KIDS FIRST! News

Dear Friends,

This week, we are thrilled to expand the KIDS FIRST! Online Auction with a curated selection for book lovers and art collectors alike. From the interactive nostalgia of a childhood classic to limited-edition photographic archives, these new additions are not to be missed.

Browse the New Book Collections Here: (https://givebutter.com/c/kids-first-silent-auction-mhoskr/auction)

The “Choose Your Own Adventures” Collection

We’ve added eleven distinct sets from the Choose Your Own Adventure series—the 4th best-selling children’s book franchise of all time.

Created by R.A. Montgomery and Edward Packard, these books became a cultural phenomenon by putting the reader in the driver’s seat. Whether you’re fighting dragons or exploring space, these sets are perfect for sparking a love of reading in 9- to 12-year-olds (and younger, there are now board books for ages 1 to 3).

1. The Connection: We are especially proud to feature these, as the company is currently led by Shannon Gilligan—widow of R.A. Montgomery and a longtime, dedicated KIDS FIRST! supporter.
2. Featured Titles: Look for classics like The Cave of Time, House of Danger, and The Abominable Snowman.

The Collector’s Corner: Southwestern Masterworks

From Clear Light Publishing, we are offering two rare, high-value volumes that capture the heart of New Mexico’s heritage:

1. Pueblo People: Ancient Traditions, Modern Lives by Marcia Keegan. A landmark, cloth-bound photographic archive. Keegan was the only photographer granted access to all 19 New Mexico Pueblos, making this the definitive visual record of our indigenous communities.
2. Old Father Story Teller (Limited Edition) Signed by the legendary Native American artist Pablita Velarde. This stunning 12.5” x 9” volume includes an exclusive art plate and over 20 full-color reproductions of Velarde’s original paintings.

Don’t Want to Wait? Use “Buy It Now!”

Skip the bidding war! Many of our most coveted books and fine art pieces feature a “Buy It Now” option. Secure your favorite treasure instantly and ensure your contribution goes directly toward our mission.

Our Impact: Every winning bid supports the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics and our international KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals. Your generosity empowers youth reporters to master media literacy and find their voices in the world of entertainment.

The Details:

• Bidding Is Open: More items are being added daily!
• Bidding Ends: June 15 at 11:59 p.m. MDT
• Our Mission: Championing the next generation of storytellers.

Log On & Start Bidding Now

Thank you for being part of our story. Happy bidding!

Evie Kaatz, Auction Chair; Ranny Levy, Evie’s Slave; Robin Greenberg, Nancy Kenney, Candace Carteen, Auction Elves

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The year 2025 has presented unprecedented financial challenges for KIDS FIRST! We began the year with optimism, having secured two federal grants designated to support our Film Festivals in Ukraine, Pakistan, and across the U.S.

Unfortunately, a subsequent change in administration halted the release of federal grants, a dramatic move that impacted countless nonprofits, including ours. This forced us to immediately pivot and seek sustainable, forward-looking sources of revenue.

We responded by doing what we do best: innovating for the future. We successfully formed new alliances to ensure our stability and growth:

• We partnered with a company serving 5,000+ Montessori schools nationwide to host KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals for their families. This generates funds for their schools as well as for us.
• We relaunched our podcast with iHeartMedia, creating the potential for an ongoing ad-sales revenue stream from existing content.
• We established a relationship with three AVOD channels to create a dedicated KIDS FIRST! section, splitting ad revenue 50/50 with the independent filmmakers we champion.
• We launched our ambitious year-end fundraising campaign early, starting in June.

You Are Our Success Story

Your incredible support has made the difference. We successfully reached our first goal of $15,000 at the end of August, and we are now at 98% of our second goal of $30,000!

Your donations are truly keeping KIDS FIRST! alive and well, allowing us to continue our vital work and share our unique insights into youth-focused media with hundreds of thousands of kids and families globally.

We now invite you to help us cross the finish line—and even surpass it!

Will you contribute today? Click the platform link below to make a gift in any form. If you are unable to contribute, please consider forwarding this message to someone who can help us secure our future.

Thank you for your trust and generosity. We send our love and best wishes for the holidays.

Ranny Levy, Founder and President, and the KIDS FIRST! Team

https://fundrazr.com/kidsfirst2025

What are the best movies and TV shows for kids and families of 2025? While the year started slowly in cinemas, streamers quickly raised the bar. Kicking off the year were major home releases like Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix) and StuGo (Disney+). Theaters quickly followed with family-friendly hits like Autumn and the Black Jaguar and Universal’s Dog Man.

The year gathered pace with blockbuster hits that our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics rated highly. February delivered five-star reviews for Captain America: Brave New World, Paddington in Peru, and The Unbreakable Boy. March brought excitement with Plankton: The Movie and the much-discussed Snow White (a KIDS FIRST! favorite), alongside The Electric State.

The major studios offered big swings in the spring and summer: April premiered Andor: Season 2 and Sea Lions of the Galapagos (Disney+). May saw Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Disney’s live-action Lilo and Stitch, and the return of Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan in Karate Kid: Legends. June was dominated by Disney-Pixar’s Elio, F1® The Movie, and the live-action How to Train Your Dragon. Later, we enjoyed summer tentpoles like Smurfs, Superman, and the touching documentary Shari & Lamb Chop.

The fall was strong, featuring The Bad Guys 2 (August), Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie (September), and the cinematic event Wicked: For Good (November), alongside Zootopia 2 and Sarah’s Oil. Closing out the year in December are top contenders Avatar: Fire and Ash, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 2.

Not every title mentioned is a blockbuster, but all are worthy of notice. Our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics reviewed over 385 films and TV shows in 2025, including many independent features and shorts submitted to our KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, which partners with venues nationwide.

Read on to see our entire list of what KIDS FIRST! believes are the best films and TV shows of 2025 — a year so strong we included over 70 titles! Click on the link below.

Best2025movies

In season two of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” Billie grapples with the fact that being part of the Russo family might be more complicated than she thought —especially now that she’s not the only wizard in the house. Thanks to Roman and Milo’s new magical powers, Justin is now tasked with training three young wizards for the Family Wizard Competition. As the stakes rise inside and outside the family, a mysterious new threat emerges—one that could unravel the Russos forever.

KIDS FIRST!  Film Critic Kennedy P. comments, “I absolutely love Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2. It’s one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel because it mixes magic, family, and humor in such a fun way. The show’s message teaches us that family, love, and responsibility are more powerful than magic alone.” See her full review and interview with cast and crew below.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2
By Kennedy P., KIDS FIRST!  Film Critic, age 11

WIZARDS BEYOND WAVERLY PLACE – Disney’s “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” stars David Henrie as Justin Russo, Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, Alkaio Thiele as Roman Russo, Max Matenko as Milo Russo, Taylor Cora as Winter, and Mimi Gianopulos as Giada Russo. (Disney/Justin Stephens)

I absolutely love Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2. It’s one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel because it mixes magic, family, and humor in such a fun way.

In this season, Billie grapples with the fact that being part of the Russo family might be more complicated than she thought, especially now that she’s not the only wizard in the house. Thanks to Roman and Milo’s new magical powers, Justin is now tasked with training three young wizards for the Family Wizard Competition. As the stakes rise inside and outside the family, a mysterious new threat emerges, one that could unravel the Russos forever.

The cast is amazing! I love how not only Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) and Justin (David Henrie) have powers, but now Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko) also have powers and they’re definitely stirring things up in the Russo household. I also love how the new characters add more depth and excitement to the story.

One of my favorite new characters is the talented Freya Skye, who plays Piper, a girl who can see visions of the future. The setting continues to be beautifully magical, with awesome spell effects, enchanting sets, and a sense of wonder that feels brand new.

WIZARDS BEYOND WAVERLY PLACE – Disney’s “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” stars David Henrie as Justin Russo, Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, Alkaio Thiele as Roman Russo, Max Matenko as Milo Russo, Taylor Cora as Winter, and Mimi Gianopulos as Giada Russo. (Disney/Maarten de Boer)

Season 2 really takes the magic to the next level with bigger visual effects and deeper character moments, while still keeping the heart and humor that the series is known for. What is really special about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is its message.

The show’s message teaches us that family, love, and responsibility are more powerful than magic alone. It shows that being true to yourself, helping others, and working together can overcome even the toughest problems and real magic comes from caring, courage, and staying strong in your beliefs.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults.  There are ten episodes; many are available on the Disney Channel now and new ones release every Friday night through October 17, 2025.  All of Season 2 will premiere on Disney Plus on October 8, 2025.

In the complex world we navigate today, teaching kids to be critical thinkers and savvy media consumers has never been more vital. At KIDS FIRST!, we’ve embraced this mission for 34 years, and our impact on youth and families is a legacy we cherish. Our alumni consistently tell us the profound difference KIDS FIRST! has made in their lives.

This year, despite the unexpected loss of two major government grants due to recent challenges in Washington, we’ve pivoted with purpose. We’re launching two exciting initiatives to create sustainable, ongoing revenue streams to support our essential KIDS FIRST! Film Critics program and the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.

A Win-Win for Schools and Future Leaders

We’ve established a groundbreaking partnership with a network of 5,000 Montessori schools nationwide. We’ll collaborate with them to host the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival at their campuses – serving as either a vibrant fundraising event for their school or a special bonus for their families. This is truly a win-win, offering schools a fantastic program while generating vital funds for KIDS FIRST!

With each participating school, we’ll recruit new members for our KIDS FIRST! Film Critic team. These young critics will provide their schoolmates with the latest film and media reviews, fostering media literacy from within their own communities.

Our Urgent Need: Doubling Your Impact

To kick start these powerful initiatives, we urgently need to raise $30,000 in the next 30 days. This is a deeply personal ask. Like many of you, I am profoundly concerned about the future of our country, of our world, and committed to efforts organizations that make a tangible difference.

Right now, your donation to KIDS FIRST! will be matched dollar-for-dollar through August 31st! This is a powerful opportunity to double your impact and fuel a movement that’s building a smarter, more discerning generation.

More Than a Program – It’s a Movement. KIDS FIRST! is about more than just film reviews; it’s about empowering young people. Our team of KIDS FIRST! Film Critics creates their own insightful reviews of the latest films, TV shows, and digital media. These reviews are shared with the public through our social media channels, website, and blogs. We’ve cultivated a vibrant community of young people who:

• Know how to sort disinformation & misinformation from credible information.
• Believe in the positive power of media to create positive change in the world.
• Are passionate about sharing their voices with an ever-growing audience.

If you’ve ever doubted the potential of young people, this program will make you feel incredibly optimistic about the leaders of tomorrow.

Please consider a donation of any amount – no amount is too small!

• Donate or learn more at: https://fundrazr.com/kidsfirst2025
• Follow our podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-kids-first-coming-attractio-277638809
• Watch our reviews and interviews:
  • https://www.instagram.com/kidsfirstcoming_attractions
  • https://www.youtube.com/@KIDSFIRSTFilmCritics
  • https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsfirstmedia

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your invaluable support. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Ranny and the KIDS FIRST! Team