Archives for August 2025

Celebrate Summer-ween with JAZZY THE WITCH IN BROOM DOOM by Jessixa Bagley.

JAZZY THE WITCH IN BROOM DOOM  is about a charming and quirky young witch who struggles to fit in.

In her town full of witches, Jazzy’s always been a little bit different. She’s not excited about magic. She forgets the steps to spells. And even though her parents run the town’s broom shop, she doesn’t want to fly.

Then, one day, she discovers what she was born to do: cycling! Now she just has to find a way to get a bicycle…and learn how to ride it. But will her new passion come between her and her best friend—and possibly get her in big trouble?

This lovable new character from Jessixa is perfect for those who enjoy the Halloween spirit year-round.

Children will fall in love with this character, and I highly recommend this book!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BUG?: Eric Carle and 14 other beloved children’s book artists illustrate their favorite bugs and explain why they love them.

This is such a fun and educational book for young children! What a wonderful way to learn about bugs!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?: Eric Carle and 14 other best-loved picture book artists answer the classic kid question: What’s your favorite color?

I love this fun book about colors, and it inspired my youngest reviewer (age 5) to create her very own version after she read this one with me.

The Adventures of You by Ellen Forney (August 12^th, 2025; Workman Kids; $12.99), an interactive guide for kids about how to create their own comics, young readers can turn their love of graphic novels and comics into a form of self-expression. This book acts like a comics toolbox, giving kids tips and tools to help kids tell their own stories as comics.  I love how creative this book is and it’s so much fun!

Celebrate Summerween on the road! Haunted USA, is the perfect addition for adding a sprinkle of ghoulish fun to a summer vacation.

Haunted USA is a treasure trove of supernatural scares from each of the 50 states, with eerie illustrations and sensitively-told tales for 9–12-year-olds. Whether you’re after a campfire fright, a slice of local lore, or a traditional tale to sink your teeth into, Haunted USA is a rich anthology from the land of the really, really brave.

Have you ever heard of the chocolate-loving ghost of Iowa, or Delaware’s specter who can’t stand sneezing? How about tales that are older than the USA itself, from Hawaii’s Night Marchers to the ancient Sleeping Buffalo Rock of Montana (which may not be quite so asleep after all)? Haunted USA is a treasure trove of supernatural scares from each of the 50 states, providing families with a detailed roadmap for the perfect spooky summer road trip. I found this book so interesting and 9-12 years will love it! I learned so much from reading it!

Happy Reading!

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to facilitate this post. Cover images were also provided.

In Freakier Friday, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice. 

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Juliana S. comments, “Freakier Friday is one of the funniest and most heartwarming movies that I have seen in a long time. The movie shows just how much stepping into another person’s shoes can change one’s perspective.” Valeria M. adds, “

Freakier Friday

By Juliana S, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Freakier Friday is one of the funniest and most heartwarming movies that I have seen in a long time. The movie shows just how much stepping into another person’s shoes can change one’s perspective.

Freakier Friday is a new and funny spin off of the classic movie Freaky Friday. The movie follows Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) and her teenage daughter, Harper (Julia Butters) as they navigate their busy lives. After an interesting event, they are left with swapped bodies and an entire new world to explore. As they are trying to find a way to switch back, the two are also discovering the hardships of each other’s lives. With jobs, relationships, and social status, Anna and Harper are in for the ride.

One actress that made a lasting impression on me is Julia Butters – she plays the spirited Harper Coleman. Butters brings a bright energy to the screen using her voice, posture, and subtle facial expressions to create a lively Harper. She is able to balance quick wit with vulnerability, often revealing her character’s deepest thoughts in a single glance. Butters aptly captures the awkwardness, curiosity, and emotional shifts of a teenage girl perfectly. Her performance drew me into the movie, seeing myself in Harper’s journey. Lindsay Lohan also captured my attention, as she reclaims the spotlight as Anna Coleman in this sequel. Lohan brings a new sense of growth to Anna, mixing her charismatic charm with a new maturity that reflects her journeys over the years. Lindsay uses her vocal and facial expressions, as well as body movements, to convey the complexities of life and love, while holding onto her playful and free spirit. Lohan’s reactions are as impactful as her lines, revealing layers of Anna that were not visible before. She creates a character who feels both nostalgic and new, forming a mix of the past and present.

The film’s message is that one should never judge someone else until they have walked in their shoes and experienced what they have gone through. The movie is very successful in allowing a character to take a step back and see how other people have problems too.

I give Freakier Friday 5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. Freakier Friday releases in theatres on August 8, 2025.

Freakier Friday

By Valerie M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

I’m confused by how I feel towards Freakier Friday. It has its good qualities that made me laugh, but other parts made me look away and cringe.

The storyline is about Harper (Julia Butters), a teenage girl having to deal with one of her worst enemies, Lily (Sophia Hammons), as her soon-to-be step sister. At her mother’s bachelorette party, two palm readings lead them to switching bodies with Harper’s mom Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and grandma Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis). With both vowing to break up their parents’ engagement and upcoming wedding, we follow the girls as they try multiple ways to ruin that relationship.

This movie is a roller coaster in every way possible. From time to time, it feels like common sense just goes out the window. For example, it’s as if Anna and Tess don’t understand that nobody knows that Harper and Lily are in adult bodies now, so they don’t have to listen to anyone. Also, the jokes are sort of hit or miss. There are moments when I was barely able to hold back a laugh and other times that I looked away in embarrassment. None of this is enough to ruin the film, but one thing that does ruin the movie is Lily. Her character lacks any depth – she never really even attempts to apologize for what she does. Plus, all her supposedly smart comeback comments are just insults. It seems that the creators were going for a sassy character who is trying to cover-up her pain, but they ended up creating a mean girl who never needs to fix her mistakes because everyone immediately forgives her. I did enjoy the songs and I love the views of LA. The sets made me feel like the city is alive; it’s like the city is a character in the film in its own way. I love the way the colors pop out and make everything more vibrant. They don’t dim even in more heartfelt scenes because the beauty of LA is always there, even in heartbreak, which is a beautiful idea.

The film’s message reminds us that what you want isn’t always what you need, and sometimes changes are good.  Note that there are suggestive jokes but nothing outright explicit.

I give Freakier Friday 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18. It releases in theaters on August 8, 2025.

The story’s hero insect dreams of becoming a butterfly and being able to fly. He hears of a powerful white spider that has discovered the secret of making beautiful butterflies. Setting out to find this spider, he befriends other insects and must face his fears and rely on friends.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic IvyJoy C. comments, “The Secret of Butterflies is an enjoyable, fun-to-watch movie with good animation and voice acting. The film’s message is to be careful who you trust and don’t believe everything you hear. It also reminds us that we are great just the way we are, and don’t let your own ambitions cloud your judgment.” KIDS FIRST! Adult juror Julie S. adds, “In the world of anthropomorphic insects, comes The Secret of Butterflies! Talking insects – butterfly parents that have the same types of concerns that human parents do and live in houses that I could move into next week – I was captivated by this story. It shows the power of perseverance and friendship.” See their full reviews below.

The Secret of Butterflies
By IvyJoy C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

The Secret of Butterflies is an enjoyable, fun-to-watch movie with good animation and voice acting.

This storyline follows an adventurous insect named Ryan (Ryan Bartley) whose wish is to become a butterfly so that he can fly. Ryan hears rumors of a mysterious white spider called Liam who has the magical ability of transforming insects into butterflies and ventures off with his friend on a journey to make his dreams come true only to learn that this devious white spider isn’t all that he seems. Ryan and his friends must battle through an army of little bugs to save innocent butterflies and defeat Liam once and for all.

This film tells a good story and is perfect for younger children. This film was originally made in Iran by Ali Tanhaee, who directed the dubbing for this English version. To his credit, the voice actors fit the characters perfectly. The animation is a highlight of the film; the colors are vibrant when appropriate and the foliage stands out. The characters are quite well illustrated – their eyes stand out, as they are deep and realistic looking. However, they feel a bit rigid and unnatural, and the core designs of the characters are very redundant. While I like the story, at times the dialogue seems unnaturally translated from the original, like when Liam says, “I always love when things happen, especially when I am the one who makes everything happen.” What this film lacks in character portrayal, it makes up for in the movements of elements such as fire, wind, and water. My favorite part is the classic moment where good triumphs over evil, and Liam is defeated.

The film’s message is to be careful who you trust and don’t believe everything you hear. It also reminds us that we are great just the way we are, and don’t let your own ambitions cloud your judgment. Note that it contains mild violence and fighting, but nothing too extreme.

I give The Secret of Butterflies 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. You can find this film on VOD and digital platforms beginning August 5, 2025.

The Secret of Butterflies
By Julie S., KIDS FIRST!

In the world of anthropomorphic insects, comes The Secret of Butterflies! Talking insects – butterfly parents that have the same types of concerns that human parents do and live in houses that I could move into next week – I was captivated by this story. It shows the power of perseverance and friendship.

The story’s villain is a powerful white spider who claims to have discovered the secret of making beautiful butterflies.

The film begins in a peaceful butterfly village, where we follow a butterfly family in their daily life. The animation is a highlight—the characters are well-defined, and the forest background looks stunningly realistic. This tranquility is shattered when a villainous spider burns down the village, killing the butterfly boy, Ryan’s, father. Ryan escapes, but years later, we find him trapped in a human’s basement, dreaming of the day he can fly and become a butterfly. He escapes into the wilderness, where he encounters a group of bullying insects. Ryan, however, has some impressive martial arts skills and manages to fight them off. Later, he stumbles upon the Golden Butterfly Show, a competition where he feels out of place. Discouraged, he runs away until his new friend comforts him and suggests seeking out a witch named Liam, who can supposedly turn him into a butterfly. Ryan sets off in search of Liam, only to discover that Liam is the very same white spider who destroyed his village. Captured, Ryan learns the spider’s history from one of the guards before being rescued by his new friends. The film culminates in a duel between Ryan and his friends and the white spider. Ryan is nearly defeated, but his friends remind him that he only needs to flap his wings to fly. It’s through the power of teamwork that they finally defeat the spider and free the captured butterflies. Kudos to filmmaker Ali Tanhaee for creating such a unique and colorful story. For its North American release, Vision Films created a full English-language dub featuring Innes Maas, Tara MacPherson, Jaryd Pilay, David Wilke, Jake Maisel, and Janeke Huisamen.

The film’s message is about finding yourself and working together with others as a team. Be aware that there is a lot of fighting, bullying and burning down a home.

I give The Secret of Butterflies 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. You can find it on VOD and digital platforms beginning August 5, 2025.

When a young girl’s sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life—unpredictable, chaotic, and dangerously real. As the town unravels, she and her brother must track down the creatures before they leave permanent damage. Their father, racing to find them through the fallout, must navigate a town in crisis to reunite his family and stop the disaster they never meant to unleash.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ruhi K. comments, “Sketch is a heartwarming family movie brought to life by dynamic characters and bright, whimsical special effects. Complete with expressive acting and plenty of humor, the film tells a powerful story in a creative package.” See her full review below.

Sketch

By Ruhi K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Sketch is a heartwarming family movie brought to life by dynamic characters and bright, whimsical special effects. Complete with expressive acting and plenty of humor, the film tells a powerful story in a creative package.

The storyline follows Amber (Bianca Belle) and Jack Wyatt (Kue Lawrence), who are navigating life after the loss of their mother. Amber has a unique way of expressing her grief — she draws. Every negative thought that enters her mind is transformed into an evil creature, tucked away in the safety of her sketchbook — or so she thinks. Colorful chaos ensues when she accidentally drops her book into a magical pond, unaware of its power to lift her creations out of their pages and into reality.

I commend the cast members for their terrific performances. Bianca Belle stuns as Amber, displaying strong emotions ranging from pent-up anguish and explosions of anger, to a subdued longing and eventually, to acceptance. Amber is a multifaceted character — she expresses her emotions through her drawings, but early in the film, she tries to hide her vulnerability, often resulting in outbursts that she can’t control. The expressive disposition, maintained throughout the movie, clearly shows how Belle has internalized Amber’s internal turmoil. We also witness Amber coming to terms with her turmoil as she watches her monsters soar through the sky – a moment that beautifully showcases the depth of Belle’s exceptional talent. Tony Hale, D’Arcy Carden and Calon Cox balance out Amber’s intensity and provide comic relief through their performances with both physical and verbal humor. They bring a suitable amount of levity to the film. I appreciate how the writers have sprinkled jokes throughout the film, while maintaining respect for its themes. Additionally, I like how director Seth Worley chooses to explore sensitive themes through the lens of magic and imagination. The use of monsters as metaphors for emotions surrounding grief makes it an easier concept to understand and to discuss. Having a visual of Jack and Amber “defeating” their emotions can help children dealing with a loss understand and process their own. I found reassurance that, like monsters, the pain of grief is complex but not everlasting; the way it presents itself changes with time, and it is possible to make peace with even the hardest realities.

The film’s message is a reminder that, while grieving is a universal experience, everyone processes it differently; healing is a unique journey.

I give Sketch 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. The Movie releases to theatres on August 6, 2025.

The Bad Guys 2 is a 2025 American animated heist comedy film loosely based on the children’s book series The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The sequel to The Bad Guys (2022), it was directed by Pierre Perifel, co-directed by JP Sans, and written by Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen. The film stars Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein, reprising their roles from the first film, with Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne joining the cast. The film sees the Bad Guys come out of retirement and join forces with an all-female criminal squad to perform one last heist.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Arjun N. comments, “DreamWorks continue their hot streak with a caper that doubles down on the charm and intrigue of the first. I loved the humor, heart, and high-octane thrills in The Bad Guys. Even if the film doesn’t completely transcend the first, it’s enjoyable to watch.” See his full review below.

The Bad Guys 2
By Arjun N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 23

DreamWorks continue their hot streak with a caper that doubles down on the charm and intrigue of the first. I loved the humor, heart, and high-octane thrills in The Bad Guys. Even if the film doesn’t completely transcend the first, it’s enjoyable to watch.

The Bad Guys have become the newly reformed Good Guys and they meet their greatest challenge yet, making it through job interviews with their reputation preceding them. After failure repeatedly dawns upon the group, the leader, Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) suggests that they use their skills to stop a squad of criminals, dubbed the Bad Girls, from stealing a prized wrestling belt. What should have been a simple job quickly turns into an orchestrated cat-and-mouse game with the Bad Girls that has immense repercussions – fortunately, this is just the job for the Good Guys.

The animation is on another level compared to the first – the fast-paced action feels electrifying while the emotions on the characters look real. It’s a testament to the gold standard of animation that DreamWorks offers. Notably, a sequence involving a space station is tastefully over-the-top with breathtaking visuals that had me in awe. One shortcoming is that some of the jokes didn’t land as well as others. The fart jokes felt excessive, and there’s a heap of self-referential humor that broke my immersion. But, most of the humor is thoughtfully hilarious. The cast delivers unique vocal performances that will join the roster of memorable DreamWorks’ characters. Sam Rockwell, as Mr. Wolf, is the heart of the film. You root for him to not only get a job with the crew, but also to get together with Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) with whom he shares chemistry. This time, Foxington has a kick to her as the governor of Los Angeles, while maintaining her elusive identity as the Crimson Paw when it comes to fighting the Bad Girls. The other “Bad” Guys join Mr. Wolf on the path for redemption with Anthony Ramos, as Mr. Piranha, being a comedic standout. Awkwafina, as Ms. Tarantula, offers the brains of the operation. Unfortunately, Mark Maron, as Mr. Snake, takes a back seat with his love life, although he still cracks some safes. Fans might be disappointed by the lack of camaraderie between Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake – after all, the franchise started with them. On the flip side, the Bad Girls offer complementary foils to the protagonists. Danielle Brookes, as Kitty Kat, is a compelling antagonist whose motives aren’t generically evil, but ultimately you understand why she must stop. The other Bad Girls are well performed and offer surprises that I can’t spoil. 

The film’s message is about change. The reformation of the Bad Guys proves that, with the right attitude and people, anyone can genuinely become their best self. The film contains some mild violence and profanity.

The Bad Guys 2 gets 4 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. The film releases in theaters on August 1, 2025. Trailer: