You are here: Home / 2025 / October / Archives for 21st

Archives for October 21, 2025

Sustainable Fashion Takes Center Stage at Laguna Art Museum’s Art + Nature

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Kick off this year’s  Art + Nature Celebration with Laguna Art Museum’s Upcycled Couture: Restoring the Future, the 2nd annual runway show combining community, creativity and environmental awareness. Inspired by the remarkable work of community and arts partners, students and early career designers will create one-of-a-kind sustainable, couture designs that highlight the many ways that our partners are making a difference in the community and beyond. This all culminates in an exciting, sustainable runway show in the galleries of Laguna Art Museum. Join us for a night dedicated to the creative and conscious spirit of Laguna Beach.

Inspired by the innovative work of local artists, students, and community partners, Upcycled Couture features one-of-a-kind couture designs made from repurposed materials, each creation highlighting sustainability and conscious design. The evening unfolds within the museum galleries, offering a vibrant celebration of Laguna Beach’s creative and eco-minded spirit.

VIP Experience: Exclusive pre-show reception with curated charcuterie, fine wines and champagne.

  • VIP Ticket: $175
  • LAM Members: $135
  • General Admission: $150

More details can be found here.

Filed Under: Featured Events

Books of the Week: October 21, 2025

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment
LOST ON DOLL ISLAND by Cassandra Ramos-Gomez
S&S Books for Young Readers | Ages 8 – 12 | 9781665975124

 Rick Riordan meets R. L. Stine in this fast-paced debut middle grade horror packed with adventure about a Mexican American boy who starts hearing the voice of a haunted doll while visiting family in Mexico City. Diego feels trapped. He’s confined in an arm cast, stuck with his tía and tío for a week in Mexico City, and smothered with the sickening fear that he’s the one who really caused his parents’ divorce. But most of all, he’s trapped in his own secret. Because ever since he got to Mexico City, he’s started having strange dreams of a doll calling his name. Then Diego learns of La Isla de Muñecas, an island full of legendary magic that can make children’s wishes come true. If Diego can harness the power there, maybe he could fix everything that has gone wrong in his life. Maybe he doesn’t have to move to Mexico City, his parents don’t have to separate, and he could even reunite with one of his oldest friends who’s still visiting him in his dreams… So, with the help of two new friends, Diego takes a boat to the legendary island. From the moment the kids step ashore, nothing is as it seems—with dolls disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Diego is more trapped than ever before, and as the night goes on, he’s not sure he can escape. The perfect book for Halloween!

About the author: Cassandra Ramos-Gomez is a Mexican American writer focused on creating middle grade and young adult fiction that centers Latinx experiences. She has a master’s degree in education and an undergraduate degree in art history and has taught middle school language arts and social studies. She currently lives in Texas with her husband and two kids. Her hobbies include painting, collecting animal bones, and playing Minecraft with her kids. Lost on Doll Island is her middle grade debut.

The sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Last Dragon on Mars is here!

In The Last Dragon on Mars, readers were introduced to Lunar Jones, a boy living on Mars who unexpectedly becomes a dragon rider and the story continues in the sci-fi and fantasy mash-up The Dragonships series with THE RISE OF NEPTUNE ( Ages 10 & Up), by New York Times bestselling author Scott Reintgen. In the second installment, Lunar prepares his allies for an attack from Neptune.

Lunar Jones and the Dread Knights have brought hope to Mars. Between Dread’s power and a newly formed alliance with Earth, the once-dying planet is headed for prosperity at last. The only shadow is the one cast by Dav Robinson’s warning: Neptune is coming.

As predicted, Neptune’s ships arrive in Martian space—and they’re not interested in talking. The ships launch an immediate attack. Lunar was prepared for hostilities, but the way the attack happens is unexpected. Neptune’s dragons seem divided, and its ships, while countless in number, are almost too easy to defeat. It’s clear there’s more to Neptune’s story than meets the eye, and Lunar and his Dread Knights must figure out the mystery behind their looming foe quickly…before those secrets doom Mars for good. This one is definitely exciting to read and will keep middle-schoolers totally engaged!

HOT GIRL WALK
Find Happiness, Achieve Your Dreams, and Cultivate Confidence
Mia Lind

Get on your feet and start walking! In Hot Girl Walk, Mia invites you to embark on a journey of self-discovery, taking you through the three main stages of the walk: gratitude, goals, and self-confidence. This impactful book is your guide to empowerment wherever you go: from your 4-mile daily walk to the meetings and appointments of daily life. Whether you’re a student, a worker, or a stay-at-home parent, Hot Girl Walks are here to help motivate you to become the person you know you can be. Strengthen your mind-body connection, and truly understand that to look good is to feel good. 

At the end of each chapter, find success stories from those who have implemented the Hot Girl Walk to their daily routine. Featuring hot girls from all over the world, learn first-hand how Mia Lind’s movement has helped and improve lives. Will you be her next success?

Take it from someone who has literally walked the walk. Mia’s guide provides small daily mindset adjustments that lead to big, life changing results. Diving into the practices, reflections, and exercises of Hot Girl Walk is an act of self-care. Join thousands of women on the walk towards hotness by putting one foot in front of the other and taking a chance on yourself. A really inspiring and motivational book to read!

About the Author:

Mia Lind is the creator and founder of the Hot Girl Walk and has been featured on CBS News, NBC News, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times, HuffPost, and more. In 2020, she created the Hot Girl Walk to combine her passion of physical fitness with female- and self-empowerment. Hot Girl Walk events continue to spread across the world, hosted in the cities of Miami, New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles, as well as the countries of the United Kingdom and Australia so far.

Rock Star: A New STEM Heroine for Young Readers This Fall

This next one is educational and so much fun to read!

While attending college in the early 1940s, Ursula Marvin fell in love with geology, but when she asked her male professor about making the field her major, he tried to stop her, saying it would be a better use of her time to learn how to cook. Ursula studied geology anyway, eventually getting her master’s and PhD in the subject.

As a visionary and groundbreaking geologist, Ursula also had to be brave. She believed meteorites held the key to unlocking the origins of the solar system. To prove it, she travelled to Antarctica where she faced fierce winds, the coldest climate on Earth, and cracks in the ice that could have crushed her, but she knew the danger was worth the risk and scientific exploration wasn’t just for men. She proved her theory and that meteorites could be made up of pieces of planets or the moon.

Ursula Marvin charted new territory as a scientist and fought gender discrimination at every turn in her career. She broke barriers in science, helped create the field of planet geology, and discovered theories that are now foundational, reshaping our understanding of the universe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandra Neil Wallace writes about people who break barriers and change the world. She is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery, illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received the Orbis Pictus Book Award and was an ALA Notable Book. A former ESPN reporter and the first woman to host an NHL broadcast, she is the recipient of the Outstanding Women of New Hampshire Award and creates change as cofounder of The Daily Good, a nonprofit bringing twenty thousand free, culturally diverse foods to college students each year through its Global Foods Pantries. Visit Sandra at SandraNeilWallace.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Nancy Carpenter is the acclaimed illustrator of Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt, Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine, Fannie in the Kitchen, and Loud Emily, among other books. Her works have garnered many honors, including two Christopher Awards and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at NancyCarpenter.website.

Such an interesting book!

A LINE CAN GO ANYWHERE by Caroline McAlister; illustrated by Jamie Green (Roaring Brook Press, Ages 5-8): This gorgeously illustrated picture book biography about Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa is equal parts history and a celebration of everyday art. It explores Ruth’s life after family’s imprisonment in an internment camp during WWII and how those experiences shaped her approach to sculpture and her use of everyday objects to create something beautiful.

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

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Nash, Oct. 24 Pet of the Week

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment
AWWWWWWWWWW!

You might not be able to say “trick or treat!” before Nash treats you to a bunch of doggie hugs and kisses! Nash is a lovable 2-year-old pit bull who’s a nice fellow. He sits patiently for his turn at walks and playtime, and when he’s out in the yard or on leash, he’s non-reactive to other dogs. You may gnash your teeth, though, when you find out his shelter origin story: underweight, with bad skin and cuts on his body. But that was in March, and you oughta see him now! That costume covers up a unique pattern of orange fur — looks like a 20th century modern-art painting! In fact, one of the volunteers painted his portrait, which hangs on his kennel. Come see it — you can take home the model! Long Beach Animal Care Services is over capacity with dogs, so speed the process to adopt or foster Nash or any of our other pets by emailing PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call (562) 570-4925. Our shelter hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). Ask for ID#A738596

Filed Under: Pet Corner

The Chosen Adventures: A Joyful, Humorous, and Heartfelt Series

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment

The Chosen Adventures is a 14-episode animated series following nine-year-old Abby and her best friend Joshua as they navigate life in the ancient city of Capernaum. When the children encounter a wise craftsman and teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, he changes the way they see the world. And did we mention that she has a talking sheep?

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Braedyn M. comments, “The Chosen Adventures is one of the most adorable series I have ever watched with a charming and unique animation style, characters that are full of humor, and lessons that even adults can learn from. They all add up to make an absolutely wonderful show.” Ari C. adds, “I like The Chosen Adventures. It has great graphics, amazing voice actors, and it teaches valuable faith-based lessons. I also like its fun and wacky nature.” See their full reviews and talent interviews below.

The Chosen Adventures
By Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

The Chosen Adventures is one of the most adorable series I have ever watched with a charming and unique animation style, characters that are full of humor, and lessons that even adults can learn from. They all add up to make an absolutely wonderful show.

Abby (Romy Fay) is a big-hearted nine-year-old girl, and a very curious one at that. Everywhere she goes in the town of Capernaum, she asks questions, lots of questions, sometimes more than her Abba, Eli (Danny Nucci), and her Eema, Hannah (Zehra Fazal) can answer.  This is when she and her best friend, Joshua (Jude Zarzuar) meet Jesus of Nazareth (Jonathan Roumie) who helps them with all of their questions, and gives them answers that help them understand the true meaning of life.

I really enjoyed the style of animation in this series.  It has sort of a clay-like look to it, with the scenery and characters faithfully crafted to match the setting of an ancient middle eastern fishing village.  Important individuals like Abby and Joshua are easy to spot in a crowd, thanks to unique outfits and traits, and this helps make the story easy to follow.  However, sometimes the characters are a bit difficult to understand when they are speaking. My favorite scene is when Abby returns home from the most terrible day, and is wondering why God would give her a day in which nearly everything has gone wrong. While her Eema teaches her that, even though we might not understand all things, we should still trust God because He does know, a bird named Pigeon (Yvonne Orji) shares the good things that came from Abby’s misfortunes, even though Abby didn’t see them at the time. Speaking of Pigeon, my favorite character is her best friend, Sheep (Paul Walter Hauser). Honestly, the best word to describe Sheep is… satirical. Despite his big, soft, and fluffy physical appearance, his words are often razor sharp. Yes, he does love Abby and her family very much, but he is never without a comment, remark, or some other form of general sarcasm that keeps everyone laughing, and reminds them to not take life too seriously.  

The series’ message is that, in every situation, there is something you can learn.  Abby and Joshua go on many adventures and often end up in very surprising situations.  But in all they do, Jesus teaches them some valuable life lessons, ones that will be cherished and remembered for years to come. 

I give The Chosen Adventures 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12.  It releases on Prime Video on October 17, 2025.

The Chosen Adventures                                                                                                                                                  By Ari C., KIDS FIRST Film Critics, age 13

I like The Chosen Adventures. It has great graphics, amazing voice actors, and it teaches valuable faith-based lessons. I also like its fun and wacky nature.

This incredible show, based on the award-winning series The Chosen, follows a young girl named Abby (Romy Fay), her friend Joshua (Jude Zarzaur), her talking pet sheep, Sheep (Paul Walter Hauser), and her pet pigeon, Pigeon (Yvonne Orji), as they undertake a bunch of wacky adventures and make new friends like Hilarious (Banks Pierce)  Abby has a lot of questions and no one to answer them, until she and Joshua come across a pre-mortem Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) who gives them new insight on life.

The animation, supervised by Denis Couchon, really makes this show. The details of the faces and the characters’ movements are wonderful. Lots of details are put into the nature and animal shots, which make them look very real. I love how every now and then we see a huge splash of color. This series teaches some faith-based lessons like the love of God and even non-faith-based lessons like friendship.  The show takes us through fun adventures that I found enjoyable and think other kids will also. It definitely has a wacky feeling to it – showing stories not only from a human perspective, but also the animals’ perspective, such as from Sheep and Pigeon. The interactions between Sheep and Pigeon add a hilarious feeling to the show. Romy Fay voices Abby perfectly; it’s almost as if she and Abby are literally the same person. Jonathan Roumie plays Jesus perfectly just as he did in The Chosen.  My favorite part is when Joshua overcomes his fear of heights and climbs a ladder – it is very heartwarming. While everyone in the show does not understand Sheep, the viewers and other animals can.

This series has many important lessons including the power of friendship and a reminder that miracles happen all around you.

I give The Chosen Adventures 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It releases on Prime Video on October 17, 2025.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

TRON: Ares * Dazzling Visual Effects But Struggles To Land Its Emotional Core

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated security AI program named Ares who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a mission to find the “Permanence Code.” This code could allow digital programs and constructs to become permanent in reality, ending the 29-minute limit currently imposed by technology from rival companies, Dillinger Systems and ENCOM. After Ares questions his orders and goes rogue to help a human, a conflict ensues with his original creator, Julian Dillinger, and his lieutenant, Athena, who wants to use the code for military purposes.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Rayce S. comments, “Tron: Ares delivers dazzling visual effects and clever nods to its predecessors but struggles to land its emotional core… It has its strengths — the CGI and visual effects are top-tier, immersing viewers in a sleek futuristic world. Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn) makes a late appearance, bringing grounded energy that elevates the scenes he is in.” See his full review below.

Tron: Ares
By Rayce S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Tron: Ares delivers dazzling visual effects and clever nods to its predecessors but struggles to land its emotional core.

The storyline follows Ares a highly advanced program, sent from the digital realm on a very important mission into the physical world as he tries to understand human emotion.

Tron: Ares has its strengths — the CGI and visual effects are top-tier, immersing viewers in a sleek futuristic world. Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn) makes a late appearance, bringing grounded energy that elevates the scenes he is in. Jared Leto’s portrayal of Ares adds intrigue, especially as he wrestles with the film’s central theme — what it means to be human. There are also a few well-placed comedic moments that earn genuine laughs without trying too hard. The film’s biggest flaw lies in its characters. Despite the attempts to build emotional stakes, most of the cast of characters feel underdeveloped. They lack depth which makes it hard to connect emotionally to them.  Even in moments meant to evoke sadness or triumph, the emotional impact doesn’t land. The pacing also fails at the end. The story builds intriguing concepts and ideas, but the ending feels rushed and unresolved. The movie is not bad but it’s not great either. It’s worth watching for fans of the franchise or those drawn to high concept sci-fi but don’t expect it to be a deeply moving experience.

The theme of this movie is about understanding what makes a being human and this is mainly portrayed by Ares as he navigates his purpose. The film has stylized sci-fi combat and mild to moderate profanity.

I give Tron: Ares 2.5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. This film releases in theaters on October 10, 2025.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2 * Mixes Magic And Humor While Showing Us That Family Is More Powerful Than Magic Alone

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment

In season two of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” Billie grapples with the fact that being part of the Russo family might be more complicated than she thought —especially now that she’s not the only wizard in the house. Thanks to Roman and Milo’s new magical powers, Justin is now tasked with training three young wizards for the Family Wizard Competition. As the stakes rise inside and outside the family, a mysterious new threat emerges—one that could unravel the Russos forever.

KIDS FIRST!  Film Critic Kennedy P. comments, “I absolutely love Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2. It’s one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel because it mixes magic, family, and humor in such a fun way. The show’s message teaches us that family, love, and responsibility are more powerful than magic alone.” See her full review and interview with cast and crew below.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2
By Kennedy P., KIDS FIRST!  Film Critic, age 11

I absolutely love Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Season 2. It’s one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel because it mixes magic, family, and humor in such a fun way.

In this season, Billie grapples with the fact that being part of the Russo family might be more complicated than she thought, especially now that she’s not the only wizard in the house. Thanks to Roman and Milo’s new magical powers, Justin is now tasked with training three young wizards for the Family Wizard Competition. As the stakes rise inside and outside the family, a mysterious new threat emerges, one that could unravel the Russos forever.

The cast is amazing! I love how not only Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) and Justin (David Henrie) have powers, but now Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko) also have powers and they’re definitely stirring things up in the Russo household. I also love how the new characters add more depth and excitement to the story. One of my favorite new characters is the talented Freya Skye, who plays Piper, a girl who can see visions of the future. The setting continues to be beautifully magical, with awesome spell effects, enchanting sets, and a sense of wonder that feels brand new.  Season 2 really takes the magic to the next level with bigger visual effects and deeper character moments, while still keeping the heart and humor that the series is known for. What is really special about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is its message.

The show’s message teaches us that family, love, and responsibility are more powerful than magic alone. It shows that being true to yourself, helping others, and working together can overcome even the toughest problems and real magic comes from caring, courage, and staying strong in your beliefs.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults.  There are ten episodes; many are available on the Disney Channel now and new ones release every Friday night through October 17, 2025.  All of Season 2 will premiere on Disney Plus on October 8, 2025.

Filed Under: Media Reviews