Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

My First Collection Volume 3 Featuring Chicken Little: Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I am LOVING the My First Collection series from Scholastic Video. If you aren’t familiar with it, these are stories designed for toddlers and preschoolers. The stories are short and sweet, and also age appropriate. They have a lot of great stories that were previously unfamiliar to me, so that’s made watching them with Darah all the more fun.

But in Volume 3 of their My First Collection series, Scholastic does have a very familiar charcter: Chicken Little. Darah thinks he is an absolute riot!

Volume 3 actually contains 3 dvds. One is all about zany animal stories. Another is all about funny animal stories (Scardy Squirrel being our personal favorite). The third DVD is all about dogs. Darah especially loves the Angus film, which is not a cartoon but a live action film with an adorable and mischievous Scottie dog.

The entire set contains 12 different stories, along with bonus interview footage and read-along subtitles to help promote word recognition and literacy skills. The set is $24.95 and is a great value, in my opinion! Scholastic has yet to disappoint us with a DVD, and once again, they have produced an excellent collection that is right on target for the suggested age range!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win My First Collection Volume 3 from Scholastic!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Mo Willems Collection Now Available on DVD! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Mo Willems is a celebrated children’s author. He is the brains behind that grumpy pigeon we all know and love from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. He also has written some other gems that were unknown to me until seeing them on this Scholastic video, Mo Willems’ Pigeon and Pals. Knuffle Bunny is much loved by Darah, perhaps because her best friend is also a stuffed bunny. And he’s got a hilarious story about a naked mole rat who wants to wear clothes. Shocking!

This 6 story, 2 DVD set is now available for $19.95, and also includes some really terrific bonus footage all about Mo Willems and how he does his work. And of course, this dvd set contains the read along function that you can set up, so that the words of the story appear and are highlighted as the story is being read to the child. This helps with reading skills!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Scholastic videos are a true treasure. The stories are excellent (which is definitely NOT something you can say about all children’s programming) and they prompt some great discussions between you and your child. The videos also stay very true to the books upon which they are based, which I appreciate very much. You can’t go wrong by picking up this DVD set, or any other from the Scholastic line!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Mo Willems’ Pigeon and Pals!

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Stellaluna DVD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Recently Darah has been enjoying a really cute Scholastic DVD based on the award winning book, Stellaluna.

It’s about a young fruit bat who is separated from her mother and adopted by a family of birds. Try as she might to fit in, there are just some things that birds can do that she can’t and vice versa. But Stellaluna does make an amazing discovery that helps her see the value in not always being just like everyone else.

The dvd is very fun to watch and has music and excitement. It has been a really fun way to introduce Darah to bats, which she seems quite curious about, and it provides a great starting point for conversations about how we all have different gifts and abilities.

This dvd runs 41 minutes in length and comes with a Stellaluna activity booklet and has an ARV of $12.95. Want a sneak peek? Here’s a link to a clip from the movie!  http://www.newvideo.com/images/Clips/Q2/Stellaluna_Clip1_Flying.mp4

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Stellaluna!

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Scholastic’s Caldecott Favorites Review and GIVEAWAY

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The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. It is a BIG deal to win this award! The books that win are pretty much a sure bet to be excellent, and that’s why I think it is so cool that Scholastic has put out a 3-disc set full of Caldecott winners!

The collection is called Caldecott Favorites, and it has 3 separate discs. Two of the discs we have had the pleasure of seeing before, and they are really great. First is Make Way for Ducklings and More Delightful Duck Tales and then Antarctic Antics and More Hilarious Animal Stories. So the entire collection is heavy on animal stories, which is just fine with Darah, who LOVES to talk about and learn about animals of all sorts.

There’s also a new DVD in the collection, called The Ezra Jack Keats Collection. This is real gem! It is full of winning books from this author. The books have a bit of a 1970s vibe to them, and they chronicle Peter, a child living in a big city, and all his adventures, from learning to whistle to getting a new baby sister to taking part in a pet show. Darah and I watched every episode from this DVD in just one sitting, because we really enjoyed that Peter would be featured each time!

This collection is jam-packed with excellent books that have been brought to life. It actually has 199 minutes of video, so that makes for a whole lot of great entertainment for a great price, just $24.95.  I highly recommend it! Scholastic Storybook Treasures scores yet again!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win the Caldecott Favorites 3-disc set!

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Two New Titles from Scholastic: Review and GIVEWAY!!!

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We are continuing to enjoy our My First Collection DVD set from Scholastic that came out earlier this year. It is aimed at a younger audience (those who are pre-reading and just starting to learn how to read). I’m happy to report that they have just released volume 2 in the series, and it is a big hit with Darah! My First Collection Volume 2 Featuring Spoon has the most adorable story from which its title derives. It’s all about a spoon who is bummed out that he can’t have the same experiences as his super cool friends, fork and knife. But what he realizes is that his friends wish they could to the things that only a spoon could do! He realizes that his gifts and talents are special and worthy of appreciation, even if there are things that he can’t do. What a great lesson! The series has 3 DVDS and 13 total stories, including ones that have won a Caldecott Honor, an ALA Notable Video and an American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Award. This is a great set to purchase, and it is value priced at $24.95.

The second new release from Scholastic is called Chrysanthemum…and Other Stories about Mischievous Mice and Adorable Animals. It is also a wonderful addition to our video collection. In addition to the title story, which is about an adorable mouse, we were pleased to see, “Is Your Mama a Llama?” in this set. We’ve heard such great things about this story, but have never owned it. Now we know it by heart! As a grown-up, you’ll also enjoy getting to hear great celebrity narrators on this set. Look for Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker and Danny Glover, just to name a few! This set has 17 stories in the 3 DVD set, and includes stories that have won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video and the  Caldecott Honor. It is also available for $24.95.

If you don’t yet own any Scholastic DVDs, I cannot say enough wonderful things about them. They area sure to become treasures to your children, and you won’t tire of watching them, either, as they are so wonderfully presented and narrated. Scholastic does a great job of bringing stories that are already amazing to life in a whole new way. We love Scholastic!

Win it!: Two lucky Stuff Parents Need readers are going to win one DVD set each! Yay!

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Scholastic’s Curious George and The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

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It’s a new month, and that means it is time for some new releases from Scholastic! Woo hoo! I ALWAYS get excited when I get an email about what is coming out, and this month was no exception.

First, as we all know, we are commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy this month. As adults, we all remember where we were on that fateful day. I was a senior in college. I can actually see that day on campus very clearly still, because it is so burned in memory. But how do we explain the event to our children who weren’t even alive at the time? Scholastic has released a Caldecott Award winning book by Mordecai Gerstin that can help children understand what the World  Trade Towers looked like, and that highlights a really memorable story from their history. It is the story of Pehilippe Petit, a French man who walked a tightrope between the towers in 1974, at a time when they were the world’s tallest buildings, and it is called, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. It is narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal, and offers a great way to share a positive memory about the towers and the bravery of a single man. What a great story to reference when teaching your children about September 11th later on, and the bravery of all of those people inside the buildings. This disc has 4 stories of inspiration and retails for $14.95.

The second release this month tips its hat to National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is September. It features Curious George, also known as Jorge El Curioso! The title is Jorge El Monito Ciclista. This set has 19 stories in 3 DVDs, and they are all in Spanish as well as English. This is an excellent choice for any child who is working on learning Spanish, as you can hear it in Spanish with Spanish subtitles, Spanish with English subtitles, or English with Spanish subtitles. Yes, you can even watch it in English with English subtitles, which also makes it an excellent choice for any children who are Spanish speakers but are learning English. This set is available for $24.95.

Buy it!: Both sets are available for purchase now on the New Kideo website!

Win it!: Two lucky Stuff Parents Need readers will each win one of the titles I reviewed today! Yay! New to Rafflecopter? Click here for a tutorial! [Read more…]

Scholastic’s Newest Release for Budding Artists: Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Introducing Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, a 3-disc collection newly released from my favorite line of children’s videos, Scholastic Storybook Treasures! This set has 2 hours and 47 minutes of delightful and award-winning stories all about performance, music and art. It is a joy to watch!

It’s also a joy to listen to, as narrators Darah and I both love make an appearance on this set, including James Earl Jones and Zach Braff, not to mention a singing performance by the one and only Aretha Franklin!

If you want to introduce your kids to the arts in a fun way, bring this fantastic collection of stories home! You can purchase the 3 disc set for $24.95 or purchase them individually for $14.95

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! for your collection! The contest will run until August 24th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me one other DVD you’d like to own from Scholastic!

My answer: I’d love to get The Wheels on the Bus and More Sing-a-Long Favorites!

Additional entries:

1. Sponsor love: Like New Kideo (makers of Scholastic Storybook Treasures) on Facebook

2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of the page.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

 

 

 

Scholastic’s Goodnight Gorilla and I Stink Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Scholastic Storybook Treasures has put out two new DVDs in the last month, and we are loving them!!!!

First up, Goodnight Gorilla. This book is so loved by so many children, including my own. In fact, the more I read it, the more I love it, too! It’s not very big on words, but the pictures tell such a vivid and delightful story. Scholastic NAILED THIS BOOK by bringing it to life. Most all of the little fun tidbits you pick up in the story are also found in the video. It even drew my attention to a few details I had not previously noticed!

And let me just tell you about Darah’s reaction. The first time we played Goodnight Gorilla for her on the TV, she talked and squealed the ENTIRE TIME. She alsready knew the story and it tickled her to see that mischievous gorilla moving about. To say this DVD is a hit would be a massive understatement.

Goodnight Gorilla could stand on its own and be completely worthy of purchase, but Scholastic has bundled it with 15 other delightful stories about animals, all in a 3 disc set that retails for $24.95.

The second DVD set is I’m Dirty and I Stink. This is a set of two DVDs, and the title videos are based on books I wasn’t familiar with until getting this set. They are about garbage trucks and are a lot of fun! Darah now runs around the house saying, “I stink!” which totally makes me laugh. The whole set has a lot of transportation-related stories. It’s just perfect for any child with a fascination for things with wheels. This set retails for $19.95. Also, get 20% off your purchase from now until August 31st by entering code NKFB20 at checkout (this is celebrating the launch of the Facebook page!).
Link
Win it!: Two lucky Stuff Parents Need readers will each get one of these DVD sets. The contest will run until August 2nd at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected by Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me which of the reviewed titles needs to come to your house and why!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like New Kideo on Facebook! They are brand new and need some FB love!!!
2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.