Archives for September 5, 2014

Cricket Media, an education media company and global learning network, today announced that Story Bug, an exciting new collaborative reading app for the iPad and iPhone, is now available on the App Store.

With Story Bug, sharing the experience of reading with loved ones is no longer limited to being in the same room together. The app, which seamlessly combines video chat with an interactive reader, allows young people and adults in different locations to socialize and bond while reading specially curated selections drawn from Cricket Media’s portfolio of acclaimed children’s magazines.

Story Bug is powered by technology from Kindoma, the award-winning creator of communication apps focused on connecting families.

Users of the Story Bug app see and hear each other while viewing the same digital book. They also share controls for turning pages and interacting with the content. So when a page is turned on one device, the page simultaneously turns for the user of the other device. In addition, a digital “shadow hand” shows where your counterpart is pointing, so grown-ups can challenge their young readers to point to items on the page or sound out specific words.

Now the magic of sharing a bedtime story, or simply reading to a child is possible anywhere, anytime for parents traveling on business, deployed military families and geographically dispersed friends and family.

In addition to being an exciting new way for families to read together, Story Bug offers children and their reading partners the very best in enlightening and entertaining content for young people, featuring selections from Cricket Media’s beloved children’s publications, such as Ladybug and Click.  In addition, full issues of Babybug, the award-winning magazine for children under 3 years old, will be available. Cricket Media is a market leader in developing enriching, educational content for children, and its publications were recognized for their excellence earlier this year by The Parents’ Choice Foundation, which honored each of Cricket Media’s magazines with its Spring 2014 Parents’ Choice Award.

Story Bug users can choose from a customizable library of digital books for children aged 0-6 that  engage young readers through early development concepts and subjects such as counting, rhyming, animals, colors, riddles, and machines & tools, bedtime and more. Titles at launch include “Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes,” a collection of favorite children’s rhymes such as Little Miss Muffet, Jack and Jill, Old Kind Cole, Pop Goes the Weasel and more; “The One with the Freckle,” a story about a little boy who learns to have fun without his twin brother on his first day of kindergarten; and “Big Sister’s Goodnight,” a story about a big sister who helps her baby sister get ready for bed.

“We are thrilled to introduce the new Story Bug app for iOS,” said Katya Andresen, CEO, Cricket Media. “Family members and friends have long turned to Cricket Media and our award winning library to entertain, enlighten and inspire children. Now with Story Bug, kids and their loved ones have a wonderful way to connect and come together to share the experience of reading our content whether they are in different rooms, different towns or different countries.”

The Story Bug App is available for free from the App Store on the iPhone or iPad or at http://bit.ly/1whBUU3. Users  receive two books for free when downloading the app, and can subscribe to access dozens of other books, with more added each month, for $4.99 per month, $14.99 per six months, or $24.99 per year. Individual titles are also available for purchase at $2.99 each.

About Cricket Media 

Cricket Media (TSXV: CKT) is an education media company that provides award-winning content on a safe and secure learning network for children, families and teachers across the world.  Cricket Media’s 14 popular media brands for toddlers to teens include Babybug, Ladybug, Cricket® and Cobblestone® with multiple language editions and apps in English, Spanish and Chinese.  The Company’s innovative web-based K12 tools for school and home include the ePals community and virtual classroom for global collaboration as well as In2Books®, a Common Core eMentoring program that builds reading, writing and critical thinking skills.  Cricket Media serves approximately one million classrooms and millions of teachers, students and parents in over 200 countries and territories through its platform and NeuPals, its joint venture with China’s leading IT services company Neusoft. Cricket Media also licenses its content and platform to top publishing and educational companies worldwide.  For more information, please visit www.Cricketmag.com,www.ePals.com and www.in2books.com.

About Kindoma

Kindoma is a communications company that lets families do activities like read and draw together, even when apart.  Kindoma has created the world’s first COPPA compliant video chat solution targeting kids and families, and used it to power its own critically-acclaimed app Kindoma Storytime as well as Cricket Media’s Story Bug.  Kindoma partners with leading publishers, producers and developers to help families around the world share experiences at a distance.  For more information, please visit www.kindoma.com.

SOURCE Cricket Media

What If is a new romantic comedy about best friends Wallace and Chantry who have to face the fact that they might have deeper feelings for each other than they imagined. Wallace, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is a med school dropout who has become very anti-social after his serious girlfriend breaks his heart. One night, at his best friend Allan’s party, he meets a girl named Chantry. They have an instant connection, but when Wallace learns that she has a long time boyfriend, he decides to focus his energy on being her best friend instead of her lover. The two of them grow closer and closer while still trying to keep the boundaries of “just friends,” but will they be able to deny their feelings forever? KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Raven D., age 17, comments, “I really enjoyed this film. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but the plot is wonderful, the cast is amazing and the story is very touching and funny.” See her full review below.

What If

Reviewed by Raven Devanney

I really enjoyed this film. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but the plot is wonderful, the cast is amazing and the story is very touching and funny. The cinematography is great. I especially love the fact that there are some whimsical elements added to the visuals to help tell the story. Chantry is an animator, and occasionally her drawings come to life in the movie, adding a really cool multi-media element to the film.

My favorite character is Chantry played by Zoe Kazan. Chantry is a very fun character and Zoe is perfect for the role. I am a big fan of Zoe Kazan and love her work in Ruby Sparks and The Pretty One. She never fails to entertain me. One thing I love about Chantry is that even though you can tell she starts to grow romantic feelings for Wallace, she never crosses the boundaries from platonic to romantic while she’s in another relationship which is very cool. I’ve seen a lot of films where two friends have feelings for each other and they act on it even though one of them is in a relationship with someone else. In this film, it is stated many times that Wallace and Chantry are very against cheating, especially since Wallace’s ex cheated on him. I really admire that even though these characters are fictional, they still have solid moral standards.

Daniel Radcliffe also does a wonderful job in this film. His character, Wallace is very witty and cynical, adding a lot of comic relief to more intense interactions. He works wonderfully with Zoe Kazan and you can really see the chemistry between their characters. Daniel also pairs perfectly with Adam Driver, who plays his best friend Allan. The two of them make a hilarious combo and any scene with them together is sure to make you laugh.

What If is a heartfelt, genuine, feel-good film that I really enjoyed. It is definitely geared more towards adults, in my opinion and I believe 20-year-olds will probably enjoy it the most. My mom loved it and was even brought to tears because it is so sweet.  However, I love it as well, so I recommend it for ages 15 to 18. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, so make sure you don’t miss this gem in theaters now!

Credit: KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, www.kidsfirst.org

Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether or not to wake up and live an altered life, far different from what she imagined. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Raven D. comments, “If I stay is a beautiful, moving film about a teenage girl and the life or death decision she must make.” See her full review below.

If I Stay

Reviewed By Raven Devanney

If I Stay is a beautiful, moving film about a teenage girl and the life or death decision she must make. Mia is a teenage girl who has a wonderful, quirky family, a boyfriend who loves her to pieces and a bright, ambitious future. But, all of that changes when she and her family are in a fatal car accident. While Mia’s body is in a coma, her mind journeys back to all of her memories, triumphs, heart breaks and future. She has to make the decision on whether or not to fight and stay alive, or let go and leave this world. Will Mia stay?

I love this movie. It made me laugh, cry and it helped me to see all of the good in my own life that I should cherish, because you never know when it could all change. The cinematography is beautiful. Most of the film is filled with memories that Mia has and the way they are portrayed is very neat. The music is also beautiful. Mia is a cellist and a lot of the film focuses on her dreams of becoming a successful musician, so the film is filled with beautiful classical music.

My Favorite character is Mia played by Chloe Moretz. This film shows so many aspects of Mia’s life, so it’s easy to find something to relate to. She has a great passion for playing the cello and dedicates most of her life to it. She has difficulties relating to her parents and even her boyfriend since their musicals tastes are far more edgy than hers. She has to face her insane loss and she has to choose between many different things in life. There’s something about her life that I think anyone can relate to, so she’s a wonderful character. Chloe does a wonderful job portraying everything she’s going through and she moved me to tears many times.

This film makes me think about my own family and everything I would do for them. It makes me think of my life and all the joys and sorrows I’ve faced. There was not a dry eye in the audience because this film provokes unique memories for every individual. I felt especially connected to Mia’s family because I too have a younger brother and am very close with my parents, so I was very touched by Mia’s situation.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18 because of the intense emotions and mature content. Make sure you check out If I Stay in theaters since August 22nd.

Credit:  KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, www.kidsfirst.org