After a slow harvest season, the very survival of the hive is threatened. Maya, and her sidekick, Willy, go to Buzztropolis, where the Empress invites them to participate in the Honey Games. But if they lose, the hive will have to give the Empress all of their summer honey! Needless to say, Maya and Willy’s teammates are neither enthusiastic nor athletic, but Maya remains positive and exclaims that “every bug has a talent!” Can Maya and Team Poppy win and secure her hive’s future? Only if Maya is able to gain new friends and learn about teamwork, responsibility, and overcoming their differences! Bonus features: The Making of Maya the Bee 2; Original teaser and trailers. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “I really enjoyed watching this! This animated film has many underlying messages without becoming confusing.” Raquel Y. adds, “This is definitely a charming DVD for the younger set. My favorite part about this engaging film is the colorful, expressive animation. The voice actors certainly give their all to their whimsical and distinctive roles. Adult juror Tina B. wraps it up with, “The visual appeal of this DVD is appropriate and interesting enough for the youth it was designed for. The DVD is animated and colorful and lively in action to keep the interests of the intended audiences.” See their full reviews below.

Maya The Bee 2: The Honey Games

By Jolleen Mejia, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

I really enjoyed watching this! This animated film has many underlying messages without becoming confusing. Each of the characters have their own strong personalities which makes their interactions interesting. The plotline is intriguing also.

The main character, Maya is a bee who dreams of competing in The Honey Games. One day she has a chance to make her dream comes true, but it will put her entire city at risk. The Empress demands Maya’s city to give up half of their honey to contribute to The Honey Games. They aren’t allowed to participate, but are forced to give up their honey. Maya believes that this is outrageous and challenges the Empress. If Maya wins, she doesn’t have to give up any honey. But if she loses, they have to give up all of their honey and her city will starve.

Maya (Coco Jack Gillies) is a well developed character. Coco Jack Gillies makes her voice distinctly sound differently which is good for Maya who goes through a lot of emotions. Gillies can sound distressed, guilty, ecstatic and hopeful.

The animation is done really well. The quality is great and all of the little details contribute to make it seem very realistic. The music also is very suitable for the film and sets the mood in the various scenes.

My favorite part is when Maya’s best friend Willy realizes that Violet, a bee who is a bully, is trying to sabotage them. Willy has a slight crush on Violet, which blinds him of all the mean things she is doing to Maya. Finally Willy realizes what is happening and stands up for Maya. Even through all these hardships, Maya and Willy find it in their hearts to forgive Violet for everything that she has done. That is one of the messages in this film.

Other messages address how everyone has their own special talent, how you should believe in yourself and that no matter how small you are, you can still make a difference. These messages are really important and give kids a lot of self confidence. I love how they incorporate all of these wonderful messages into the story without making the film trivial.

I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 10. This DVD is available now so, be sure to check it out.

Maya the Bee 2: The Honey Games

By Raquel Y., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

This is definitely a charming DVD for the younger set. My favorite part about this engaging film is the colorful, expressive animation. The voice actors certainly give their all to their whimsical and distinctive roles. Bugs and bees are endowed with wonderfully human traits which make this a charming film for families.

Maya (Coco Jack Gilles) is brave, determined and smart. She wants to help all the inhabitants of Poppy Meadow. The bee kingdom’s most royal leader, Empress of the Bees (Marney McQueen) has ordered the bees of Poppy Meadow to “contribute” half their summer honey harvest to her hive in Buzztropolis.

Maya The Bee 2: The Honey Games is the follow-up to the television series Maya the Bee and one previous film called, Maya the Bee Movie. Young Maya is the heroine, supported by her best friend Willy. She is optimistic, brave and loves helping others. Each of Maya’s adventures results in the little bee learning important life lessons and sharing those lessons with others.

It is filled with positive messages, beautifully incorporated into the storyline. Maya isn’t always the best team player, but she takes responsibility for her mistakes. The many featured characters shine as they learn something about their own uniqueness, about self-confidence and trying new things. Honesty counts most of all. Even Violet, the potential bully, and the arrogant and smug Empress are touched by Maya’s contagiously optimistic spirit, love of freedom and passion for fairness. Young viewers who are comfortable with mild cartoon action and suspense will enjoy this. This is a cannot miss film that kids everywhere and anywhere will enjoy.

I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 8. You can catch this film on DVD and Blu-Ray now so, look for it.

Maya the Bee 2, The Honey Games

By Tina Bunche, KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror

My six-year-old granddaughter really enjoyed this DVD. The storyline is quite interesting in showing the life of bees and how they gather honey and support the Queen and all the other bees in the colony. The story line continues with the Queen Bee of Poppy Meadow and her bees gathering honey for the winter. She realizes that they may not have enough honey for the hive to last the winter when she gets word that the Empress, her estranged sister, has declared that the Queen’s colony has been selected for The Honey Games. The Hive of Poppy Meadow is required to honor the Empress to donate 50% of their honey. They don’t have enough honey for their own hive to survive the winter, so the request is a difficult one to abide by. Maya and her best friend Willie go the Empress and please their case.

The story line is easy to follow and suitable for the target audience. The vocabulary and concepts are also right on target. There is a lot of teamwork shown and sometimes Maya tries things on her own but soon realizes that is a mistake and relies on her friends to help. There are some consequences and they are repaired by the characters in a nice way. Each becomes more respectful of the others as time passes.

The visual appeal of this DVD is appropriate and interesting enough for the youth it was designed for. The DVD is animated and colorful and lively in action to keep the interests of the intended audiences. I feel that the storyline of this is quite entertaining for youth and the pictures of the bees are so cute! The characters on the cover are so interesting you wonder what kind of trouble are they about to get into!

In terms of the message of this story, as the story develops, we discover that the Empress and the Queen are actually sisters that do not get along. Towards the end they make up and realize they love each other and miss being together. Forgiveness becomes the overall theme as we see the sisters resolve their differences. Also, during the competition games the contestants learn a few lessons about fairness and love. I give this DVD 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 9.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Do you love Puppies and love to crochet? This book is a must-buy!

Dumpling Pups

Beginner- to intermediate-level crocheters will have a doggone good time with these 20 original patterns for dumpling-shaped dogs. Inspired by a Japanese collecting game, the guide offers full-color photos, simple diagrams, and easy-to-follow instructions that assist crafters in “collecting” all of the cuddly pups, each of which comes with its own charming story and personality points. Breeds include corgi, dachshund, pit bull, lab, and many others — a dog bed and bowl are also included.  This book has so many cute Puppy patterns in it! I love it!

And if you also like Cats….

Dumpling Cats

Waffles is a relaxed feline who loves to read, and Cheeks just can’t get enough to eat. These fun-loving characters are just two of the 25 dumpling-shaped crochet cats in this whimsical collection. The cuddly crochet critters were inspired by the Pokémon™-like craze Neko Atsume, a game that enables you to attract cats to your backyard and “collect” them. Each little dumpling has a name and personality points that add up to big fun!

Are they cute or what?!

Both books retail for $19.95 each and can be found at Dover Publications.

This next one is perfect if you have a High School or College student!

Success Skills for High School, College, and Career by Cary J. Green, PhD offers step-by-step guidelines and hands-on exercises to enable students to enhance their academic performance and prepare for future career success. I think this book is a must-read for students and parents too! I like that it has step-by-step guidelines and hands-on exercises that are helpful for high school and college-age students. It’s a great resource and I like that it teaches students how to be successful in school. It’s a real inspirational book that I highly recommend! It is available both in print and digital formats. This would make a great graduation gift too!

Find out more here! 

Are you looking for some Summer reading (not for the kids)….

​Chasing the Merry-Go-Round (memoir, special needs, personal growth) Life moves fast. Too fast for some people. This is the true story of what it’s like to live in a world where you can’t keep up. Bobby was ten months old when my mom and dad rescued him from birth parents who were slowly killing him. He was adopted into our family after a lengthy custody battle. Instead of that settling him, it set off a lifelong struggle to find a place to belong, a place to call home. Like an old-fashioned merry-go-round, the world moved at a speed that was just too fast for Bobby. He couldn’t keep up, which prevented him from keeping a job, a roof over his head, and the basics needed to survive. The life he dreamt of was always out of reach. No one knew why. While cultural ideals of what a “normal” life looks like can distort our perspective, Chasing the Merry-Go-Round allows readers to see the world through the eyes of a person with intellectual and physical disabilities, which can often be invisible, especially at first glance. It’s a story about struggle and hope, survival and resilience, and most of all, the gift of acceptance and love.

This book made me cry and it made me smile! I have worked in Child Abuse and Domestic Violence (still do) so this book hit close to home with me. This is a wonderful book that really shows the struggle and how it is to have intellectual and physical disabilities. I recommend this one highly!

​Sanity Lost & Found (Memoir, abuse, cult, personal growth, inspirational) How do we become victims of our own irrationality? What makes us vulnerable to the predators among us? Why would an otherwise sensitive, intelligent woman allow herself to return again and again to her abuser? How do we stop the erosion of our self-worth?

Simultaneously recognizable and horrifying, we see parts of ourselves and our own vulnerabilities in this compelling story of one woman’s descent into and climb out of the abyss.

For anyone who has ever allowed themselves to be victimized, for anyone who has ever doubted their value, for anyone wanting to protect their children from such vulnerabilities, SANITY LOST & FOUND is a compelling, informative, and inspirational read that weaves together the how and why for such vulnerabilities and the components necessary for recovery and transformation.

This one shows how emotional and mental abuse can really have a negative impact. If you want more understanding of why a woman continues to go back to an abuser…this book may help you have more understanding.

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to feature as featured books. Cover images and Videos were also received to use in this post. 

Follow the Little Prince, a hero of multiple generations, as he experiences brand new adventures with iconic characters based on the masterpiece by Antoine de St. Exupéry. In The Planet of the Rose, the Little Prince believes he has succeeded in getting rid of the Snake after a deadly battle. He can now finally continue to find the Rose’s planet for his dear Rose. When the Little Prince and Rose reach the planet of the Rose, strange crabs live on the surface and are hardly hospitable. There is no trace of vegetation and no trace of the Rose people. Convinced they have reached the wrong destination, the Little Prince is ready to leave when they find some of the people. However, the Rose people are asleep and fossilized. The Little Prince and Rose need to bring them back to life. Unfortunately, that’s not all they will need to do as the Little Prince’s enemy, the Snake, hasn’t died after all. Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13 comments, “Once again, the little prince and the adorable Rose are getting back together and it’s fantastic how everything is all happy and joyous for their reunion.” Kimberly M., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror adds, “I truly enjoyed watching this show. Based on the book series, it has a ring of positivity to it. The Little Prince is an incredibly good and popular book series and a wonderfully animated film series.” See their full reviews below.

The Little Prince: The Planet of the Rose

By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

Once again, the little prince and the adorable Rose are getting back together and it’s fantastic how everything is all happy and joyous for their reunion.

And it’s very fun and interesting and I absolutely love this DVD. The thing about this story, which is very fun and adorable is that they put a new twist on it. And there are lots of new characters as well as old characters from the series. I absolutely love that they brought the King and the Salesclerk back. I really like that they add new characters to the old ones we love and adore. Everyone will have a character that they can relate to. It is really fun and I love the scene when the Fox comes and they get knocked off the rope and then he gets to meet the King and the Salesclerk again. It’s a glorious movie, very hilarious and silly, which I like. Also, the Little Prince is, once again, a fantastic character. He is definitely my favorite character because he has a lot of wonderful traits. He’s very kind and generous, which is glorious. At the same time, he serves as a great role model, and one that kids should see more often. It is good to see someone take their duties seriously, especially helping others. That’s what we get in the prince, all the time. I also love little Rose. She’s very adorable. She is very funny when she is arguing with the Fox. The two of them are just like yin and yang.

Now, one thing that is just fascinating about this show is the animation. If you think about it, when you look at it you think, “Wow! I’m stunned.” I think this show is something that will inspire many young children who might think about traveling to another the moon or Mars. I think that idea is fascinating. I have always loved astronauts. That’s what makes this DVD so perfect. The animation is so detailed and colorful and each planet has its own unique twist and turns. By just using words, a little bit of script and then adding all the colors in the DVD make this show perfect. I love that the animation seems to be a mix of anime and origami. They work perfectly together.

I really love that this show is something the entire family can enjoy together. I think it’s suitable for ages 5 to 18, as well as adults. I definitely give this 5 out of 5 stars. This is available now on DVD so be sure to check it out! You don’t want to miss this one.

The Little Prince: The Planet of the Rose

By Kimberly Mullins, KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror

https://youtu.be/gVAaa-bemQ4

I truly enjoyed watching this show. Based on the book series, it has a ring of positivity to it. The Little Prince is an incredibly good and popular book series and a wonderfully animated film series. The symbolisms associated with Rose, the Fox and the Snake may be lost on the youngest viewers. However, school-age children will benefit from an increased imaginative mindset and the good vs. evil theme. The flow of the story lags a bit at times, but it is quite pleasant to watch. The Little Prince is definitely a positive role model in terms of protecting the ones he loves such as Rose and other protagonists. They all help each other out of peril like when the spirits help Fox from falling into outer space. The computer animation is exceptional. The characters, locale, and colors are easy for viewers to identify with.

One aspect that really stands out are the geographical indicators notating inter-dimensional aspects of outer space. The cover design showing the Little Prince looking out into the distance along with Rose is big, colorful and enticing. Young people would enjoy this film because it is adventurous, the setting is unusual and the graphics are terrific.

The Little Prince series is based upon the teachings of Saint Exupery and holds morals based upon religious values. Although secular in tone, the theme of good overtaking evil is important for children to hear in order to give them hope in this world. The adventure of outer space will draw most children in. This film might get children thinking about other planets and the science of astronomy and geography. It definitely will expand their imaginations. Questioning and probing take place. For example, when the Little Prince talks about traveling to the Rose planet and the Geographer states that they might possibly be “lost forever in infinity” while trying to voyage there. The Little Prince determines it is worth the risk for Rose.

There are no bonus features on the DVD. One issue I have is that when you stop the movie and come back to it later, it starts all over at the beginning. It does not start where it left off, which is a nuisance. Also, there are no foreign language subtitles, which is something I missed.  I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 13, as well as adults. It is available on DVD now, so check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!