Whether it’s a child’s very first day of school or they’re prepping to rejoin their friends to start the new school year, Netflix is the go-to destination for kids and family viewing with new and returning series and films.

This fall ushers in the debut of new series including Mighty MonsterWheelies, Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase, Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld and Our Oceans joining a robust line up of returning fan favorite shows like Gabby’s Dollhouse, Hot Wheels Let’s Race and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. A new spooky special, The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist will get fans in the Halloween spirit. Families can also look forward to films that viewers of all ages can enjoy like Spellbound, That Christmas and Migration. 

Here’s what’s coming this season with new images and date announcements highlighted: 

NEW & RETURNING PRESCHOOL AND KIDS SERIES

Preschool

Gabby’s Dollhouse: Season 10 (Available Now)

CoComelon Lane: The Nursery Rhyme Musical (August 19)

Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Season 2 (September 9) 

Mighty MonsterWheelies (October 14) 

Wonderoos: Season 2 (November 18) 

The Creature Cases: Chapter 4 (December 2) 

Kids

The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist (October 3) 

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 2 (October 17) 

Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase (November 1) 

Pokémon Horizons: The Series, Part 4 (November 22) 

The Dragon Prince: Season 7 (December 19) 

Our Oceans (Fall 2024)

Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld 

FAMILY FILMS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Animated Films

Migration (August 19)

Spellbound (November 22)  

That Christmas (December 6)  

Parents and caregivers can find more ways for kids to enjoy their favorite characters and shows through fun and engaging activities and resources like:  

NEW PODCAST EPISODES

• Bedtime Stories with Netflix Jr.  – Parents love these bedtime stories designed to help your little ones relax and sleep – now with new episodes featuring Wonderoos, Gabby’s Dollhouse and The Creature Cases. 
• Popcorn Brainstorm! Jokes & Trivia for Kids – Share a bowl of popcorn and test your brainpower with new episodes dropping throughout the fall featuring Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,Spellbound and The Dragon Prince.

NETFLIX FAMILY

• NetflixFamily.com – Find free printable activities, DIYs, recipes, and more for kids of all ages and stages
• Netflix Family Magazine – A FREE magazine filled with games, stories, and stickers featuring the Netflix characters you know and love. Sign up to receive upcoming issues in the mail HERE. 

Credit: Netflix.

440 Games, Puzzles & Brain Boosters Specially Designed to Keep Your Mind Sharp by Nancy Linde; (On-sale 8/27/24; $19.99; ISBN 9781523518036)

A brand-new collection of puzzles, trivia, and brainteasers from the bestselling series, improve your long-term memory, working memory, executive functioning, attention to detail, multitasking, and processing speed with these fun daily challenges.

This book is full of fun games! I really enjoyed the trivia and brainteasers!

PLAY OUTSIDE WITH ME  by Kat Chen (bestselling romance author also known as Jade Lee) and illustrated by Lorraine Nam, encourages kids to be confident in their decisions as they go through a variety of questions that develop their social skills. The first book in this series, Play with Me, has already won a Literary Titan Gold Standard Award and the Story Monsters Ink Award.

About the creators of PLAY OUTSIDE WITH ME:

Kat Chen is the author of several bestselling contemporary and historical romance books. She also serves on the advisory board for Books for Newborns. After becoming a grandmother and spending most of her free time helping with “the fun stuff”— conversations, crayons, and crawling—she was inspired to delve into children’s books and help kids master the art of simple conversation through shared play.

Lorraine Nam is an illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. She was born in Philadelphia and spent her childhood drawing pictures and folding origami to pass the time at her parents’ jewelry store. She now spends her days combining those two loves to create her illustrations. She is the illustrator of the picture book biography on Neil deGrasse Tyson, Look Up With Me, and the upcoming Wei Skates On, by Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen.

MY HANDS CAN (Rise x Penguin Workshop; on sale now) by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Sabrena Khadija focuses on body affirming practices as it displays multiple points of views providing kids with a profound understanding and appreciation of everything their hands can do. From using chopsticks to eat, to communicating in sign language, it’s perfect for kids in their early ages as they begin to learn and ask questions about their bodies.

About the creators of MY HANDS CAN:

Ammi-Joan Paquette spent her formative years moving from place to place, which left her with an insatiable curiosity about the wide world and everything in it. A voracious reader since early childhood, she’s thrilled to now be able to share her stories with readers everywhere. She lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where she balances her own writing and her day job as a literary agent.

Sabrena Khadija is a Sierra Leonean-American illustrator based in Washington, D.C. She has done editorial work for several clients, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Google, NYLON, and Society6. This is her third illustrated children’s book following Ride, Roll, Run and Bing, Bop, Bam.

Self Disclosure: I received the above books for free to be featured in books of the week. Cover images and information were also received.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will be newly releasing Succession: The Complete Series on Blu-ray. Get ready to binge on all 39 episodes from HBO’s Emmy® award-winning original series, along with all the previously released special features. The brilliant high-stakes drama following the Roy Family and their quest for power will be available to purchase online on August 27. Pre-order your copy today.

Succession stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas Braun, J. Smith-Cameron, Peter Friedman, David Rasche, and Fisher Stevens.

The series was created by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy, and Will Ferrell. Jesse Armstrong served as showrunner.

Succession earned an impressive 75 Emmy® nominations and 19 wins over its four-season run. The series achieved a remarkable streak, being nominated for Outstanding Drama Series throughout all four seasons and securing the Emmy® win three times (2020, 2022, 2023). In its fourth and final season, Succession dominated the Emmy® field with 27 nominations and secured six wins, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor, and Outstanding Lead Actress. The season also set a new record for Golden Globe TV award nominations with nine total and winning four, including Best Television Series (Drama) — its third win in that category. Further adding to its accolades, Succession was honored at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

SYNOPSIS:

Power, politics, money…it’s all in the family in this provocative, satirical series about a highly dysfunctional dynasty. When the aging patriarch of one of the world’s largest media conglomerates considers retirement, his family members position themselves for a takeover. But tensions rise as corporate battles threaten to turn into a family civil war in this sharp, scathing, binge-worthy series.

Pricing and series information:

Succession: The Complete Series

Includes all 39 episodes from all four seasons, plus over 20 bonus features including Inside the Episode featurettes, Character Recaps, Cast and Crew Interviews and more!

PRODUCT                    

Blu-ray                             

Audio: English SDH

Subtitles: English

Running Time: 2,340 minutes

Rated: TV-MA

Credit: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (WBDHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels.  WBDHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.

A sweeping family adventure, My Penguin Friend is a triumphant tale of friendship between a lonely father and a little lost penguin who recharges his spirit and heals his family with an unshakable, ocean-crossing loyalty. Humble fisherman João (Jean Reno) has turned away from the world in the wake of tragedy. But when he discovers a penguin drifting alone in the ocean, drenched in oil from a spill, his first instinct is to help. To his wife’s (Adriana Barraza) dismay, he not only rescues the sea creature, but takes the flightless bird under his wing. For the first time in years João starts to feel joy, even if he cannot fathom just how unbreakable a bond is being formed.  When the penguin suddenly disappears back into the immense wilds of the ocean, João believes it is impossible that he will ever see his friend again. But thousands of miles away, the penguin is caught in misadventures of his own, determined to use his unique GPS-like powers to find his way back to the place he now considers home. Based on an emotional true story that riveted the world and filmed on the spectacular coasts of Brazil and Argentina, My Penguin Friend is a tale that traverses the magic of the ocean, the beauty of nature, and the transformative power of love. 

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Braedyn M. comments, “I love My Penguin Friend!  By the time this charming and heartfelt true story was over, I wanted my own cute and curious penguin pal. The thing that stands out to me the most in this movie is the penguin, Din Dim.” His full review and interview are below and here is Zoe C.’s interview with the star and director:  

My Penguin Friend
By Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

I love My Penguin Friend!  By the time this charming and heartfelt true story was over, I wanted my own cute and curious penguin pal.

The story revolves around Joao (Jean Reno), an old fisherman who has been lonely most of his life.  That is, until he meets Din Dim the penguin.  Drenched in oil, the frail penguin is taken care of by Joao till he regains his strength.  While caring for Din Dim, Joao begins to feel an emotion he hasn’t felt in a long time – happy.  When Din Dim leaves unexpectedly one morning, Joao is certain he will never see Din Dim again.  However, unknown to Joao, a bond has been formed that not even the widest ocean can break, and it is only a matter of time before the little one returns.

The thing that stands out to me the most in this movie is the penguin, Din Dim.  I’m not sure if an actual trained penguin was used in this film or very sharp CGI.  I’m guessing he’s real.  Din Dim is very excited while exploring Joao’s house, even though Joao’s wife, Ma (Adriana Barraza) doesn’t approve.  He rummages through toilet paper, scarfs down fish, and makes a burrow out of old trinkets he finds.  He is quite humorous and cute at the same time. I also really like the credits at the beginning; it has a cool painted compass design, with lots of details.  The plot is a bit hard to follow at first, and I didn’t understand it fully till later in the film.  But, the chemistry between Joao, Maria, and Din Dim is spot on.  Joao cares for the penguin deeply; Maria only tolerates having a wild animal in her home. And, Din Dim causes loads of chaos, making it lots of fun for everybody.  The background music, composed by Fernando Velázquez, really brings everything together with music that highlights what an emotional story this is.

The film’s message is about the loyalty that comes from caring for an animal. Joao cares for Din Dim, and the little penguin becomes a companion to Joao, making both of them very happy.  After a while, even Maria starts to play with Din Dim. 

I give My Penguin Friend 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. My Penguin Friend releases in theaters on August 16 2024.  Go check it out!

For more reviews of the latest films rated PG13 or younger, be sure to visit https://www.kidsfirst.org. Support our KIDS FIRST! Film Critic by donating to our annual fundraising campaign: https://fundrazr.com/kidsfirstglobal?ref=ab_bCo1e4

Trailer:

The all-new Paramount+ original 2D animated series, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, explores the adventures of everyone’s favorite pizza-loving heroes as they emerge from the sewers onto the streets of NYC. Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey are faced with new threats and team up with old allies to survive both teenage life and villains lurking in the shadows of the Big Apple.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ryan M. comments, “KICK! SMASH! And Pizza! You know what this calls for? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! They are back with a lot of battles against… robots. This series is really good. I just love how each ninja has its moment. It is just so amazing – especially learning the reason that each of them has their own friend or has created something. This story is a new story. There are no monsters but a lot of robots.” See his full review and talent interviews below.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Ryan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

KICK! SMASH! And Pizza! You know what this calls for? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! They are back with a lot of battles against… robots. As a big fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a lover of action animated series, I love Tales Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The storyline follows Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu) writing an adventure story about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where a lady named Bishop (Alanna Ubach) wants to eliminate them for destroying her lab. In the adventure, they all learn from different experiences: Raphael (Brady Noon) learns how to distract; Donatello (Shamon Brown Jr) learns how to go beast mode; Michelangelo (Micah Abbey) finds out how to make better strategies and Leonardo unlocks his independence. Plus, they team up to fight Bishop.

This series is really good. I just love how each ninja has its moment. It is just so amazing – especially learning the reason that each of them has their own friend or has created something. This story is a new story. There are no monsters but a lot of robots. The story was written by Seth Rogen. It is just amazing how we dig into Leonardo’s comedic personality. That is really cool. The animation is really cool. One of my favorite parts is when Leonardo explains to the Turtles how to take down Bishop — such a good plan. And, I also love that the background is not perfect 3D or perfect 2D animation; it is a comic sketch in the background. They tried to make it resemble a comic book and I love that. I really love how every character except Leonardo makes a plan on their own and they all use the same line: that Leo’s job. When they get back together and fight Bishop it is the best fight of the series and is awesome. The character animation by James A. Castillo is outstanding; I love the suits they have at Bishop’s factory. 

The show’s message is to always take advice because you never know when you will need it – just like every ninja. There is some negative language used; at some times the word idiot is used.

I give Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. This film begins streaming on Paramount+ August 9, 2024.