotes will find the characterization on mark: the coyote is indifferent to the pain he causes, all he cares about is his next meal. Younger children will get a little thrill from his villainy; older ones will be amused by his portrayal as a bustling chef, stuffing sheep slippers in his ears to protect his rhyming sensibilities from poetry gone wrong. This is not an accurate lesson in poetry and would prove too scary for children under 8. It's also slightly violent, with the imagery of knives and the eventual demise of the coyote.
Juror Recommended Age: 8-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: Screenplay

MY DAISY DAYS, VOL. 3 - MY DAISY DAYS, INC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Includes 3 episodes: "Daisy Goes to the Zoo" - Daisy learns about the animals; "Daisy Watches Big Trucks" - Daisy discovers the wonders of big trucks; "Daisy's Winter Play date" - On a winter day, Daisy romps with her toddler friend and canine chum.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Non-narrative film with mediocre production levels. The dog, Daisy is cute and the segment at the zoo the most appealing of the three. The audience for this is limited - dog lovers would probably enjoy it most.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids liked the animals and the trucks. And, of course Daisy was a hit.
Runtime: 41 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.95 Media: DVD

MY DAISY DAYS VOL. 2 - MY DAISY DAYS, INC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Includes 3 episodes: "Daisy Goes to the Fire Station" - Daisy gets a warm welcome at her local fire station; "Daisy Counts to 10" - Daisy learns numbers from 1 to 10; "Daisy Goes to the Park" - Daisy visits her favorite park and sees some friends.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - From the adult perspective, this is a bit tough to get into. There is no dialogue; it's just music and watching the dog. Daisy goes to different places - the fire station, the park. And, she counts to 10. Very mediocre production levels.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Most appropriate for the 2-year-olds. It's a bit long even for them. They enjoyed seeing the fire truck, pointed to the squirrel, the ducks. Definitely the kids enjoyed this more than the adults.
Runtime: 33 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 0-3 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.95 Media: DVD

MY DAISY DAYS VOL. 1 - MY DAISY DAYS, INC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Includes 3 episodes: "Daisy Goes to the County Fair" - Visit the County Fail through Daisy's eyes; "Daisy Learns The ABCs" - Join Daisy as she learns the alphabet; "Daisy Goes on a Boat Ride" - Daisy takes in a host of water activities.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Daisy is cute but even our dog lovers found this a bit slow moving. It can be fun to watch shows like this with very young children as it shows some everyday activities that they might recognize or call out the names for. However, doesn't hold children's attention for long. There is no real story being told. Daisy, the dog visits places and the story evolves from where she goes.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed reactions from kids. "Daisy visits places but there is no real story" Some kids liked the images of balloons, sailboats, and the ABCs. They did enjoy seeing the dog. "It's a happy dog who shows you what happy is." They seemed to like parts of it, especially the dog, Daisy. That is the one thing that holds it together.
Runtime: 34 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 0-3 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.95 Media: DVD

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS - CLONE COMMANDOS - WARNER HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Series: SERIES, AGES 8-12
Description - In the great storytelling tradition of Star Wars, Lucas film has created an animated Clone Wars series, a hugely popular Cartoon Network show now being released to DVD, that is sure to appeal to a whole new generation of Star Wars fans. Those familiar with the live-action Star Wars films will recognize favorite characters such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Yoda, while being introduced to new members of the Clone Wars team.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - These episodes are action-packed and captivating, though a bit too violent and serious in nature for children under the age of six. For example, in one episode a screaming fast slithering creature comes out of nowhere and devours a clone trooper whole - perhaps a bit much for more sensitive children. However, the battles are handled in an appropriate matter, without any blood or guts. The heroes of the story act defensively and do not fight without provocation. After all, this is war as the title states, and there isn't anything tame or pretty about war. For such short episodes, the story lines are well-developed. Our favorite story resembled the classic movie, "The Guns of Navarone." In this episode, the clones come to aid a world held captive, where they meet a young native girl who helps them to free her people from their captors. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" is original and sure to captivate young viewers with its non-stop action, exciting characters and themes that are true to the original "Star Wars" ideology.
Runtime: 90 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 8-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.98 Media: DVD

ROCK 'N LEARN: MULTIPLICATION RAP - ROCK 'N LEARN, INC
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 8-12
Description - Each set of facts through twelve has its own cool video song. Memorization becomes a game when answers are delayed the second time facts are presented. Includes bonus section of "What is Multiplication" and skip counting.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Watching this DVD may help some kids learn their multiplication tables. Unfortunately, it relies heavily on memorization and flash card techniques, which are not the preferred way to teach subjects according to current educational research. However, if you skip the rap section, which comes up automatically when you play the DVD, there is a section on "What is Multiplication" where Marko the Pen guides children through a general description of how multiplication works and some easy tips for multiplying certain numbers. Adult jurors recommend that you skip to this section if your child is struggling with multiplication, and only use the rap section as an addendum for kids who enjoy memorizing.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Most of the kids found the material boring and repetitious. A few thought the characters looked like gangsters. Some children rapped along with the video. Kids said they might want to watch it again if they were having trouble with multiplication.
Runtime: 39 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 7-9 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.99 Media: DVD ISBN # 978-1-878489-21-0

MUSIC OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE - MARY ANN HALL'S MUSIC FOR CHILDREN
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Emily and her friends take you on a live action and animated adventure searching for the music in everything on Earth. Through rhythm and reading, animation and imagination, children will learn without even knowing it!
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Nicely created music video with pleasant host/singer - Emily, whose energetic presentation is contagious and fun. The onscreen kids are engaged, authentic and very believable. The music is very upbeat - makes you want to sing and dance along. The animated backgrounds are simple and appropriate. The host's interaction with the onscreen kids seems a bit forced and her interaction is a bit one sided.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed reactions. The girls really were focused on the video the entire time. None wandered around to do other things. The two-year-olds patted their knees with their hands along with the music and shouted "Ball" and "bunny" when they saw those items on screen. They bobbed along with their bodies to the music and pointed out the jackrabbit when they saw it. One said, "I lied the mountains. My favorite thing about the video is the bunny. I like the song at the end. I Liked the instruments with the rocks."
Runtime: 28 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 16.99 Media: DVD ISBN # 9780961673710

GLOBAL WONDERS AFRICAN-AMERICAN - GLOBAL WONDERS
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Embarking on an exciting treasure hunt using the power of imagination, the playroom is transformed into a world of dreams and discoveries highlighting the fascinating and influential culture of the African-American family.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The live action pieces, where we see actual people-le doing things, are the best and the most engaging. The animated sequences are a bit two dimensional. It moves from section to section smoothly though the storytelling is a bit weak. Still , it gives a broad introduction to a culture. For preschoolers, it might attempt to take on too much, such as explaining the hardships that Martin Luther King Junior endured. The audience for this type of content is older.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Enjoyed it. "It was nice." "People treated each other nicely. They shared paints and crayons." "It made me smile." "I want to know more aobut the game they played and the drums." The younger ones really enjoyed the live action section in Africa with the animals and pointed at the screen and asked for more. They were more engaged during the live action sections and pretty much tuned out the animated sections. The four-year-olds giggled during the talk about the blues.
Runtime: 38 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 4-6 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

GOOSEBUMPS: THE SCARECROW WALKS AT MIDNIGHT - TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: SHORT, AGES 5-12
Description - Includes three shorts: The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight - There something funny about Jodie and Mark's grandparents' farm, but nobody's laughing, especially when twelve strange new scarecrows scare more than just the crows! Don't Go To Sleep - Matt Amsterdam wishes his family were different - until he wakes up from a nap in the attic to find that things are suddenly very different. in. Calling All Creeps - Ricky Beamer hopes for revenge when he puts a mean girl's phone number in a personal ad. But when he starts getting scary midnight calls, he's the one getting the creeps!
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - If you enjoyed reading the Goosebumps book series as a kid, you can now enjoy sharing and experiencing them with a new generation of Goosebumps fans. Though scary and even unrealistic at times, some of these stories teach lessons in problem resolution and friendship. Some jurors found these to be too scary for kids, causing nightmares and discomfort. Most felt that the scenes were unrealistic enough not to disturb most kids over the age of eight.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids related to characters that reminded them of bullies at school. Many of our child jurors did not fully understand the stories, but found them fun to watch and sometimes "jumping out of my seat." Jurors called the stories "silly and funny."
Runtime: 66 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.98 Media: DVD

IT'S FUN TO BE NICE - KIDADDLES
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Promotes social and inter-personal skills, targeting some of the toughest behavioral problems parents are faced with. Each video is personalized with your child's photos.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Short, attractive bright images, good lesson about being nice to everyone. This is set up as if it is a slide show with a narrator saying things such as "my parents will be proud of me" if the children are nice to everyone. Biggest problem with this DVD was that we had problems playing it on every machine in our office. It froze up, the audio track was uneven.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids liked the pictures of the animals being nice to each other and those of all the pretty plants. "It teaches us to be nice and how to treat other people." "It made me think about being nice and how I want other people to be nice to me." The kids enjoyed the animals in the video.
Runtime: 11 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

PIRATE CAMP AKA ADVENTURE CAMP - MAITLAND PRIMROSE Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT FEATURE, AGES 5-8
Description - Classmates are lured to a fantasy camp on a mysterious island where pirates from the past make strange counselors. Soon Cooper (Seth Atkins) discovers Captain Hookbeard (Corbin Bernsen) a voodoo with Mama and the legendary Blackbeard (John Kassir) are tricking the campers into a contest to find a cursed treasure. With plenty of sword fighting, pranks and magic, this wacky summer camp becomes an adventure of a lifetime as competitors and friends rally together and fight to save themselves.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Pirates are fun. The camp is very realistic and the things that the campers do look like lots of fun. This film moves quickly and has lots of action, adventure and a little suspense. The hag/witch is quite frightening at times and user voodoo and sorcery. Best for kids in older age group as it is a bit frightening for younger ones. The pirates do not use kind names for each other and are not respectful of others at times. The production quality is very good. Good sets and acting. Encourages kids to think about doing the right thing and what makes you a better person.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids loved it. "The pirates were funny and there was some mystery." "It's a fun idea. I'd like to go to that camp." "My friends would love it because it's about pirates and treasures and things like that." "The kids are like teenagers I know. The pirates aren't." They weren't always nice. The pirates said mean things and the voodoo and other things weren't nice." "The pictures made it look just like where pirates would live. It was neat." "The pirates looked like real pirates. The magic people were cool." "Going to a fun camp like this would be neat. I'd love to be a pirate for a while, but not the real scary stuff, just the pretending stuff."
Juror Recommended Age: 5-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: CDROM

MY MAGICAL WORLD - CLEARGATE PRODUCTIONS
Series: SERIES, AGES 2-5
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.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Colorful with good messages but the production is somewhat amateurish - enough for adults to notice but probably kids will overlook. Each selection offers a journey with a moral lesson at the end. The lessons are kid-appropriate - sharing, cleaning up, eating healthy.... The characters treat each other will and when they disagree, they find amicable solutions. The hosts are adults who act and dress like children and their singing is not particularly good. While not inappropriate, it is often difficult to hear the narration, the words are too small and too numerous to read, and the content does not flow well.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed responses. Some kids enjoyed part of it but others were less generous and wandered off. They did enjoy seeing the animals and wanted to see more. Seeing the animals made them talk about the zoo and their visits there. Overall, it didn't score high.
Runtime: 68 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.99 Media: DVD

A BAILAR LET'S DANCE! - SPANISH LEARNING SONGS CANCIONES INFANTILES - WHISTLEFRITZ LLC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: AUDIO CD, AGES 2-5
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 Jurors say - 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 Jurors say - 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.
Runtime: 38 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.99 Media: AUDIO

ROOM 15: THE ALPHABET SHOW - DIZZYMAMA PRODUCTIONS
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-8
Description - Created by a Kindergarten Teacher, using live action, original music and colorful animation children will learn letter name, letter sound, sound blending and rhyme. Bilingual information for parents. English and Spanish track.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Entertaining as well as educations. Very simple, bright and colorful. Great music! The alphabet is presented and uses children throughout the presentation. The onscreen talent are pretty amateurish. This is not a highly polished production but it has its charm, particularly in the music. And, if you are looking for an unusual way to present the alphabet, this will do it. The adult jurors didn't show the segment featuring Professor Good and Kind to the kids because he appears to be smoking a pipe and their schools discourage smoking or showing scenes with smoking featured.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Marginally engaging. Kids who don't know their letters are the ideal audience. On the first review of the alphabet, one girl was excited that when they presented the letter, "A." She said, "That's my name. (Her name starts with the letter "A"). When the show repeated , one child couldn't understand why they showed it again. That frustrated her. All the kids participated at some point during the show. One child stood by the TV and traced the letters as they were being formed on the screen. Kids all repeated the sounds of the alphabet though most lost interest around the letter "m." They did enjoy the music.
Runtime: 27 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 12.95 Media: DVD ISBN # 978-0-615-15199-1

STARRY NIGHT, THE: A BEDTIME VAN GOGH FAIRY TALE - BRANDON HILL PRODUCTIONS/STORY GARDEN
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Children's stuffed animals come alive in animated Van Gogh paintings in an adventure to overcome being scared to sleep at night. Children learn Van Gogh paintings, French words, composers, values and to sleep at night while enjoying a bedtime story.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Using the famous painting by Van Gogh, Starry Night, this video pulls together a cast of puppet characters and their human friends to address things such as beauty. It wanders a bit, talking about beauty and finding beautiful things, and searching to find Van Gogh so the little girl can sleep at night. It doesn't follow a linear storyline but is visually pleasing. We learn about ladies selling flowers, about people eating in cafes and the French countryside. The French accents of the adult actors are a bit exaggerated but it doesn't detract from the film. Children can relate to the problem of having difficulty going to sleep at night. The adults spoke of good values, such as the flower lady saying "you can find beauty all around you." The backgrounds of van Gogh's paintings are a plus. One misleading thing is that the film implies that Van Gogh wrote a book called, "The Starry Night" but it was written by another author.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids enjoyed the puppets but were unable to follow the idea behind the show. "I liked the puppets." "I liked when they finally found Van Gogh." They could not say what it was about. "The friends stayed together. They held hands." They liked the pictures and the characters. Kids liked the puppet characters and picked out which one they would like to be. They liked that the puppets walked.
Runtime: 21 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.98 Media: DVD

ADVENTURES WITH CONOR AND JADEN, VOL. 3: HAY BALES, TRAIN RAILS & SEA TAILS - BOOGIEBUBBLE PRODUCTIONS, INC. Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Buddies Connor and Jaden keep the adventures coming as they take friends along to see trains, visit with sea life, and remember a past trip they took to the farm. Full of fun facts and sights.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - An independent production with good content and will hold your child's attention. Be forewarned however, that the production quality is very amateurish with low resolution images and shaky camerawork. It provides a virtual field trip to three different environment and has charming narration by a child. The narrative offers a few forgotten facts about farm animals, trains, and fish at the aquarium. The live toddlers onscreen are very authentic and appealing.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - The kids were engaged and stayed with the video. They danced along to the music and talked about the trains and the sea life. Kids liked seeing the "babies" onscreen. "Also, we learned stuff about trains and hay and sharks."
Runtime: 35 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-4 Suggested Retail Price: $ 15.99 Media: DVD

ADVENTURES WITH CONNOR & JADEN, VOL. 2: WINGS, SCALES AND TAILS - BOOGIEBUBBLE PRODUCTIONS, INC. Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Connor and Jaden explore the fascinating animals at the zoo and then experience the living environment of the butterfly. Upbeat music along with educational facts will transport young children to a destination of adventure.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Good concept since it allows toddlers an opportunity to watch children similar to themselves on the screen - something that doesn't happen often for kids in this age group. At the same time, kids are learning something about animals. Be forewarned that the production is very amateurish with low resolution video and shaky camerawork. The segments are a bit sloppy at times and the dialogue lacks wit. But, at the same time, it's appealing to toddlers, especially with the youth narrator. The cover art is very unappealing.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids enjoyed watching this and wanted to watch it again as well as share with their friends. The animals were a bit hit, as were the onscreen toddlers. "We like the zoo." Its energy is contagious. "After viewing, the kids were begging us to take them to the zoo." The kids laughed, danced and talked about their favorite things to do. Even the kids mentioned the cover art though - they didn't want to watch it when first shown the cover.
Runtime: 35 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-4 Suggested Retail Price: $ 15.99 Media: DVD

BRAINCANDY: SMELL MY WORLD - BRAINCANDY Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 0-2
Description - Kids love to sniff out all kinds of scents! Sweet & stinky kids find out what the nose knows. Nusi Nose and Bruce Brain sniff the answers to scent-sible questions. Kids turn lemons into lemonade and discover how smell can keep them safe! Blues & Jazz.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Younger children will probably find this visually appealing but the idea of learning about the sense of smell without actually smelling anything is a bit far-fetched. The segments are short and sweet with good ideas such as using a game show format. There are dance breaks to keep the kids from getting antsy, but they seem to make it a bit manic. There are lots of things that toddlers will find appealing in this program: children their own age, puppets, bright colors, things that they see in their own world, but will they "get" watching other children smelling to understand smelling??? Production values are not very high.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids were attentive to parts of this but under 2's were unenthusiastic. They said the puppets were cute, and funny and the babies were cute. When asked what certain things smelled like in the video, they gave mixed responses. They wanted to show that they knew the answers to the game show questions by touching the screen. Some shouted out the names of the body parts of the puppets represented. They loved the slapstick elements, i.e.. Food being dumped on the nose and the nose taking a bubble bath.
Runtime: 40 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 0-3 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.99 Media: DVD

FRANK LETO'S KIDS WILL BE KIDS: MOVIN' & GROOVIN' - FRANK LETO, MUSICAL VENTURES Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 5-8
Description - Exercise and gross motor movement video for children of all ages. Variety of exercises and movement activities, set to steel band music. Begins with warm up and continues with cardiovascular workout, balance, coordination and concludes with cool down.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Music and kids are pleasing. Frank is a pleasant guy who appears to really appreciate the kids. It definitely lacks interaction. The music is fun to hear but this DVD sometimes looks like a PE class. The presentation is very static. It looks like it was done on one sound stage with one camera. Each exercise is presented in the same format and much of it sounds alike. Last, it doesn't really teach the exercises - what to do or not to do. It assumes that as long as you are jumping around you are getting an aerobic workout.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids liked it at first but after a few segments they lost interest. Overall, it got a "just okay" from them. And, they thought it was too long.
Runtime: 32 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 3-6 Suggested Retail Price: $ 20 Media: DVD

PAPA FIX-IT: BECCA & THE FENCE - PAPA FIX-IT ENTERPRISES, LLC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: PAPA FIX-IT
Description - Papa Fix-It and his grandchildren build a fence around Gammie's garden. Becca and the other kids learn to use tools to build a fence.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Cute production, combines live action and animation. Clean, wholesome and appealing to families. Production values are weak, particularly the audio. A good effort for an indie producer and deserves an audience but don't expect a professional looking production. The content is wonderful, showing a family working together building a fence. Good information about using different tools. The one star is due to the poor production values. The style is very unsophisticated and it works for younger children and isn't cloying enough to drive off adults. Among other things, it teaches the names and tasks of various tools.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids had mixed responses. They noticed how everyone treated each other well but noticed some pixilation in the video (though they didn't call it that), and pointed out how the actors didn't seem all that believable. Some commented: "I thought it was cool." "I would watch it with my grandpa." "I liked the quiz about the tools." One child commented that the ice cream man's hand went right through the counter when he put his hand on it. Favorite parts: how to build a fence, how to put in pickets, and how to make a fence straight. .
Runtime: 31 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.99 Media: DVD

Watch video of this title:

BUSY BEE DOGS PRESENT THE 3 LITTLE PIGS, THE - BUSY BEE DOG PRODUCTIONS Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: INDEPENDENT SHORT, AGES 2-5
Description - Four trick and stunt-trained Busy Bee Dogs (Princess Sydney, Super Speedy Slyder, Clever Chiquita and Rio the Clown) spin their version of the classic fairytale, "The 3 Little Pigs."
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Cute dogs but respective song at end goes on way too long. If you are a dog lover, you'll enjoy this. The storyline of the Three Little Pigs is sensible until they insert a lesson about teeth brushing into the last scene. The other two segments show off dog tricks but there's nothing outstanding.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids who love dogs enjoyed this, from the stories to the dogs. They were less interested with the kids onscreen than the dog. The bee was a hit as well.
Runtime: 29 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.95 Media: DVD

GET FIT TOGETHER - MOM AND TOT FITNESS
Series: N/A
Description - Fitness work-outs for parents to do with children.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - This is a fitness DVD for adults that enables the child to participate with the parent in a fun way. Allison Thummel, her son, Andrew and four of their friends perform cardio and toning exercises for kids and moms. Picture is of low quality with one animated background and juvenile music. Lacks diversity. All of the people on-screen are Caucasian.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed responses. Several children, mostly 3- and 4-year-olds understood the actions and played along. Younger kids were puzzled by the activities. Parents tried to stimulate involvement but clearly, the older ones enjoyed it best. Parents had to actively model the exercises to get the kids involved. Some parents used younger children as "weights" to increase the value of the exercises. Bouncing the little ones in time to the music got some grins.
Runtime: 91 minutes Juror Recommended Age: Adult-Adult Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.95 Media: DVD

ORGANWISE GUYS, THE: GIMME FIVE - THE ORGANWISE GUYS Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: ORGANWISE GUYS, THE
Description - Introduces the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables each day. After overcoming stage fright, Hardy Heart and The OrganWise Guys Band sing songs about what they've learned. Part of an award-winning childhood obesity prevention program.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Not as strong as other titles in this series but it has its moments. The Blues song, sung by the very funny Kidney brothers is a keeper. This educational program encourages kids to eat five fruits and vegetables a day and exercise. The sequence with the children finding fruits and veggies is well done, the information provided is accurate and the interpersonal behaviors are positive. It doesn't evoke very much critical thinking but the language and format are perfect for the intended audience. In the end, it accomplishes its goal which is to get children thinking about what they eat. Not much repeat viewing potential.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Clearly, the message of eating healthy with adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet comes across well. The kids enjoyed the puppets. "They talked about exercise and fruits and veggies." "It's all about healthy eating." "They talked about not being shy and scared." Some enjoyed the songs but indicated they wouldn't be interested in watching this again. Those who watched other programs in the series said they'd watch those first.
Runtime: 15 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 4-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ 13.95 Media: DVD

Watch video of this title:

KING IS BORN, THE - NEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: ANIMATED STORIES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
Description - The story of the birth of Jesus, based on the Bible, beginning with Gabriel announcing God's blessed plan for Mary. English and Spanish.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Great account of Jesus' birth. Well produced. Good animation and sound. Tells some of the history and takes viewers through their trip to Egypt. Characters are appealing and biblically accurate. Good resource for Christians to play during the Christmas season. Some viewers might have problems with the scene where the soldiers are coming to kill all the baby boys, especially when the soldier steps on a doll that appears to be an infant.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids with religious educations enjoyed it best. "I love Christmas and the story of Jesus' birth." They pointed out there were negative behaviors but they weren't gratuitous, they were part of the story. "They showed some bias towards the Jews but that was part of the story." "Herod treated Jews badly. Killing all the boy babies in Bethlehem was bad." The music was a hit. "The music was cool with the Angels." "It made me think about what it would have felt like to be there when Jesus was born."
Runtime: 30 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-12 Suggested Retail Price: $ 34.95 Media: DVD

POETRY, VERSE AND RHYME, OH MY! - MONTEREY MEDIA Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: N/A
Description - Children will learn about the wonders of our world through this work, once seen on PBS, of celebrated poets such as Rudyard Kipling, Edward Lear and Robert Louis Stevenson.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Interesting twist on classical poetry. Mother Goose was more engaging than the animal portion. Clever, silly excerpts assembled in a nonsensical fashion that appealed to the adults more than kids. The actors are clear and expressive; it's almost as if they're having a conversation. Lacks diversity; all actors are Caucasian.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed responses. Some said, "It's ok but too slow and too much talking." They liked the part with the swings and the sandbox, commented that all the actors were white, and liked the penguin. Some said they would watch it again because of the animals. It didn't hold their attention.
Runtime: 60 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 6-10 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.95 Media: DVD ISBN # 156994413x

LITTLE GENIUS: LET'S LEARN ABOUT COLORS AND SHAPES - SERENITY MEDIA Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: LITTLE GENIUS
Description - Introduces children to basic colors and shapes of objects around us. Hosted by Polly the parrot using colorful 3D visuals, original music, interactive extras.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Interesting concept, clearly presented. Very specific: One section is about colors, one about shapes. The two songs are very enjoyable. But, this program is not geared to capture the attention of its intended audience. The concepts are more suitable for early elementary but the presentation more suitable for pre-school.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Pretty fidgety response. Kids enjoyed the narrator's voice and the animated bird character but when asked if they'd watch it again, said, "no." When the adult juror urged them to participate, they did get up and do the hokey pokey. They tried to guess colors along with the question on the screen but, unfortunately, the DVD answered before they had a chance.
Runtime: 40 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 3-6 Suggested Retail Price: $ 9.95 Media: DVD

Watch video of this title:

FUNNY BONE LOGIC - LIVING FOLKLORE, INC.
Series: N/A
Description - Interactive DVD. Twelve kids journey to The Giggle Bubble Glass Castle. In this magical land, the kids learn games and exercises that encourage them to explore the wisdom that resides in their bodies, emotions and imagination.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Quirky show hosted by a group of clowns who speak in rhyme, sing songs and invite the kids to move along. They address feelings and emotions that kids can relate to such as worrying, dreams, and just having fun. Original songs are featured throughout. Beautiful, clear audio track. A lot of the video has a muted white border around it that makes it look like it takes place in a dream.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed responses. Some kids really enjoyed the clowns and the songs. "The clowns are funny and the songs are good." It evoked conversation among some about the issues brought up in the show. They liked the idea of the worry tree. "Sometimes I worry about my Mom and Dad." The older children enjoyed the games.
Runtime: 49 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 2-5 Suggested Retail Price: $ 19.95 Media: DVD

ONCE UPON A TOON - ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Series: N/A
Description - Blends cartooning, storytelling, animation and a lovable cast of characters to teach children about life, drawing, and their world.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Cute and goofy, fun format. It has difficulty finding its audience. At first glance, it's geared to preschoolers because of the tone of the host and the animated story. On closer look, it's better suited for older kids. It uses puns which are definitely too advanced a concept for pre-K. The character, Zip is a stuffed bear with a one eye a zipper - definitely weird, and sort of scary for little ones. Neither the animated story nor the live action monologue are suitable for pre-K's. The problem is that older kids will see the presentation as suitable for younger ones.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Kids had mixed responses and their participation was limited. Their favorite parts were the drawing sections. Unfortunately, the directions for drawing are so fast-paced they don't allow complete participation. "I liked the parts of it when he was drawing but it was only medium good because it was confusing."
Runtime: 26 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 5-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ Media: DVD

Watch video of this title:

FIFTEEN MINUTES: OF MICE AND MOPS - AMALGAMATED PUPPETWORKS, LLC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: N/A
Description - Global Puppet News Reporter Wes Naxman tries to hold the news show together when curmudgeonly Senior News Anchor Owl Capone, accidentally dosed with a love potion, abandons his post to pursue the object of his affections... a mop. Things are complicated by the appearance of a spatula-wielding gourmet ninja chef, a runaway speedboat, and the loss of the program's sponsor. Well, maybe losing the Mrs. Goodpuppet's Deluxe Discount Bakery cheeseburger-and-pepperoni-zero-carbohydrate muffins account isn't an entirely bad thing. Wes soldiers on until Owl's potion wears off and order is restored to the newsroom... or is it?
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Great sets and great puppetry. Characters have strong personalities. The news show format is cute and the way the characters keep reappearing keeps it interesting. It's weakest part is the humor which misses its audience. It is, for the most part, beyond the understanding of kids.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Mixed reviews from the kids. "It is kind of funny and kind of nonsense." "Lots of weird stuff keeps happening and you cannot really understand it." "I really liked the puppets but the story is confusing. " Their favorite parts were the mouse chasing the announcer and when the mouse falls in love with the mop.
Runtime: 26 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 9-13 Suggested Retail Price: $ 9.95 Media: DVD

TIPPY STORY CD, THE - TIPPY, LLC Click to purchase directly from the producer
Series: N/A
Description - A two-month-old Maltese pup sits quietly in a Boca Raton pet store having no knowledge of what life could be like beyond the walls of her little cage. A stranger walks in and they capture each others hearts. Their life together is seen through Tippy.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Sweet, enjoyable. Divided into chapters for ease of listening to in segments. Some language and issues too adult for audience, ie. money vs. happiness and mating. Animal lovers tended to really love the story and felt that Tippy was "real." Biggest drawback is that the story tends to appeal to younger kids but the focus on mating and how much Tippy enjoyed her second breeding experience is really more appropriate for teens.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Some kids really resonated with it, especially those who love dogs. Others were bored. All the kids were able to discuss in detail the content. Several quoted their favorite parts from the script. One child told about the proceeds from sales going to animal health research. "It makes you think about dogs having feelings too." "This CD makes me love animals even more." "It made me want a puppy more."
Runtime: 100 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 11-15 Suggested Retail Price: $ 22.95 Media: AUDIO

BABY FELIX AND FRIENDS: HIS MAGIC BAG OF TRICKS - FIRST NATIONAL PICTURES
Series: BABY FELIX AND FRIENDS
Description - Each episode follows Baby Felix the Cat and his magic bag of tricks as he embarks on a journey full of adventures. Also along for the journey are his friends, Baby Kitty, Mimi, Skippy, Mookie and Tattoo.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Seeing cartoon characters from my youth was enjoyable but some of the messages here are not in good taste. There is a lot of emphasis on cheating and misleading. It's all in fun but sends a poor message to viewers. For example, Baby Felix doesn't like how the other team is playing so he starts cheating by stealing bases and blocking pitches to the other team. A member of the other team shows anger by slamming his bat into the ground repeatedly.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - It's great. It's fun. Even the kids noticed the poor behavior and commented on it. "They remind me of Grandpa and us when they go fishing. The bulldogs remind me of some of the kids at school who are bullies. Get it? Bull dogs -bullies." "If you could really have a fishing contest, it would be fun."
Runtime: 110 minutes Juror Recommended Age: 4-8 Suggested Retail Price: $ 14.98 Media: DVD ISBN # 1933685069

KIDS FIRST! Videos KIDS FIRST! YouTube Group

NEW SEARCH

Database search interactivity by NET MAN

KIDS FIRST QUALIFIED ENDORSEMENT Titles

The Qualified Endorsement category has 177 titles

Here are up to 50 of them