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One of the nice things about blogging is getting review copies of DVDs and books. I work with several children’s and adult book publishers and get a variety of books - everything from cooking to photography. From Click Communications, I get a lot of terrific Disney movies and grownup films like The Kite Runner (see my review here).

But a lot of the kids’ movies that get pitched to me I don’t accept, things like Caillou the whiniest cartoon boy ever. So with reluctance, I had Special Ops Media send me Handy Manny - Fixing It Right and Disney’s Little Einsteins - Race for Space after consulting with my daughter, Lucie. She said she’d like them. And she was right, she did. But then again, she’ll watch just about anything including America’s Next Top Model. (Heck, it’s my guilty pleasure, too.)

All in all, Handy Manny - Fixing It Right and Disney’s Little Einsteins - Race for Space aren’t bad. Handy Manny is sort of like Bob the Builder meets Chico and the Man.” (Am I showing my age here?) And Little Einsteins is like Meet the Robinsons. The animation is o.k., too. It’s just that they’re not very original and kind of boring. Plus, we’re not big Disney Channel fans. (I much prefer their movies and their Pixar division’s films.)

Also, these are just repackaged TV episodes according to the Amazon reviews. If you’re a fan of either of these shows and have a TiVo, you already “own” the shows and can watch them any time your child wants. Plus, if you have a DVD-R, you can make copies to play in the car.

Still, you may want to watch these clips and decide for yourself:

HANDY MANNY: FIXING IT RIGHT Clip 1

LITTLE EINSTEINS: RACE FOR SPACE Clip 1

My advice? Go to the library and get a few good books instead.

As my kids get older, it seems like it’s harder to find the time to read to them. By the time dinner dishes are put away, and backpacks are packed for the next day, it’s pass everyone’s bedtime and there is no time to read. While there is no substitute for a parent and child getting together to read, there are sources out there to help fill in the cracks.

The Smart Television Alliance
The Smart Television Alliance a great online source for parents and caregivers to easily find television programming that is educational and entertaining for kids, on the parents’ schedules. They’re also a committed supporter of the NEA’s annual Read Across America project. They even had some of our kids’ favorite TV characters give them reading suggestions.

The Smart Television Alliance has partnered with the Disney Channel to produce a Public Service Announcement to help impart the importance of reading to children everywhere. The Disney Channel asked Super Bunny, star of the new Playhouse Disney series “Bunnytown,” to read his favorite bedtime story to a friend - A Boy and His Bunny. You can see the video below.

kidthing™
kidthing released an animated digital version of Horton Hears A Who! by Dr. Seuss for Read Across America Day. It’s available for free exclusively on for download on kidthing. The pages come to life on your computer screen with animation, narration and sound effects. Parents also have the option to turn the sound off and read the book aloud. It’s very slick but as a parent you are totally in control to what books you’re downloading.

kidthing is a secure internet-based global learning platform for children, parents, teachers, family and friends that delivers the next generation Internet-based learning environment through its proprietary distribution, publishing and social networking platform. Parents and teachers can purchase, customize and personalize content for kids and can share this in private sharing groups. Publishers and content creators around the world can make their works available in the kidthing store in an enhanced electronic format. It’s sort of an online version of Kindle for children’s books with social networking features.

YouTube
There are many videos of books from Rosemary Wells to Curious George available on YouTube (probably bootleg versions, I’m guessing. I’ve created a playlist on YouTube of some kid friendly titles for my kids to watch. (I’d love to post a video here, but it keeps goofing up my blog.)

The DVD of Enchanted was released this week. And thanks to the folks at Click Communications, I have a preview copy that I hope we can watch this weekend, since we were too busy last week.

You see, it was my daughter Lucie’s fifth birthday, which included a fancy Disney princess party. Unfortunately, her little majesty decided it was her party and she could cry if she wanted to. Yes, she spent most of the time pouting or up in her room crying and screaming. Luckily, the other kids had a good time and everyone enjoyed a gorgeous and delicious Disney princess birthday cake made by Cutting Edge Cake Design.

The Queen Mother (that’s me) wasn’t happy with the bratty princess who was FINE once she started opening presents. So after I cleaned up, I went to my royal chambers for several hours to work on my plans to have this blog “prettied up” by Girly Blog Designz. (I’m so excited! More details coming soon.) The Queen was still peeved at the princess the next day, but finally issued a royal pardon.

Since Lucie is too adorable to be mad at for very long, like most fairly tales this tale of the pouty princess had a happily-ever-after ending. And so does Enchanted, a romantic spoof of Disney fairy tale films.

Enchanted features an animated heroine (Amy Adams as Giselle) from a kingdom far, far away who finds herself transformed into a real live woman in bustling New York City. Susan Sarandon plays the evil sorceress Narissa (who may just outdo another Disney baddie, Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil). Narissa exiles Giselle from her fairytale kingdom and James Marsden is the handsome prince who travels to the Big Apple to rescue her. Of course, all the moms will swoon over Patrick Dempsey (from “Grey’s Anatomy”) as a contemporary knight in shining armor. Idina Menzel plays his girlfriend Nancy who suspects Giselle might just be a little too good to be true.

The film is rated PG and Amazon.com reviewer, Tami Horiuchi, recommends it for ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to some scary images and mild innuendo. Besides watching a fun movie with my family, I’m looking forward to spotting the 13 scenes in Enchanted that reference Classic Disney movie scenes.

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Recently I posted a product review of Horizon Organic’s new DHA Omega-3 milk. Docosahexaenoic Acid, or DHA, is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid that has been studied for its role in heart, brain and eye health. In kids, DHA helps support development of the brain, nervous system and the retina of the eye.

As part of Brain Awareness Week/Month I’m giving away 3 Horizon Organic coupons good for any ONE FREE Horizon’s product up to $4.99 (excluding gallon milk and 16 oz. butter) in value.

To Enter:

1. Leave your name, email address, and blog address (if you have one) in the comments below.
2. You must be willing to send me your full name and address so I can mail you the coupon. I will not share your personal info with the public. However, if you do have a blog, I will link back to it when I announce the winners.
3. You have until midnight MT on March 27, 2008 to enter.
4. This contest is limited to the continental U.S.
5. I’m also offering having this contest at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet. Feel free to enter there as well. One entry on each of my blogs is allowed.
6. The coupon cannot be used in CO, MA, MO or ND, so don’t enter if you live in those states.
7. I will announce the winners on March 28, 2008 and mail out the coupons via USPS by the following week.

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Did you know that March is Brain and Brain Injury Awareness month? Brain Awareness Week, organized by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, was last week but events are going on worldwide all month to advance public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research.

Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives is part of  The Dana Foundation, a great resource for parents and teaches on brain science. It features Brainy Kids Online, a website for children, teens, parents and teachers with links to games, labs, education resources, and lesson plans.

As part of Brain Awareness Week, the Dana Foundation website also has links to puzzles and educational resources. One of the documents I found extremely helpful was Brain Books for Budding Scientists—and All Children with its list of brain books

As author Carolyn Phelan writes:

Any library can supply you with children’s books about the brain, but a dull, inaccurate, or outdated book can be worse than none at all. A well-written and illustrated children’s book, though, can help spark the imagination of the next generation of scientists, doctors, and citizens. Children’s books can help both to take the mystery out of science and to instill curiosity about the natural world. They can also remind adults how to simplify and explain complicated subjects for young, inquisitive minds.

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