KIDS FIRST! News

The concept of the alphabet monsters is a very fun one. The story is engaging and despite that the DVD is for younger kids the older kids enjoy it as well, singing along and watching.  Younger kids sing along with the alphabet song. Although this is an educational video, the kids are none the wiser. To them, it’s entertainment. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Brianna B. comments, “Parents, this is a great tool to help you introduce your preschooler to words and phonics. You can even watch it with them and show how excited you are when they are learning. Learning is exciting and fun and this is a great age to do so.” See her full review below.

ABC Monsters: Adventures in Alphabet Gardens! Starring IJKL
Brianna Hope B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16

Even though I am much older than the target audience for this show, I must say that the this DVD excels at introducing letters of the alphabet while making it fun and interesting. Throughout the different episodes and stories, there is letter recognition, spelling and the opportunity to write out each letter. These are just a few of the learning mechanisms contained in this volume.

This particular volume focuses on the letters I, J, K and L. Of course, it is very informative with these letters of the alphabet and, at the same time entertains little ones in this aspect of early language learning. The story revolves around the letters missing. They are nowhere to be found. The family and friends of the people that live in Capital Castle must solve riddles and clues to find these missing letters, one episode at a time.

It has many different bright colors which are visually fun and catch the attention of young viewers. The sing along songs are enjoyable and, at the beginning of every episode, I found myself singing the opening song. I enjoyed the songs and like how they transition from one letter to the next as well. My favorite character is the Princess because she is very optimistic and curious – things I relate to. She just wants to know stuff. My favorite episode is “L” mostly because I enjoyed the word choices. Each episode leaves you with wanting more and more. One facet of this show that I don’t particularly like is the length. Each episode is about 30 minutes which, in my opinion, is a bit too long to focus on one letter and just three words associated with it.

Parents, this is a great tool to help you introduce your preschooler to words and phonics. You can even watch it with them and show how excited you are when they are learning. Learning is exciting and fun and this is a great age to do so.
I recommend this DVD for ages 2 to 5 and give it 3½ out of 5 stars due to its length and limited word choice. It is a great learning DVD for preschoolers and I’m sure the little ones will truly have fun and enjoy it.

ABC Monsters: Adventures in Alphabet Gardens! Starring IJKL is available now DVD, so please check it out.

This stealthy science series dives into adventure with the fabulous underwater explorers, The Octonauts! On this exciting DVD, join the Octonauts as they encounter strange aquatic creatures of all shapes and sizes! Plunge into a red-hot lava cave as Peso and the team search for a teeny tiny water bear! Race to a colorful coral reef with Shellington as he tries to meet a special jellyfish that can live forever! And escape a scary moray eel with the help of Barnacles, Kwazii and a mysterious master of disguise – the mimic octopus! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Samantha A.  comments, “While watching this show I noticed the how original it is. It’s the only TV I have ever seen about bears that helps creatures and kids seem to really enjoy that. I can say, that even as a teenager this captured my attention.” Morgan B. adds, “In this DVD, I learned about creatures I never knew existed! Who knew there were water bears that are so small you can barely see them unless you have special glasses.”

The Octonauts: Creature Encounters
Samantha A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

While watching this show I noticed the how original it is. It’s the only TV I have ever seen about bears that helps creatures and kids seem to really enjoy that. I can say, that even as a teenager this captured my attention. So younger kids would definitely be interested in this show and that’s good because then they’ll pay attention to all the important messages that it teaches.

Octonauts is a funny and creative show about a group of silly bears that go on adventures and help other creatures underwater. This show teaches important kids important qualities to develop such as generosity, courage and team work. It also teaches how helping is always a great thing to do. Besides teaching important character traits and messages it also teaches educational things too. During the show I noticed how they teach things to each other and take a deeper look at things to make sure the viewer understands. This is good because a kid can have fun learning new and important things without even knowing that they are actually learning.

The scenery in this show is also great. The bright colors and unfamiliar environment of the sea floor really keeps kids in tune with what they are watching. Also, the scenery really adds to the storyline of each episode and adds to the personality of each character. This makes the show more interesting to watch and often lead me to asking myself questions such as “what type of animal was on the screen” or “where were they were in the ocean?” These questions were answered soon afterwards and with lots of thought put into the answer.

I recommend this show for ages 2 to 7 because it is very educational and toddlers who watch it will be very intrigued by the colors, characters and scenery. This show also gets 4 out of 5 stars from me because, though it is educational and fun for little kids, sometimes it got a little too corny for me. I suggest that you show a younger sibling this show as soon as possible because little kids love it.

The Octonauts: Creature Encounters
By Morgan B, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

In this DVD, I learned about creatures I never knew existed! Who knew there were water bears that are so small you can barely see them unless you have special glasses. An octopus is a great actor and can camouflage himself into different animals to avoid being eaten. This DVD was fun to watch and I found it to be amazing.

The Octonauts are adorable. I love all the different characters of the recue team. The team consists of a white teddy bear, a penguin, a cat, a puppy, a rabbit and more. And, they all made me smile because they are huggably cute. They are great educators and are very serious about their mission to rescue sea creatures. I learned so much by watching the eight episodes on this DVD.

My favorite episode has to be Immortal Jellyfish. It is so cool. I had no idea that a jellyfish could start its life all over again and that it never dies unless it is eaten. Now, that is what I find mind- blowing and totally awesome.

My favorite character is Captain Barnacles because he is always calm and in control and I really  enjoyed that about him. Also, he is very patent and has a plan no matter what. He really reminds me of my Mother! He knows a lot about the animals because he has a whole ship full of adorable animals that do research for the team and the animals in need of rescue.
The animation is crisp and clear. It really looks like the animals are right in front of me. I really wanted to jump right inside the TV and play and help them all.

My favorite part of this DVD was learning about the creatures and the strange things they can do and then seeing the real ones at the end. It is presented as a cute cartoon version of the creatures to explain what they are and what they do in real life. You learn while laughing and having fun. It makes science and marine biology seem very interesting. I would enjoy watching more episodes because the show takes on many extraordinary things I have never heard of before and made me feel very smart by the end of the show.

I recommend this DVD for ages 4 to 12. Adults will enjoy it too. Everyone could learn something new from watching this show.  I give it 4 ½ out of 5 swimming stars.

Based on the supremely popular stories by Soviet science fiction writer Kir Bulychov, Alisa Knows What to Do is a 3D series produced by Russian studios and now available in the U.S. on DVD from N Circle Entertainment. The stories follows the incredible adventures of 12-year-old Alisa Selezneva and her friends in the late 21st century. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “. It is exciting to see a very unique style of camera shots and coloring. On top of that, the English dubbing is exceptionally well don and very smooth. I didn’t even realize that characters were re-voiced until the second episode.” Morgan B. adds, “Their adventures have many learning lessons including: The power of friendship is greater than anything; You should not judge people or animals based on their looks; Personality and true hearts are better traits then just good looks.” See their full reviews below.

Alisa Knows What To Do: The Mystery Of The Last Truenox
By Gerry Orz, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

There are so many great Sci-fi movies and TV shows out there. However, very few of them are meant for kids or are poorly done. Well, Alisa Knows What to Do!, is a beautifully animated and exciting Sci-fi series distributed by N Circle Entertainment that is great for kids and adults.

Each episode is a separate adventure featuring middle school student Alisa and her friends filled with action and even some fun teenage romance. All the stories are kids friendly and yet, contain original humor that adults will appreciate too. Add to that some stunning animated visual effects and it makes it for a great show that a wide audience will enjoy.

Alisa is a young girl living many years in the future. The show follows all her crazy and fun adventures with her family and friends and involves animals and technical gadgets that we hope to have in a future. Additionally, each episode delivers a positive moral story which is nicely portrayed nicely within the show itself. The show stays exciting with fun adventures. If you are a fan of science fiction or enjoy dreaming about the future possibilities like I do, you will enjoy this show where we see lots of technology such as space jumpers, hover boots and even cloning!

The Russian-produced show is produced by Timur Bekmambetov’s Bazelevs Group, Riki Group and Animation Studio Moskva. It is exciting to see a very unique style of camera shots and coloring. On top of that, the English dubbing is exceptionally well don and very smooth. I didn’t even realize that characters were re-voiced until the second episode. The series is based on the books by Russian science fiction author, Kir Bulychiov. For people who have read his books, as my family did for many years,  it is cool to see the characters come to life. However, the stories are original to the show, which allows even readers of his books to be surprised.

My favorite episode is Wipe Out Creativity in which a few of Alisa’s friends sign up to take implants to make them smarter and stronger. However, they get in trouble and Alisa and some of her new friends rescue them. I love this episode because the subject is very interesting and starting to come up in today’s world. The moral of it is: Don’t let others mold you; only you can make you. I think that is very important and agree 100 per cent.

The show is designed for young kids. A few parts may be a bit intense so, I recommend it for ages 7 to 18. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars because it is beautifully animated, has an exciting story, impressive voiceovers and original comedy. Welcome to United States, Alisa Selesneva – kids here are going to love you!

Alisa Knows What To Do: The Mystery Of The Last Truenox
By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

I found this DVD to be unique and interesting. This four episodes tells all about Alisa and her four teenage friends embarking on many adventures. The first episode focuses on an adorable creature called a Truenox. It is original, funny and quirky with the added bonus of having many mysteries to solve. It was very enjoyable to watch.

My favorite episode, A Singing Showdown has a mystery and a shocking outcome. Hilariously funny with great music, this show down wants to see who will rule the planet.

The colorful characters resemble real teenagers. Real geniuses who think outside of the box, they create new and cool ideas to save people, creatures and their planet. My favorite character has to be Alisa because she shows girl power, humor and potentially your best friend. She rises to the occasion whenever danger lurks.

The voiceovers actors truly match the emotions and voices of real teenagers. Each character has its own unique voice and characteristics, which match their avatar. This makes the film very believable.

The Truenox, which they rescue in the first episode The Mysteries of the Last Truenox, has to be the cutest pet that I have seen. I could hug it for days. He turns out to be an alien that helps Alisa and her friends on their adventures. Comical almost to a fault, he adds humor to the series which made me laugh a lot. Just one smile from him and I found myself smiling back.

Their adventures have many learning lessons including: The power of friendship is greater than anything; You should not judge people or animals based on their looks; Personality and true hearts are better traits then just good looks. The colorful animation has amazing details. I felt as if I was living in the future. I could actually imagine living on this futuristic planet. The animated people feel like they are real. I found this an amusing place that I would enjoy being a part of. Flying cars and boots would be amazing to own. The unusual design of the different gadgets and modes of transportation add to the futuristic feel of this movie. All of the space aliens look peculiar and plausible.

I recommend this film for ages 6 to 15 because of its cuteness, bright animation and easy to follow storyline. I give this movie 5 out of 5 galactic stars.

This 1960s Gumby claymation series is perfect fun for young children. Through its cute lessons and humor, this collectible box set brings enjoyment through short adventures of fun characters. Gumby, Pokey and new friends such as Professor Kapp go on fun adventures through different stages of history, often invoking trouble and learning lessons along the way. This series will appeal to the oldest, die-hard fans as well as new kids who will find joy in these classic stories.  KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Benjamin P. comments, “I am a big fan of Claymation and this is a collection of the classic clay animation series from the 1960s. The DVD has a ton of episodes and you get to watch the technical aspects of the animation and the characters evolve over time.” Samantha A., adds, “Something I immediately noticed about this series is that the animation isn’t like any film series you’ll see made today. It is a clay animated show. This type of animation is particularly interesting because it is made by taking pictures of each movement the characters take.” See their full reviews below.

The Adventures of Gumby: The Complete 60s series
Samantha A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Gumby is a very enjoyable and fun claymation series that is about a green humanoid character named Gumby and his side-kick and best friend Pokey. They go on wacky adventures that we see a lot while watching this series of episodes. Some of my favorite episodes were “ the zoops” “the glob” “Santa witch” and “hidden valley”. They are lots of other great episodes in this series as well, but these really stand out.

Something I immediately noticed about this series is that the animation isn’t like any film series you’ll see made today. It is a clay animated show. This type of animation is particularly interesting because it is made by taking pictures of each movement the characters take. The way the makers behind the animation create the claymation is included in the of the bonus features.

This show is also very creative. I watched the episodes and was amazed and often wondered about how they came up with these ideas. From the punch lines to the plot lines of each and every episode.

The bonus features on this DVD disc are something special. Included are behind the scene footage, a photo gallery of photos from making this film, the first aired pilot episode with sound and a very rare episode called “space ball”. I love that they include photos because it gives you an inside look on what was happening when they created the animation and it makes you feel connected to the show even more. Also, getting an exclusive look at never before seen special  episodes is very cool because, while watching them I kept thinking about how rare they are.

I recommend this series for ages 5 to 18 as well as adults. They are classic films that anyone can enjoy and they first aired over 60 years ago so, this disc is perfect for anyone who grew up with Gumby and would like to see him in action again. This series  also gets 5 out of 5 stars from me because these were such fun episodes that anyone can enjoy and the animation is interesting. Also, seeing the bonus features on the disc makes it much more enjoyable because I now have an appreciation for what went into making such this animated series.

The Adventures of Gumby: The 60s Series, Volume One
By Benjamin P, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

The Adventures of Gumby: The 60s Series is a very good DVD collection with some very creative animation for its time. I am a big fan of Claymation and this is a collection of the classic clay animation series from the 1960s. The DVD has a ton of episodes and you get to watch the technical aspects of the animation and the characters evolve over time.

The Adventures of Gumby: The 60s Series follows the title character – an enthusiastic green clay-boy – and his friend Pokey, a horse, as they go on fantastic adventures from battling in a joust to keeping a king in power to saving a princess from a knight and even a high-speed chase from a sculpture come to life.

As the series goes on you meet several new characters, like the mopey yellow dragon Prickle and a blue flying mermaid named Goo. My favorite characters are Rodgy the bird and Henry the bear. Rodgy and Henry make an excellent duo. There is a great episode on Rodgy’s origin story called Who’s What. Henry is molding clay and he makes a bird that comes to life. While Rodgy may not always agree with Henry, they always stick together.

My favorite episode in this collection is Even Steven, which follows Gumby and Pokey on a road trip but the trip goes haywire because of some con artists trying to take their money. This cat and mouse chase is funny and unpredictable.

Another episode I enjoy is Treasure For Henry. It follows Rodgy and Henry as they find some treasure that turns out to belong to pirates. This is one of several episodes in this series that is very creative with the use of real life objects in the animation.

I recommend that you watch all the episodes in this collection as well as the special features, especially for Gumby fanatics. The DVD includes the original TV pilot and some behind-the-scenes footage on how they do the Claymation. I’m amazed by how they use clay and I like watching the animation grow more sophisticated and complex over time.

I recommend The Adventures of Gumby for ages 5 to 12. It’s colorful and a fun show to watch and the jokes are meant for all ages. I give this DVD 3 stars out of 5 stars.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Interview with Joe Clokey, son of Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby. Joe is the producer of the new compilations and new Gumby shows which are soon to be released. Listen to his interview on our radio show, KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions here:  http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/91099/zootopia-beauty-and-the-beast-the-musical-joe-clokey-the-adventures-of-gumby-the-60s-series

Entertainment News for Kids:

• About Us
  • Mission
  • Our Programs
  • KIDS FIRST!
  • Staff & Board
  • Meet Youth Reporters
  • CQCM Members
• Film Reviews
  • Search Reviews
  • Browse Reviews
  • Online Videos
  • Become a Juror
  • Submit a Title
  • Endorsement Description
  • Streamlined Reviews
• Film Festival
  • Find a Festival
  • Film Festival Selections
  • At a Theater Near You
  • Host a Festival
  • Submit a Title
  • Current Press
  • Festival Sponsors
  • Festival Home
• Film Critics
  • Media Literacy
  • Join our Jury
  • Search Reviews
• Blogs, News & Info
  • Current Newsletter
  • Press Room
  • Articles
  • Ranny's Coming Attractions
  • KIDS FIRST! News
  • KIDS FIRST! Podcast
  • From the Jury Blog
• Members/Sponsors
  • Become a member
  • Our Members
  • Our Sponsors
  • Join As Juror
  • Submit a Title
• Contact Us
• Social Media
  • Follow Us on Twitter
  • KIDS FIRST! on YouTube
  • Follow Us on Instagram
  • Join Us on Tik Tok
  • Join Us on FaceBook
  • KIDS FIRST! Radio Show
  • KIDS FIRST! on Linked In
• Home