Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

Do you enjoy watching our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics video reviews of all the latest films, DVDs and other media? To receive our most current reviews the day they come out all you have to do is subscribe to our KIDS FIRST! YouTube Channel.

Yup, it’s as easy as that.  Click here to subscribe.

We have more than 1100 video reviews up now and add new ones almost daily. All the latest feature films rated G, PG and PG-13 are reviewed by our team of youth reporters and posted for you to watch.

So, whenever you’re trying to decide what movie to take your kids to, or even go to yourself, check out what our critics say before you spend your hard earned money on that pricey ticket!

Feel free to share with your friends, repost on your blog or social media and give us feedback. We are always trying to improve so, if you’ve got a suggestion on how to do that, let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

It’s that time of year when our thoughts run to the dark side and scary movies take over for October viewing. But preschoolers can be left behind because – well, we don’t really want to frighten them too much, right? Leave it to PBS Kids to come up with an assortment of shows from some of their most watched series that will fit the bill for your younger and easily frightened viewers. Here’s a few. Note the air dates after each title but check your local listings to find out exactly when it’s airing in your marker.

CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest (airs October 27 and 31)
It’s George’s first Halloween in the country, and Bill tells him and Allie about the Legend of No Noggin – a spooky tale about a hat-kicking scarecrow who haunts the countryside on Halloween.  But is the legend really real? George and Allie are determined to find out by taking a picture of No Noggin in hat-kicking action.  But first, George needs to figure out what he’s going to be for Halloween so he can win the costume contest at the town Boo Festival.  Will George’s quest for the perfect costume interfere with his quest for the truth? Only the curious will find out!

DINOSAUR TRAIN
(307) One Big Frog/Caving with Vlad – NEW! (premieres October 27, repeats October 29 and 31)
The Pteranodon kids are playing a game called “I’m the Biggest,” which raises the question: how big is the biggest frog? Dad takes the kids on the Dinosaur Train to find the biggest frog ever, the legendary Beelzebufo. Once off the train, they have to take a river raft to find this illusive creature, but find him they do. The kids are surprised that Benny Beelzebufo isn’t nearly as large (or mean) as they’d imagined, but he is definitely the biggest frog they’ve ever seen! Benny teaches the kids about his “sit-still-and-wait” hunting style and shows off his large, floating leaf “home.”

The Pteranodon family rides the “Night Train” all the way back to the Jurassic Period to visit their nocturnal friend, Vlad Volaticotherium, who tells them that he wants to take them caving!  Buddy, Tiny, Shiny and Don don’t even know what caving is, but they are soon having a great time seeing all the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites that have formed inside the cave.  They also learn that it can be a lot of fun to hear your voice echo down the cave’s long caverns!

(116) Night Train/Fossil Fred (airs October 28 and 30)
(211) Haunted Roundhouse/Big Pond Pumpkin Patch (airs October 24, 26, 29 and 31)

SUPER WHY!
(135) The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Halloween (airs October 27 and 31)

THOMAS & FRIENDS
(1008) Tricks and Tales (airs October 16, 18 and 27)
(1007) Spooky Charms (airs October 20, 28 and 31)

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!
(141) Trick or Treat (airs October 15, 27 and 31)

WILD KRATTS
(208) Secrets of the Spider’s Web (airs October 30)
(136) A Bat in the Brownies (airs October 31)
(134) Little Howler (airs October 31)

MARTHA SPEAKS
(307) Deadline Doggie/It’s the Giant Pumpkin, Martha (airs October 30)
(308) TD’s Magic/Scaredy Cat (airs October 31)

WORDGIRL
(505) Scary with a Side of Butter / Talent Show Tobey (airs October 23)
(126) A Kooky Spooky Halloween / Sheep’s Halloween Costume (airs October 24)
(209) Tobey’s Tricks and Treats / Escape Wham (airs October 30)
(212) Who Wants Candy? / Chuck’s Brother (airs October 31)

CAILLOU
(426) Fall Is in the Air (airs October 20 and 31)
(410) After Dark! (airs October 21)

ARTHUR
(1107) Hic or Treat/Mr. Alwaysright (airs October 31)
(1405) Tales of Grotesquely Grim Bunny/Pet Projects (airs October 31)

DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
(128) Katerina’s Costume/Dress up Day (airs October 31)
CURIOUS GEORGE
(313) Night of the Weiner Dog/Animal Trackers (airs October 30)

Attention all Grandparents!  Did you know, September 7^th is National Grandparents Day?  It’s a day of recognition for the huge contribution grandparents make to the family and society. We urge you to celebrate the experience with KIDS FIRST! & GRAND Magazine.  GRAND is the magazine just for grandparents, with information and inspiration we need to get the most from this important life stage.

GRAND is a digital magazine…a real and “green” magazine delivered by email, and it’s absolutely free for you!  To mark their 10^th Anniversary, GRAND is giving all KIDS FIRST!  supporters free subscriptions.  Really.  No credit card…no billing. Free!

Click Here to receive 12 bi-monthly issues packed with news you can use.  Be among the first to get the 10th Anniversary Edition, arriving in September featuring National Geographic marine explorer, Dr. Sylvia Earle.
Know someone else who loves being a GRANDparent?  Forward this now and let them in on the fun.

We have extended You have til July 15 to submit your films, DVDs, audio recordings, apps, TV shows and e-books for a KIDS FIRST! endorsement or for consideration in our KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. Don’t delay, do it today. The sooner you get it to us, the quicker you get your endorsement.

KIDS FIRST! has been supporting quality children’s media for 23 years and is the most highly respected media endorsement program in the country. Unlike an awards program which limits the number of winners, every title that meets our criteria and is approved by our kids’ juries receives an endorsement. Our base-line criteria includes:

NO gratuitous violence or abuse
NO inappropriate sexual behavior
NO bias in terms of race, gender, culture or religion
NO condescension toward children
NO replicable unsafe behavior

KIDS FIRST! Endorsed Titles Receive

• The right to use the KIDS FIRST! endorsement seal and rating on all promotional and packaging materials..
• A unique title landing page on the KIDS FIRST! website featuring reviews by our jurors, your trailer or sample clip, cover art and link to your website to purchase.
• Consideration for a KIDS FIRST! Best Award
• Coverage on the KIDS FIRST! Radio Show, KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions (100,000 lilsteners)
• Promoted in KIDS FIRST! News (45,000 readers/mo)
• Promoted on KIDS FIRST! Social media (450,000 reach)

For more information, go to http://www.kidsfirst.org/submit-a-title/

We are thrilled to announce our new KIDS FIRST! blog on Huffington Post. Please, go check it out and subscribe, comment and share. Please do it today and pass it on to your friends and family. This is a big deal for KIDS FIRST! and gives our kids a whole new audience to reach!

Here’s the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kids-first/

If you have a 10 to 15-year-old in your life who loves films and dreams of being on the red carpet, KIDS FIRST! has the perfect opportunity. Your tween can participate in the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Boot Camp this summer in New York City/Brooklyn at Zing Revolution and Silver Spring, MD at Discover Communications for an experience they will never forget.

Give your child the opportunity to build self confidence and learn more about behind-the-scenes aspects of the film industry as they critique the latest films, learn to write reviews, practice interview techniques, improve on-camera skills, visit with industry professionals and are coached by seasoned professionals. All campers will have the opportunity to join the KIDS FIRST! Film Critic team of reporters.  Lara Lavi, managing partner at Zing Revolution comments, “We are thrilled to offer our ZING REVOLUTION HQ in Brooklyn to KIDS FIRST! As a Board member and fan of the organization we love seeing young people nurtured like this.”

Each week-long boot camp will meet Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Locations include:

• July 14 – 18, 2014 – Silver Spring, MD, Discovery Communications (DCI World Headquarters. One Discovery Place Silver Spring, MD 20910
• Aug. 4 – Aug. 8, 2014 – New York City/Brooklyn, Zing Revolution (140 58th Street, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Brooklyn, NY 11220)

Leading the KIDS FIRST! teaching team is Ranny Levy, founder and president of KIDS FIRST! / Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a former television producer, educator and long-time children’s media advocate.  Documentary filmmaker, Nancy Kenney brings years of teaching experience to the team and a practical knowledge of how to inspire students. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Nancy co-founded the Children’s Peace Initiative and produces documentary films. Terry Solowey, former assistant director of outreach for Sesame Street Preschool Education Program and manager of outreach for Thirteen/WNET brings additional years of experience in media education. Rounding out the team is Janet Davidson, and EQUITY/SAG actor and DGA director with more than 200 episodic and 20 telefilms credited to her including Earth 2, Cagney & Lacey, Soul Food, Judging Amy and Any Day Now.

The KIDS FIRST! Film Critic’s program, now in its fourth year, has received acclaim from publishers and educators alike. The reviews, both written and videotaped, by the team of youth reporters reach an audience of more than 7 million monthly through affiliations with broadcast, print and online publishers including Huffington Post, Kidsville News, Working Woman, Kidzworld.com, HDnet Movies KidScene, LA Parent, Westchester Parent and many more.

For more information and to register, go to http://www.kidsfirst.org. Please act soon, because space is limited. Tuition: $459. There is a limited number of partial scholarships available.

About:  KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Boot Camp is a program of the 23-year-old, national, nonprofit organization,  Coalition for Quality Children’s Media  whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children’s media. For more information visit www.kidsfirst.org.

About: Zing Revolution: Zing Revolution is the industry leader in innovative technology and pop culture product development. Zing has the largest image offering in the world for music, fashion, art, television, movies and animation for premium 3M vinyl skins for consumer electronic accessories for over 300 electronic devices, home décor, extreme sports board skins and more. For more information visit www.zingrevolution.com