Archives for 2023

Every Sunday after cereal, Sam and Mom walk to the laundromat, wash their clothes, and see their friends. But this Sunday is different. Today, doing laundry means packing clean clothes in boxes to move away. Sam doesn’t want to leave their neighborhood and friends. Maybe if they hope with all their might, they can turn a washing machine into a wishing machine! Sam’s imagination transforms the mundane into a series of wonders as they cope with change and learn the true meaning of home.

The Wishing Machine is a warm and loving depiction of a diverse, working-class neighborhood. The story tenderly depicts the sadness that comes with moving away as the mundane laundromat transforms into a world of colorful possibility and hope through Sam’s childlike eyes. This wonder-filled perspective perfectly captures the nuanced feelings involved with change and big life transitions and makes it deeply relatable to any imaginative young reader.

This is a delightful story and I loved the characters and the illustrations!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonathan Hillman is a graduate of Hamline University’s Writing for Children and Young Adults (MFAC) program, where he received the Walden Pond Press Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Grade Fiction. His essay and poems are featured in the Fat & Queer anthology, and he is the author of picture books Big Wig and The Wishing Machine. He lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his two cats. Visit him at JHillmanBooks.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Nadia Alam is a second-generation Bangladeshi Canadian illustrator. She lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, son, and dog named Momo. The Wishing Machine is her first book for children. Visit her online at NadiaAlamIllustration.com.

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to facilitate this post. Information and images were also provided.

A typical summer for four young friends becomes the adventure of a lifetime when they notice that something is amiss at their favorite swimming spot as their friends and family begin falling ill.  When they discover that the local factory is dumping harmful chemicals into the town’s water, they must expose the truth and figure out how to stop the pollution and save the town before it’s too late.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Sydney S. comments, “I really like the hilarious adventure film, Little Heroes. It has a suspenseful storyline that kept me engaged and is a wonderful comfort movie!” Eshaan M. adds, “The casting of Little Heroes is a high point, as is its production quality. Coleman Christian as Robbie and Max Gerstenberg as Brewster are the stars of the cast; it’s evident they paid attention to even the littlest nuances in playing their characters.” See their full reviews below.

Little Heroes

By Sydney S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

I really like the hilarious adventure film, Little Heroes. It has a suspenseful storyline that kept me engaged and is a wonderful comfort movie!

This film is about a group of friends attempting to save their whole town before a factory releases harmful chemicals into their favorite lake. Will it be too late to stop the corrupt factory?

The characters in the friend group are Robbie (Coleman Christian), Brewster (Max Gerstenberg), Grace (Ashtine Besteda), and Eric (Corban Jaaz). Other main characters are Diana (Alexa Feldman), Drew Brewster (Brian Stever), and Kerri Smithson (Brittany Goodwin). The characters’ interactions are entertaining and they make me feel like I’m in the scene with them. I really admire that despite hardships in their lives, Robbie, Brewster, Grace, and Eric always show up for each other. This is shown when Robbie has a deep conversation with Brewster about his dad working extra hours to make more money. Audiences could relate to this on a personal level. Robbie is a supportive friend, as are the others. I also like the diversity in the friend group. From interests to feminism, everyone in the audience is represented in some way in the group. They are all completely different but get along. Next, I applaud the director and writers, Brittany Goodwin, Doug Maddox, and Jeremiah Wiseblood. They created a suspenseful storyline with an interesting resolution (you’ll have to wait and see!) The film is slow at times but it eventually picks up the pace. The camerawork is shaky when there’s a lot of action, and closeups when the scene feels more intimate. The sets are well-made, too. I like their clubhouse because it looks like the perfect hangout place. The watering hole, town ice cream shop, and factory look realistic, as well. There’s tension in the music when Brewster sneaks into the factory. All of these little details enhance the movie overall. My favorite part of the film is the characters Grace and Diana. They’re both strong female leaders and I like their personalities. 

The message of this film is that community is the only thing that matters. Love comes before money, power, and success. Brewster’s dad figures this out. Another message is that teamwork makes the dream work. Also, Robbie mentions to Brewster that he has “friends that love him,” which is an important reminder. 

I give Little Heroes 4 out of 5 stars and recommend this for ages 8 to 12. Little Heroes comes out October 17, 2023 on VOD. 

Little Heroes

By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

With a simple but engaging story and strong casting, Little Heroes is the perfect film to culminate your summer with! 

Little Heroes takes place in a small town where four young friends — Robbie (Coleman Christian), Brewster (Max Gerstenberg), Eric (Corban Jazz) and Grace (Ashtine Besteda) — are enjoying their summer break. Brewster’s father works in a factory which gets a contract with the town government. He soon finds out that the factory plans to expand their operations, and as a byproduct, is dumping hazardous chemicals into a lake where his son and his friends swim. The friend group catches wind of this and realizes they must use their wits to find a solution.

The casting of Little Heroes is a high point, as is its production quality. Coleman Christian as Robbie and Max Gerstenberg as Brewster are the stars of the cast; it’s evident they paid attention to even the littlest nuances in playing their characters. Director and producer Brittany Goodwin has taken all the pains to ensure that every audiovisual element of the film is perfectly tuned. The score by Andrei Shulgach comes off a little bit like stock music, but it does suit the film. It’s similar with the costumes, which fit the film’s eclectic characters but somehow seem snatched out of a children’s book. My personal favorite is the set design by Jennifer Dopp, Donald Imm and Craig Weaver, and the editing and color-correction by Justin Moe and Cinegach Studios. The town in which Little Heroes takes place looks picture-perfect, and every frame is vibrant. I also enjoyed how the plot came together; sure, it is predictable at some points, but there are other plot points (including a romance!) that come out of nowhere. The script feels a little bit forced and the chemistry between Brewster and his father doesn’t really work for me; their relationship feels unnatural. 

Little Heroes promotes teamwork, caring for our environment, and friendship. It also shows that our individual talents are what help us most in times of crisis. It’s a great film for young viewers interested in conservation and those who are fans of realistic fiction. Parents should know that the children do wander around on their own in the film and do risky things like jumping into a biohazardous lake. Also, one character nearly drowns. 

I give Little Heroes 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. The film releases on October 17, 2023 on demand. 

Trailer:

A magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The Mighty Pups.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kendall B. comments, “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is fantastically entertaining for younger viewers, with its fun storyline, bright colors and adorable characters. There are so many fun scenes that younger kids will enjoy. I really enjoyed the music choices in this film – it’s a good mix of popular songs that different age groups will recognize and they are placed at nice points of the movie.” See her full review below.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

By Kendall B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

If you need a new movie to keep your young ones entertained check out PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. It has everything kids love and more.

After a meteor strikes Adventure City, damaging their Pup Tower – the PAW Patrol finds themselves with superpowers. But the pups soon realize they’re in danger because Humdinger and mad scientist Victoria Vance are after these superpowers to make themselves into ultimate supervillains. It’s up to Ryder and his team of mighty puppies to keep what is theirs as they learn that truly no pup is too small.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is fantastically entertaining for younger viewers, with its fun storyline, bright colors and adorable characters. There are so many fun scenes that younger kids will enjoy. I really enjoyed the music choices in this film – it’s a good mix of popular songs that different age groups will recognize and they are placed at nice points of the movie. The filmtakes place in Adventure City and the animators really excel in the attention to detail in creating the city as well as the other settings throughout the film. My favorite scene is when Sky tells Chase about her backstory; it is a really sentimental point of the film and is super sweet.

The theme of PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is that if you believe in yourself you can do anything. Sky spends most of the movie contemplating her size because she’s the smallest in the group, but in the end she learns that her size doesn’t determine whether she can be a hero, she just has to believe in herself. Ryder says throughout the movie, “no pup too small.” The pups learn the importance of this throughout the movie when they realize they all must work together to keep their powers.

I give PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 8. It releases in theaters September 29, 2023.

 MY CAT DOES BALLET by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by Matt Schu will make cat lovers and ballet fans rejoice everywhere (on sale 10/17/23). In this quirky story, a boy shares his love of ballet with his cat who can dance pas de deux and grand jetés—unlike everyone else’s ordinary cats.

My Cat Does Ballet is a lighthearted, joyful book that opens the door for all kids to explore the delights of ballet, regardless of their gender. Readers will be introduced to ballet terms and famous dancers in an accessible and fun story. The backmatter includes a glossary of the ballet terms that are mentioned throughout as well as a brief description of all the famous dancers, past and present, the characters are named after. This is a fun read for children who love cats!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Heidbreder was born in Quincy, Illinois, and later moved to Vancouver, BC, where he became an award-winning primary school teacher. Living in Vancouver, he discovered his love of ballet. He attends as many performances as he and his wife can. Their two cats sadly have to stay at home. My Cat Does Ballet is his twenty-first picture book. Visit him at RobertHeidbreder.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Matt Schu is the illustrator of Cut!: How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation by C.E. Winters and My Cat Does Ballet by Robert Heidbreder. Due to growing up in the Pacific Northwest, he draws a lot of trees, houses, and cloudy skies. He lives with his cat in Portland, Oregon, and she can do an impressive tour en l’air. Visit him at Matt-Schu.com.

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to feature. A cover image was also provided.