KIDS FIRST! News

It’s a Sonic you haven’t seen before Wherever he goes and whatever he’s up against, Sonic the Hedgehog is aided by his sidekick, Tails, and his friends Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks and, of course, attacked by his arch nemesis, Dr. Eggman. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jude A. comments, “You have “got to go fast” in this new action-packed DVD  Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising! with everyone’s favorite super-powered hedgehog Sonic Boom. This DVD is running with 600 miles per hour speeds, fantastic animation and plenty of action-packed scenes.” Kyla C. adds, “The highlight of this collection of re-released episodes is definitely the animation. It’s bright, detailed and full of imagination. It’s a little kid’s dream world! I applaud the animators, voice-over actors and foley artists on their spectacular work. One thing that definitely has room for improvement is the storyline.” Christine R. KIDS FIRST! Adult reviewer wraps it up with, “Sonic is back in Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising with his usual wise-cracking, fast talking…well, fast everything! …Sonic fans won’t be disappointed with these action-packed animated stories.” See their full reviews below.

Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising
By Jude A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

You have “got to go fast” in this new action-packed DVD  Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising! with everyone’s favorite super-powered hedgehog Sonic Boom. This DVD is running with 600 miles per hour speeds, fantastic animation and plenty of action-packed scenes. While it has amazing animation and action-packed scenes, unfortunately, it doesn’t have the best dialogue and didn’t grip me as much as I thought it would.

Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising starts off with our favorite hedgehog team, Sonic (Roger Craig Smith), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), Knuckles (Travis Willingham), Rose (Cindy Robinson) and Sticks (Nika Futterman) as they are attacked by everyone’s favorite eggtastic villain, Dr. Eggman (Mike Pallok). Later, Sonic and friends encounter a couple of recently crash-landed robots, and the team learns of a mysterious robot world in the sky. One day the robots suddenly go evil! The team must uncover the mystery and save the robots of this world.

I am a long-time fan of Sonic the Hedgehog. I was nervous about viewing this DVD because I have high standards for this character. I was not disappointed. I would like to give major congratulations to the Animation Director Riash Tadeo Shahnawaz for overseeing and creating such beautiful animation with a beautiful set of characters. My criticism of this DVD is with the dialogue. The dialogue is extremely basic and doesn’t really go into as much depth. I feel that if the writers took a little more time to work on the script, it would be a lot better.

This DVD is entertaining for children, with comedic action and plenty of jokes that young kids will understand. The characters DVD provide very important examples for children, like the importance of charity, teamwork and more. It also promotes many morals. When something gets in your way, problem-solve and think out of the box to reach your goal!

Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising goes above and beyond Sonic’s top speeds, and provides an entertaining, action-packed story that all children will enjoy, but lacks clever and gripping dialogue. I give Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 12. You can find Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising in stores or at your digital retailer. Check it out.

Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising!
By Kyla C., KIDS FIRST Film Critic, Age 11

This colorfully animated Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising! DVD is great for young kids! The voice-over actors add silliness and comedy to the scenes, and the theme song and other sound effects are great elements as well. Plus the animation is truly incredible. There isn’t much of a story, and the one there is, is a bit difficult to follow with all of repetitive action and combat.

This DVD includes (eight) fifteen-minute-long episodes all together. Four of them are part of the same general story. Sonic (Roger Craig Smith) and all of his friends have to decide which robots to befriend, knowing that whomever they don’t choose become their enemies. The other four episodes are individual but similar in the way that Dr. Eggman is the Antagonist.

The highlight of this collection of re-released episodes is definitely the animation. It’s bright, detailed and full of imagination. It’s a little kid’s dream world! I applaud the animators, voice-over actors and foley artists on their spectacular work. One thing that definitely has room for improvement is the storyline. The animation and acting are great, but a TV show needs a story, even if just for each individual episode. Most of the time I only see fighting and have no idea what is going on. Although this might be great for younger kids, who are just interested in seeing their favorite characters come to life, older kids will probably get bored after a few minutes. Overall, this the greatest, but also possibly the only flaw of these select episodes.

The message is that teamwork and friendship are important. Sonic and his friend have to use teamwork to face off against Dr. Eggman and his robot bad guys. There are some arguments, but the protagonists work it out and learn their lesson, the way little kids should take away that lesson. This is okay, but I think actually saying the lesson to be learned helps people understand it better. There is only some mild cartoon violence, but nothing inappropriate or extremely violent takes place.  

I give Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising! 3 out of 5 stars and recommend the DVD for ages 4 to 7. The DVD is available now so look for it.

Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising
By Christine R., KIDS FIRST!

Sonic is back in Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising with his usual wise-cracking, fast talking…well, fast everything! This DVD includes eight episodes (four of these are parts of one story) and runs for 90 minutes.

It begins with the story “Robots from the Sky” in which Sonic and his friends Tails, Knuckles, Sticks and Amy must defend themselves when a past mistake turns into a robot civil war. Robots from Morristown, a robot utopian planet, try to recruit others. Unknown to them, they are infected with malware and are controlled by a vengeance-seeking robot. The robot uprising theme continues in the episode entitled “Strike!” in which Dr. Eggman’s robot minions become fed up with their maltreatment and decide to strike until their demands are met. With help from Amy, the robots and their evil overlord come to a compromise…but not necessarily in the way she had hoped. In “Evil Dr. Orbot” Dr. Eggman needs to pass a test to get his evil permit–but forces one of his robot lackeys to take it for him. After Orbot downloads the textbook, he begins devising his own evil plans. Will he replace the evil genius Dr. Eggman? Sonic fans won’t be disappointed with these action-packed animated stories. I recommend this for ages 5 to 12 and give it 4 out of 5 stars. Reviewed by Christine R., KIDS FIRST!

Four curious young dinosaur friends explore the mystery of Gigantosaurus, the largest, fiercest dinosaur of all. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Cadence G. comments, “I enjoyed the DVD Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 because this collection of episodes is full of adventure. I think kids will really like to watch this series featuring four young dinosaurs named Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu who are all afraid of a huge dinosaur named Gigantosaurus.” Joshitha B. adds, “The voice acting is very high quality and the dialogue easy for kids to understand. Cyber-Group Studios’ animation is quite smooth, plus the cinematography, by Director Olivier Lelardoux tells the story clearly with its high-key lighting and, for the most part, eye-level shots. With each episode presenting a new fun adventure for four friendly dinosaurs, it will surely keep your kids’ interest peaked.” Ethan P. contributes, “This educational preschool TV series is based on a book and was first made into a series in France. The graphics are super impressive, the voice-overs fit each character and the music is appealing. My favorite episode is “Don’t Cave In” because it’s about how Tiny hears a rumor that there’s a monster in a cave. The gang is running away from Giganto, when they run into the cave that they weren’t meant to.” See their full reviews below.

Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1
By Cadence Graber, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

I enjoyed the DVD Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 because this collection of episodes is full of adventure. I think kids will really like to watch this series featuring four young dinosaurs named Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu who are all afraid of a huge dinosaur named Gigantosaurus.

Each one of these 26 episodes tells stories about this crew of four characters who are best friends. In one episode, they try to get one of Gigantosaurus’s scales; in another episode, Rocky (Dylan Schombing) tries to be brave and goes to the top of a volcano. Many wild things happen to the group of friends through their adventures, but they always seem to figure things out.

My favorite part of this series is the time when Gigantosaurus slaps Rocky with his tail, and Rocky flies through the air. It is a super funny part because what seems like a bad thing at first—getting hit with Gigantosaurus’s tail—ends up helping Rocky get to where he wanted to go. I also like the upbeat theme song at the beginning of each episode—it sets an energetic tone. I like the animation because each character is cute and colorful. Rocky is my favorite character because he may be small, but he’s super confident.

The message of the film is don’t judge people or things by what they look like. Just because Gigantosaurus looks scary, he might not necessarily be mean or evil. And even though Rocky is on the smaller side, he still can be really brave. (I understand because I get judged for being small, but I am capable of many things that might surprise people!)

I give Gigantosaurus 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 10. This DVD is available now, so look for it.

Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1
By Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 is a very cute and entertaining animated series for younger kids to enjoy with friends and family. What I like the most about this DVD is that it comes in a gift box package which includes two discs  with 26 episodes of Gigantosaurus and two action figures, Rocky and Mazu adding up to over four hours of fun.

Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 is about four small funny dinos living in the forest and discovering new things. The dinos Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu are the perfect team. Rocky is a red dino who is very brave. Bill is a blue dino that is kind of scared of literally anything. Tiny is a green dino who loves to be silly, tell jokes and have fun. Mazu is a brown dino who is extremely smart, and he is the one with the brains. These four together have incredible adventures and they help anyone along the way. There’s one thing that they cannot do, which is go near Gigantosaurus. Gigantosaurus is the biggest, fiercest dino of all. He is 100x their size and can destroy anything in his path. He does help them, though; he gets them food by walking because the trees shake when he moves around causing the coconuts to fall.

This educational preschool TV series is based on a book and was first made into a series in France. The graphics are super impressive, the voice-overs fit each character and the music is appealing. My favorite episode is “Don’t Cave In” because it’s about how Tiny hears a rumor that there’s a monster in a cave. The gang is running away from Giganto, when they run into the cave that they weren’t meant to.

One of the morals of the series is not to brag because Rocky brags about how he was going to win the talent show, but instead he crashes it. This tells kids not to brag in any way or form—instead just do your best.

I rate Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 the highest,5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18 plus adults can enjoy this DVD with their kids as well. It is available now, so look for it.

Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1
By Joshitha B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

The DVD Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1, a collection of episodes from the animated children’s TV show, is incredibly adorable and perfect for preschoolers. The voice acting is very high quality and the dialogue easy for kids to understand. Cyber-Group Studios’ animation is quite smooth, plus the cinematography, by Director Olivier Lelardoux tells the story clearly with its high-key lighting and, for the most part, eye-level shots. With each episode presenting a new fun adventure for four friendly dinosaurs, it will surely keep your kids’ interest peaked.

The storyline follows Rocky, Tiny, Marshall and Mazu – a pack of dinosaurs that spend their time going on exciting journeys that often involve provoking the most threatening dinosaur of all, Giganotosaurus! As time passes, the group finds out that perhaps that the biggest dinosaur isn’t so scary after all.

The way the story is told is very engaging for young minds. The episodes stand alone quite well so you don’t need to watch it in chronological order to understand what’s going on — always a plus in a kids’ show. The production design is appropriate for youngsters. For one thing, the color schemes are bright and eye-catching, so it really sets a childish mood. There are plenty of things for children to learn from in the show – being smart is like a superpower, boldness is essential to success. When it comes to preschool DVDs, Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 is the cream of the crop.

The message that Giganotosaurus always promotes is “never judge a book by its cover.” The other dinosaurs often fear Giganotosaurus because he is huge, but he is actually very nice and completely unlike their expectations.

I rate Gigantosaurus: Season 1, Volume 1 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 8. The DVD is available now so look for it.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! follows the adventures of 6-year-old best friends, Sally and Nick, as they are whisked off on extraordinary voyages of scientific discovery with the Cat in the Hat. Thanks to the Thinga-ma-jigger and our friends, exploring has never been more exciting! So let s go, go, go, go on an adventure, we re flying with The Cat in the Hat today!

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Anokhi L. comments, “The Cat In The Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals! is a real treat for kids to watch! On the surface, it looks like seemingly goofy stories filled with silly humor, but when you look deeper, kids can learn a lot about the animals featured and the life lessons hidden within the story. Songs also play a large role and add an extra element of fun to the show. You might catch your child singing along.” Cadence G. adds, “My favorite part is when a fish hops out of the water multiple times and gets mad about it. He keeps getting shaken around and his facial expressions are hilarious. The animation is cute and I love how the characters make pretty much everything rhyme.” Katherine S. contributes, “The Cat in the Hat has been one of my favorite shows since I was very little, and I learned a lot from it. And if your kids are interested in animals, they will LOVE it even more! It is so creative and educational. You can learn about many things – from squirrels, to pandas, to cows!” And Jude A. wraps it up with, “This show is great for kids; it is educational and teaches children the importance of the living creatures on Earth and how to treat them. It also shows off the importance of good manners and using words such as “please” and “thank you.” The show’s plot is not very complex so it can be easily understood by very younger viewers.” See their full reviews below.

The Cat In The Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals!
By Anokhi L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, 17

The Cat In The Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals! is a real treat for kids to watch! On the surface, it looks like seemingly goofy stories filled with silly humor, but when you look deeper, kids can learn a lot about the animals featured and the life lessons hidden within the story. Songs also play a large role and add an extra element of fun to the show. You might catch your child singing along.

Throughout the course of six episodes, viewers are taken on fun adventures with friends Sally, Nick and The Cat In The Hat in his Thinga-ma-jigger. In order to solve problems or learn new things, The Cat takes these kids to places with silly names like bam wama booboo or wobble bobble woods and we meet new animals.

My favorite part of the entire show is the songs. Sally, Nick and The Cat sing a fun go-getter song each time they embark on an adventure and it is so catchy. There is also another song in each episode that relates to the adventure they are on. But the music doesn’t stop there. Often times, The Cat will simply sing and rhyme his dialogue, which I enjoy, because it doesn’t sound forced like rhyming can sometimes sound. The animation in this show, especially the houses at the beginning of each episode, are really funky, which gives a unique texture that makes them look even more animated but enjoyable for kids. What also makes this show fun is how The Cat often appears from weird places such as a potted plant or a backpack. The fish that accompanies the three on each journey on the Thinga-ma-jigger also brings comedy to the show and one can’t forget about Thing 1 and Thing 2 and their mischievousness. All these characters make the show completely entertaining. Honestly, I feel like I am back in my 6-year-old self when I watch this.

The viewer can take away a lot from this show. Each episode teaches something new about a different animal such as how some animals eat, protect their food and themselves or find their way when they are lost. Other life lessons are taught like asking parents for permission before you go on an adventure, being resourceful, finding positive solutions, thanking others when they help you, apologizing for scaring someone and eating vegetables.

I give The Cat In The Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals! 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to kids ages 5 to 10. This DVD is available now so look for it.

The Cat in The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals!
By Cadence G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

I like the DVD The Cat in The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! because all six episodes are super fun and exciting. Every episode features an animal that Cat in the Hat (Martin Short) and his friends, Sally (Alexa Torrington) and Nick (Jacob Ewaniuk), visit. It’s interesting to find out what animal they get to meet. At times, the voices of the kids get a little annoying, but that might be because they remind me of my younger siblings. For the most part, the episodes are entertaining, and I think younger kids (the target audience) especially will love this DVD.

The Cat in The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! is about the adventures that Cat in The Hat goes on with his two best friends, Sally and Nick. In one episode, Nick has trouble finding his yo-yo, so Cat in The Hat brings him and Sally to a red squirrel named Bucky, who teaches them how to find hidden things. Another story is about Sally wanting to learn how to do a somersault. Cat in The Hat comes back with an armadillo named Louie to help. Although the crew of friends needs to figure out a way to surprise Louie, so he can show how he rolls. You’ll have to watch this episode to find out how they surprise Louie. You’ll enjoy the other episodes as well, since each one teaches you about an animal.

My favorite part is when a fish hops out of the water multiple times and gets mad about it. He keeps getting shaken around and his facial expressions are hilarious. My favorite character in the collection is Cat in The Hat, because he is so funny and has a great personality. The animation is cute and I love how the characters make pretty much everything rhyme.

The message of this DVD is to work together to solve problems. Solving problems with friends is a lot easier than trying to figure them out by yourself. Most likely you’ll learn something that you would have never guessed. An example of this is when Nick gets help from the red squirrel named Bucky to find his yo-yo. Bucky is more of an expert on finding and hiding things, so with his help, Jack has an easier time looking for his lost toy.

I give The Cat in The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 10. This DVD is out now, so go look for it.

The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals!
By Jude Adler, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

Let me take you on an adventure, an adventure that will take you out of the original Dr. Seuss books and on to your home television. The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! is a new children’s DVD featuring our favorite furry child-hood friend, The Cat in the Hat! This show is an amazing adaptation of the original books onto the big screen, and it incorporates characters that you might not immediately think of when you think of Doctor Seuss. This DVD, has clever dialogue but I found it a bit lacking in enthusiasm.  

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about that! Amazing Animals! features six fun and rhyming episodes. The theme of this show is animals, so throughout the story, The Cat (Martin Short) goes on many adventures, teaching children not only how animals look and act, but also how they help out in our everyday lives. 

The main thing that blew me away in this show (more than my green eggs and ham did this morning) is how accurate and closely the episodes look on screen compared to the Dr. Seuss books. On-screen the show looks exactly as if you were turning the page in One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. I give major props to the producers at Collingwood & Co., Portfolio Entertainment and Random House Children’s Entertainment for making this show look just like an authentic Dr. Seuss book on-screen. My main criticism with this show is the voice acting. Martin Short voices The Cat, which is great. However, the other voices are a bit non-descript.

This show is great for kids; it is educational and teaches children the importance of the living creatures on Earth and how to treat them. It also shows off the importance of good manners and using words such as “please” and “thank you.” The show’s plot is not very complex so it can be easily understood by very younger viewers.

Although The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! did not quite deliver the green eggs and ham I hoped for, the amazing visual adaption from books to screen excels. I give The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! Amazing Animals! 3out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 7. It is available now on digital or DVD, so make sure to look for it.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals
Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Here we go go go go, on an adventure! We’re riding with the Cat in the Hat today! This DVD is full of fun! It has magnificent music and adorable animation, which the whole family is sure to love.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Amazing Animals is about two six-year-old best friends, Sally and Nick, and their extraordinary adventures with The Cat in the Hat. In this DVD, we learn about some amazing animals throughout six episodes, which include Bamboozled, Squirreled Away, Pretty in Pink, and more.

The Cat in the Hat has been one of my favorite shows since I was very little, and I learned a lot from it. And if your kids are interested in animals, they will LOVE it even more! It is so creative and educational. You can learn about many things – from squirrels, to pandas, to cows! It has the same lovable animation that is unique to Dr. Seuss.  And it stars the incredibly talented Martin Short, as the voice of The Cat. My favorite episode is Surprise Surprise, because it is very creative (but I can’t tell you too much because that would ruin the surprise).

There are many positive messages throughout the DVD, including teamwork, how learning can be fun, and the benefit of helping others in need.

I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 9. Adults will think that the DVD is fun and probably learn as much about different animals as their kids will. It is available now on DVD and Digital,  so look for it.

In GIGANTOSAURUS, four dinosaur pals team up for big adventures around their community as they help others, solve problems, and learn about the mysterious Gigantosaurus that lives among them. Often it’s Mazu’s curiosity that leads the group’s charge, and her friends Tiny, Bill, and Rocky eagerly join in her explorations. Whether it’s returning a lost egg to its herd or saving an insect species from extinction, these dinosaurs never give up on a challenge. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ethan P. comments, “I like this DVD because it is very funny and teaches children different morals.  The moral of Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is about coming together as friends and never give up on any challenge or obstacle that you might find on your path.  These four dinosaur friends defeat every obstacle and challenge without giving up and help their community and other animals in need. Tiana S. adds, “Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is not my favorite DVD, but I can see how younger kids would love it. It’s not really a show that makes you laugh, but there are lots of lessons that can be learned from each episode. I really love how every character has its own unique personality.” Jolleen M. wraps it up with, “I absolutely love this adorable animated series. It is unlike any other animated series I have seen. The dynamics between all the friends is interesting and it is so pleasing seeing how supportive they are of each other.” See their full reviews below.

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All!
By Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

I like this DVD because it is very funny and teaches children different morals.  Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is approximately 90 minutes long and has eight 11 minute episodes including “Giganto’s Laugh,” “Frozen Giganto,” “The Lost Egg,” “The Island,” “The Biggest Hero,” “Treasure!,” “Seeing Stars” and “Dinosia.” 

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! follows four dinosaur friends – Mazu, Tiny, Bill and Rocky – who team up to help animals in need and to solve their community’s situations or problems.  They also learn about the Gigantosaurus that live among them.  Mazu is the leader of the group and her three friends follow her on different adventures.  The graphics are neat and very colorful.  The landscape is very detailed.  The music is pleasant and appealing in each episode.  The voice-overs match each dinosaur’s personality. 

One of my favorite episodes is “Treasure!”  This episode is about the four dinosaur friends playing on a playground.  Tiny says to get cave moss for Giganto before they leave.  When Rocky gets the cave moss, he falls in some sticky water and Tiny pulls him out.  Tiny notices a little shiny gold pebble.  Mazu takes the gold pebble and brings it home.  Eventually, almost all the dinosaurs are chasing each other for the pebble.  The only one who’s not chasing or fighting over the shiny gold pebble is Giganto.  My other favorite episode is “The Biggest Hero,” because it teaches an important lesson.  This episode is about Rocky and Tiny fighting over who is the best hero.  They compete by solving a ton of problems and trying to help everyone in need.  At the end they are both heroes.

The moral of Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is about coming together as friends and never give up on any challenge or obstacle that you might find on your path.  These four dinosaur friends defeat every obstacle and challenge without giving up and help their community and other animals in need.

I give the DVE Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 5 to 18, plus. This DVD is available now so look for it!

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All!
By Tiana Sirmans, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 9 

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is not my favorite DVD, but I can see how younger kids would love it. It’s not really a show that makes you laugh, but there are lots of lessons that can be learned from each episode. I really love how every character has its own unique personality.

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is an animated show based on the book by the same name by Johnny Duddle. The DVD contains eight episodes about four young dinosaurs that go on many adventures. They all work hard to face their own fears and solve problems together on their journeys. While they are on their quests, their frenemy, Gigantosaurus, who is the largest, fiercest dinosaur of all, makes appearances. Sometimes the friends help him and other times he helps them. The four young dinosaurs learn different things about Gigantosaurus during each adventure. 

The main characters are Tiny (Àine Sunderland), Bill (Nicholas Holmes), Rocky (Dylan Schombing) and Mazu (Nahanni Mitchell), which are all dinosaurs. Even though they are all different species, they still treat each other like brothers and sisters. One of the things I felt lacking is more of the stories are not about Gigantosaurus, which is who the show is named for. I expected Gigantosaurus to be the main character, but he only makes a few appearances in each episode. The other characters talk about him a lot and they learn about him, but the four dinosaur friends are the main characters. My favorite part of each episode is how Tiny, Bill, Rocky and Mazu learn to overcome their fears. You can really see their true friendship whenever any of them needs a little help. They are always there to help each other throughout the day. I also love how they never give up.

The message in the movie is: everyone has a different talent that is useful for different things. You should appreciate others’ differences and believe that their talent has a true purpose. Since this is a kid’s movie, there isn’t much for adults to look out for except parts where kids may imitate bragging and scaring people on purpose.

Gigantosaurus, The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! will have younger kids roaring with laughter. I rate it 4 out of 5 stomps and recommend it for ages 3 to 6. You can find it now on DVD.

Gigantosaurus: The Biggest Dinosaur of All!
By Jolleen Mejia, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

I absolutely love this adorable animated series. It is unlike any other animated series I have seen. The dynamics between all the friends is interesting and it is so pleasing seeing how supportive they are of each other.

Gigantosaurus: The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is centered around four tiny dinosaur friends and their gigantic dinosaur friend, that have a love-hate relationship with. Each of the tiny dinosaurs has a different personality. One is brave, one gets scared but loves food, one’s silly and one is smart. Together they form the perfect team and are able to solve any problem. Their friend Gigantosaurus doesn’t talk, so Gigantosaurus isn’t close with them. Gigantosaurus’ size is beneficial to them because he is protect their herd, but his size can also cause some problems when he walks around. Therefore, the tiny dinosaurs still fear Gigantosaurus and they become cautious whenever he is near.

The voice actors for this series are all ages, to separate the adult dinosaurs from the innocent tiny ones. Even though there is this contrast between the adult voice actors and the younger voice actors, it is hard to tell the difference between the younger voice actors. Even so, the younger voice actors are quite remarkable. They are lively and portray various emotions well.

The animation is pretty detailed and very colorful. It is wonderful to see that the effort put into animating so many different types of dinosaurs, as well as other animals including birds, a rodent and an interesting walking fish. There is a lot of detail in their facial expressions which portray their emotions quite well.

My favorite part of this DVD is that it is so fun and educational. Hidden inside the plot are actual dinosaur facts that kids can learn, which is amazing.

There can be multiple messages in any episode, all of which are extremely valuable. It is great to see how encouraging the dinosaur friends are towards each other, as well as how all the characters are accepted. For example, Gigantosaurus is a large, scary-looking dinosaur, yet he is so caring, protective, and never means any harm. The tiny dinosaur who is considered to be the brave, adventurous one is encouraged by his friends to let out his soft, caring side. Most importantly, this DVD shows kids to look past the stereotypes and accept others, which I love.

Gigantosaurus: The Biggest, Fiercest Dinosaur of All! is a wonderful animated DVD collection which kids will absolutely love and learn a lot from. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 4 to 8. It comes out on DVD January 13, 2029, so make sure to pick it up!

Summer is here! Molang and Piu Piu are ready to make the most of it. From deep-sea diving and discovering underwater wonders, to meeting new friends and traveling in an RV, our two friends will live a summer bursting with fun, surprises and friendship.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Alexis J. comments, “I love this DVD, Summer Fun with Molang. It has such adorable animation. Summer is here. A bunny and a chick drive around to find a little fun together and are very cute. The anthropomorphic characters seem to be enjoying summer more than anyone! “ Cadence G. adds, “This DVD is about a bunny named Molang and a duck named Piu Piu who have a lot of fun and go on many adventures together. In one episode, Molang and Piu Piu go on a vacation to Hawaii. They meet friends on the way, but one of them gets stuck and when they try to help them, they get stuck on the island too. Luckily they work together to get back to Hawaii, but you’ll have to watch it to see what they do. Another adventure has to do with a whale. At first everyone is so scared of it, but then they want to help the whale get back to the ocean. Check out the episode called “The Rescue” to see what happens.” See their full reviews below.

Summer Fun with Molang
By Alexis J., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9

I love this DVD, Summer Fun with Molang. It has such adorable animation. Summer is here. A bunny and a chick drive around to find a little fun together and are very cute. The anthropomorphic characters seem to be enjoying summer more than anyone!

The bunny, Molang and chick, Piu Piu are the main characters. There are six episodes on this DVD experiencing summer adventure together. In first episode, Molang and Piu-Piu go underneath the water together to face the sea monster, even though everyone is afraid of it. Even during their scary adventure, they find ways to have fun and share good times together. In another episode, they are together at the fair. Molang sees a unicorn on a shelf and really wants to have one. Molang tries several different games but fails to win. Piu Piu doesn’t hesitate to help Molang as a best friend. However, Piu-Piu also fails in all game. Piu Piu doesn’t stop there. Piu Piu came up with a brilliant idea. It makes Molang smile. I love Piu Piu’s brilliant idea and it makes me smile, too.

Director Marie-Caroline Villand really delivers a super cute animated show. The anthropomorphic bunny and chick do everything together. However, even though they act like humans, their speaking is not like humans. Don’t worry! You will find ways to understand them while watching this DVD. They go snorkeling underneath the ocean, tubing around an island, build a sand statue of friendship and drive a RV together. In each episode, the adorable bunny and small friend face new adventure with laugher and joy. It seems like their friendship gets stronger and stronger every second.

The message of this animation is, “Friends are always there for each other.”

I give Summer Fun with Molang 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. Adults will enjoy it as well. This DVD is available now so look for it!

Summer Fun with Molang
By Cadence Graber, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

I like Summer Fun with Molang because the characters are super funny and the animation is the cutest thing ever. I also love all the stories in each of the six episodes on this DVD. I don’t like that the characters don’t talk and only make noises. Sometimes that can get a little annoying, but younger kids will probably love it. Rather than dialogue, the animation includes little pop-up bubbles that show what the characters are thinking. You can also tell what they are thinking by their expressions and the tone of the sounds they make.

This DVD is about a bunny named Molang and a duck named Piu Piu who have a lot of fun and go on many adventures together. In one episode, Molang and Piu Piu go on a vacation to Hawaii. They meet friends on the way, but one of them gets stuck and when they try to help them, they get stuck on the island too. Luckily they work together to get back to Hawaii, but you’ll have to watch it to see what they do. Another adventure has to do with a whale. At first everyone is so scared of it, but then they want to help the whale get back to the ocean. Check out the episode called “The Rescue” to see what happens.

I love the settings of all the episodes because they are mostly the ocean and the sand. I’m not familiar with that because there is only a lake and not an ocean where I live. Lake Superior is beautiful, but I love when I get to hang out on the beach in Los Angeles, California. The animation looks realistic and reminds me of having fun on the coast. My favorite part is when the characters have a hula dance in Hawaii because it’s funny and cute.

All of the episodes have their own little messages, but overall the message of this DVD is that if you work together you can get things done quicker and easier. I know my dance group performs far better when we are working together instead of dancing as a group of individuals.

I give Summer Fun with Molang 4 out of 5 years and recommend this DVD for ages 3 to 9. This DVD is available now, so look for it.