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Archives for May 11, 2015
Celebrate May’s Get Caught Reading Month With Jim Henson’s Enchanted Sisters And Bloomsbury Children’s Books
May 11, 2015 By 8 Comments
Beginning May 11th, The Jim Henson Company celebrates the Association of American Publishers’ month-long Get Caught Readingcampaign with the addition of newly available posters for Jim Henson’s Enchanted Sisters and Jim Henson’s Doozers! The new posters join the previously added posters for Dinosaur Train, Pajanimals and Sid the Science Kid—five great children’s TV series and books—all from the world-renowned Jim Henson Company!
The Get Caught Reading campaign was devised by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read! Member organizations of the AAP participate in a variety of ways to encourage everyone to enjoy books and magazines and to share that pleasure with the young children in their lives.
As part of the Get Caught Reading campaign, two NEW posters are available from the AAP beginning May 11—Enchanted Sistersand Doozers—featuring adorable characters that are “caught reading” in these fabulous FREE posters made available to teachers and parents for use in classrooms, libraries and other locations.
The posters are available for everyone at http://www.getcaughtreading.org/celebrity-posters.php. Posters are FREE plus a $5.00 charge per set (1 – 12 posters each of the same title) for shipping and handling! The order form is available here:http://www.getcaughtreading.org/orderforms/GetCaughtReading-PosterOrderForm.pdf
According to AAP Vice President Tina Jordan, “Dinosaur Train, Pajanimals and Sid the Science Kid posters are some of the more frequently requested posters by the elementary school and library community and AAP is grateful to The Jim Henson Company for creating two new posters that will join our GCR community.”
The new chapter book series, Enchanted Sisters, targets newly independent readers—girls ages seven through nine—andtells the stories of the four sisters – the Sparkles: Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer who come together every three months to join their Mother Nature in a ceremony that changes the seasons in our world. Their world is magically different from our own, yet the Sparkles are completely relatable. They are confidently themselves, even when that’s the hardest thing to be. Continuing the longstanding Jim Henson Company tradition, the message in these stories about strong girls making bold choices are clear: embrace and celebrate our differences; anyone can be a hero; and families come in lots of different packages. The books are co-authored by Elise Allen, author of the book Anna’s Icy Adventure (Disney Frozen), and Halle Stanford, eight time Emmy-nominated children’s television producer and senior vice president of children’s entertainment at The Jim Henson Company. Paige Pooler, whose artwork can be seen in American Girl magazine, and the Liberty Porter, Trading Faces, and My Sister is a Vampire middle grade book series, is the illustrator.
In Enchanted Sisters: Summer’s Friendship Games, Summer has always secretly enjoyed hanging out with Thunderbolt, one of the mischievous Weeds who bring disaster and mayhem everywhere they go. Sure, the Weeds have acted poorly in the past, but they can’t be all bad . . . right? Summer’s sisters couldn’t disagree with her more-especially after the boys ruin Summer’s bonfire party. When the two teams of magical siblings try to settle their disagreements in a series of competitive sports, Summer and Thunderbolt are forced to stop talking. But is winning and siding with their siblings really worth ruining their friendship? Hardback SRP: $15.99; Paperback SRP: $5.99.
Three additional Enchanted Sisters books in the series are available: Autumn’s Secret Gift, Winter’s Flurry Adventure and Spring’s Sparkle Sleepover.
PLUS – Keep a lookout also for NEW books coming in August featuring Doozers:
Doozers, inspired by the wildly popular characters from the classic Henson series Fraggle Rock, is a modern series for modern families that encourages kids to design, create and innovate. The Doozer kids bounce from one fabulous adventure to the next, engaging in exciting challenges that require them to imagine, invent and build, all while they have a blast playing and learning together. Watch Doozers exclusively on Hulu Kids!
Get Caught Reading Month has been supported in the past by such well-known figures as former First Lady Laura Bush, Drew Carey, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Donald Duck, Patty Duke, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Graham, Derek Jeter, Vernon Jordan, Jake Lloyd, Rosie O’Donnell, Dolly Parton, The Rugrats, Jane Seymour, Sammy Sosa, Spider Man, Erik Weihenmayer, and Robin Williams, all of whom have been “caught reading” their favorite books and magazines for print ads and posters seen by millions of people across the country. In addition, more than 200 Members of Congress have been photographed “caught reading” on Capitol Hill.
Help others to “Get Caught Reading” too with a local book drive!
According to United We Serve, a nationwide service initiative that helps meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn, 80% of preschool and after-school programs serving low-income populations have no age-appropriate books for their children. A recent study shows that while in middle-income neighborhoods the ratio of age-appropriate books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods the ratio is 1 for every 300 children.
A great way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print. Communities ranking high in achievement tests have several factors in common: an abundance of books in public libraries, easy access to books in the community at large and a large number of textbooks per student.
Anyone can get together to help increase reading achievement and literacy by organizing a book drive. This tool kit (http://www.serve.gov/toolkits/book-drive/index.asp <http://www.serve.gov/toolkits/book-drive/index.asp ) provides the basics to run a book drive, organize your group, and make an impact.
Or, simply commit to donating your gently used books to local organizations. Here are some tips:
- Consider libraries, non-profit children’s organizations for homeless, foster children and struggling families, Goodwill and Children’s Hospital’s thrift stores, and after-school programs.
- Call the charity or organization and see if they accept used children’s books and what their guidelines are.
- Go through your books and make sure all pages are present, readable and stain-free.
To celebrate this great campaign, The Jim Henson Company has teamed up with Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing to offer our readers a GIVEAWAY copy of their newest book release, Enchanted Sisters: Summer’s Friendship Games. To enter, leave us a comment below telling us how you share the gift of reading with your child or children. Deadline to enter is May 15th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org. U.S. participants only.
Self Disclosure: No compensation was received to post.
Maya the Bee Movie – A Perfect Adventure Film to Share with Your Younger Kids
May 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Maya the Bee Movie features a spunky young bee, Maya who won’t follow the rules of the hive. This is a lovely animated film, devoid of violence or other scary stuff, that you can safely share with your younger family members. It’s an engaging tale of adventure and friendship that teaches some poignant lessons about trust and honesty. The first version of this story was made in 1925 in Germany using micro-photography of real insects to tell the story. This updated version is beautifully animated with delightful comedy added to help grab and hold your attention. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Brooke S. comments, “Maya the Bee is a very funny movie. I laughed during many scenes and I also cried during a few scenes. I love the movie because the characters are funny and it teach great lessons throughout the film.” Kayla P. adds, “There are several different messages in this movie. The one that stands out the most to me is, ‘dare to be different.’” Adam C. rounds it out with, “Maya is easy to relate to for me because she is very much a free spirit, unable to sit still, who always wants to be in on the action.” See their full reviews below. This film is playing in theaters now and will be available on DVD/Blu-ray on May 19.
Maya the Bee Movie
By Brooke S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
Maya the Bee Movie is an incredible animated film, written by Fin Edquist and Marcus Sauermann, directed by Alexs Stadermann. This is a very funny movie. I laughed during many scenes and I also cried during a few scenes. I love the movie because the characters are funny and it teach great lessons throughout the film.
The movie takes place in a bee hive located in a colorful meadow full of beautiful flowers. In the meadow, there are many different types of bugs. Inside of the bee hive, there are lots of worker bees. All of the bees have different jobs and the jobs are assigned by the royal advisor, Buzzlina (Jacki Weaver). For instance, one of the jobs is picking up pollen. Another job is watching the adorable little baby bees. This is also where Maya (Coco Jack Gillies) stays until spring. Maya wants to be independent and explore the hive. She does not like staying with the babies, so she sneaks out when she has the first opportunity. When Maya sneaks out, she causes a lot of chaos within the hive because she is very young and does not know what she is doing. She takes you on a fun and exciting adventure.
The movie is well written. Alexs Stadermann draws out remarkable performances from the voice actors and brings out the best in each character. I love how Coco Jack Gillies expresses Maya’s feelings. Jacki Weaver makes the royal advisor, Buzzlina seem so real.
My favorite scene is when Willi (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Maya meet. They seem to like each other from the very beginning. Another favorite part is when there is a battle between the bees and another group of bugs. My least favorite part of the film is when something horrible happens to Maya and she finds out a secret about the queen.
The message of the story is, everyone has a role to play in life. It takes everyone working as a team to get the job done. The movie is fun, fabulous and family-friendly. I recommend it for ages 4 to 18 as well as adults. I give this movie 5 out of 5 gold stars.
Maya the Bee Movie
By Kayla P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
Maya the Bee Movie is a cute and funny movie! It’s about a young little bee named Maya who is very curious and eager to learn about the beehive. As Maya explores the beehive without permission, she asks a bunch of questions. Maya quickly learns that she is completely different from the other bees. She repeatedly finds herself in trouble by Buzzlena, the queen’s assistant. As a result, Maya gets banned from the hive. Her friend Willie does not want Maya to be alone, so he leaves the hive and follows her. As Maya and Willie are out in the meadows, they learn that hornets and the other bugs and insects are not as bad as they have been told. While Maya has been banned from the beehive because of her curiosity, Buzzleana devises a plan to harm the Queen so that she can take control of the bees and the hive.
There are several different messages in this movie. The one that stands out the most to me is, “dare to be different.” In this movie, the bees have to follow specific rules, specific directions and they must do as they are told. Maya is different and she is told that she does not belong in the beehive. She works hard to find her place among the bees. She learns that she is an important bee in the kingdom and that her voice is important.
My favorite part is when Willie is mad at Maya and decides to fly back to the beehive. Willie is scared of everything. But, when a frog sticks out his tongue to try to capture Willie for dinner, Willie hits the frog’s tongue and flies away without looking back. That’s pretty impressive for a fearful bee.
My favorite character is Willie. Willie is a very loyal and a true friend. He supports Maya and helps her when she’s down and he’s not afraid to tell her when she’s not right. Willie is also very funny.
Maya and the Bee Movie is a wonderful movie! It has great messages for kids! I recommend this movie for boys and girls ages 5 to 10. I give this movie 3 out of 5 shinning stars!
Maya The Bee Movie
By Adam C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
If you enjoy comedy mixed with great animation, then you will love Maya the Bee Movie. Maya is unlike other young bees her age. Instead of following orders, Maya has a mind of her own. For example, instead of staying within the safety of the beehive, Maya decides to go off on her own to visit the surrounding meadow wish she became friends with Flip the grasshopper. At some point, Maya’s curiosity led to her finding out that the Royal Advisor to the Queen Bee had stolen the Royal jelly saved especially for the Queen Bee which leads to the Royal Advisor’s kicking Maya out of the beehive. At this point, Maya has to survive on her own in the meadow and is soon joined by her close friend Willy who fears for her safety and cannot let Maya be by herself in the mysterious meadow. Together, the two bees become friendly with a variety of other insects and other creatures. Eventually, Maya and Willie learn that the Royal Advisor has stolen the Queen’s royal jelly because she was seeking to make war with the hornets. By the end of the movie, Maya, Willy, and their other young hornet friend Buzzy stop the Royal Adviser’s evil plans and, after recapturing the royal jelly, bring it back to the Queen who then makes a complete recovery. For her efforts, Maya is appointed as the Hive Ambassador by the Queen Bee and she and Willy are made responsible for observing the meadow and reporting new friends that arrive.
My favorite character in the movie is Maya (Coco Jack Gillies). Maya is easy to relate to for me because she is very much a free spirit, unable to sit still, who always wants to be in on the action. I also enjoyed hearing from Flip the grasshopper. Flip is always able to provide Maya with excellent advice such as telling her to always “bee positive.” The scenery is also colorful and beautiful and will be enjoyed by everyone.
My favorite part of the movie is when Maya and Willy are together out in the meadow attending the Jitterbug Hollow Musical Festival. There, they hear different insects playing a large number of musical instruments while Flip the grasshopper sings “It Don’t Matter What They Say, Be Yourself Every Day.”
This film has many positive messages that apply to younger audiences. For me, the most powerful message of the movie s that a person should be himself and does not need to follow in the footsteps of others. The movie also show the strong bonds of loyalty between Maya and Willy who have to work together in order to stop the Royal Advisers’ plans. I also enjoyed the lesson that young people can make a huge difference in this world. In the movie, many grown-up bees and grown-up hornets are prepared to fight to see who would gain control of the meadow. In the end, it is too young bees and one young hornet who save everybody from being destroyed. I give Maya the Bee Movie 5 out of 5 stars. It is a great family movie. I recommend it for ages 4 to 10. I’m 9 and I enjoyed watching this movie and very much. I appreciated its excellent messages and wonderful music. Maya the Bee Move opens in theaters May 1 and is available on DVD on May 18. It is well worth the cost of buying it for a fun-filled night of family entertainment.
Credit: KIDS FIRST!
