Release Date Set For New ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Music Compilation

Courtesy: Omnivore Recordings

Fans of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and its wonderful musical content will get another collection of that music this spring.

Back in the Neighborhood: The Best of Mr. Rogers – Volume 2 is scheduled for release April 7 through Omnivore Recordings. The forthcoming compilation is the companion to the 2020 Grammy Award-winning compilation, It’s Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mr. Rogers.

The 20-song record will feature the single, ‘What Would You Like To Do Today?,’ which was previously only available on the vinyl pressing of It’s Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mr. Rogers. Also featured in this collection are songs, such as ‘Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things,’ ‘Sometimes Isn’t Always,’ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’

The record’s track listing is noted below.

Tracklist:

1. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

2. This Is Just The Day

3. What Would You Like To Do Today

4. We Are Elephants

5. Perfectly Beautiful Day

6. It’s A Lonely Kind Of Thing

7. Let’s Think Of Something To Do

8. Everything Grows Together

9. Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things

10. Please Don’t Think It’s Funny

11. I Like Someone

12. Did You Know?

13. It’s Very Hard To Wait

14. Sometimes Isn’t Always

15. I’m A Man Who Manufactures

16. The Truth Will Make Me Free

17. What Do You Do?

18. Sleep Little Baby

19. Peace And Quiet

20. It’s Such A Good Feeling

Back in the Neighborhood: The Best of Mister Rogers Volume 2 is the third collection of music from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to be released in four years. Thank You, Mister Rogers was released in 2019 through BFD.

More information on this and other titles from Omnivore Recordings is available at:

Website: https://omnivorerecordings.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omnivorerecordings

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OmnivoreRecords

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PBS Distribution To Release New ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ DVD Set Next Month

Courtesy: PBS Distribution

PBS Distribution will release another collection of classic Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood episodes on DVD next month.

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: Mister Rogers Meets New Friends is scheduled for release Feb. 9. Few details are available about the four disc collection as to the featured episodes and the set’s box art. It is known that the collection will span a total run time of 847 minutes. That is more than 14 hours of content for families to take in together.

The forthcoming collection is the third box set of episodes from the timeless series and fourth overall collection of the series’ episodes. It’s a Beautiful Day Collection was released in 2018 and followed up by the Would You Be Mine? Collection in 2019. The single-disc collection Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes followed that release in December 2019.

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: Mister Rogers Meets New Friends will retail for MSRP of $19.99.

More information about the DVD set and all of the latest Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood news is available at:

Website: https://MisterRogers.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TVNeighbor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FredRogersPro

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

PBS Distribution Announces Release Date, Specs For New ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood’ DVD Set

Courtesy: PBS Kids/PBS Distribution/PBS

PBS Distribution will bring a new collection of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood episodes to DVD next month.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Tigertastic 50 Pack is scheduled for release Feb. 9. The collection’s 50 total episodes are spread across three discs. One of the set’s featured stories features Daniel going to Baker Aker’s bakery to pick out a birthday cake. When the cake is damaged, Daniel learns the lesson that just because the cake is messed up, it is still edible and tasty.

In a throwback to one of the most beloved episodes of the original Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel and his friends visit the crayon factory in yet another of the set’s featured episodes. Daniel learns that going to the doctor for a checkup is not as scary as he thinks in yet another of the collection’s stories.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Tigertastic 50 Pack will retail for MSRP of $19.99. Pre-orders are open.

More information on this and other Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood DVDs is available online now along with activities, games, printouts and more at:

Website: http://pbskids.org/daniel

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danieltigertv

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

PBS Distribution To Release New ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood’ DVD This Month

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS/PBS Kids

PBS Distribution will release a new collection of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood episodes on DVD this fall.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Explore The Outdoors is scheduled for release Sept. 22.  The single-disc collection features six episodes of the beloved series, all of which center on the topic of going outside and appreciating all that the outdoors has to offer.

One of the most notable of the disc’s episodes — “Daniel Explores Nature” — finds Daniel and his parents spending the day outdoors.  Daniel discovers a bird, and in turn learn how birds build their nests.  The bird’s next falls out of the tree, so it’s up to Daniel and his parents to get the nest back in the tree.

“Daniel’s Nature Walk” is another episode featured in the DVD.  This episode’s story follows O the Owl and his uncle X The Owl as the duo goes for a nature walk in the forest.  Along the way, the pair sees all kinds of creatures, such as frogs and worms, and even gets to see a rainbow.

“Daniel Plays in a Gentle Way,” yet another of the DVD’s stories, reminds young viewers about the importance of being careful even when playing.  That lesson is taught as some of Daniel’s friends want to play fast, even though he wants to play slow and safe.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Explore The Outdoors will retail for MSRP of $6.99.  Pre-orders are open now.

More information on this and other Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood DVDs is available online now along with activities, games, printouts and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://pbskids.org/daniel

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danieltigertv

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Audiences Would Be “Mistaken” To Not Own PBS Distribution’s Latest ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ DVD

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS

We all make mistakes.  It’s part of who we are.  Those are words spoken by the late, great Fred Rogers multiple times in PBS’ latest Mister. Rogers’ Neighborhood DVD, Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes.  It is such a simple statement, yet so powerful in its simplicity, and is a statement that every person needs to hear every day.  Now thanks to PBS, audiences of all ages can get that reminder in various different ways every day in the recently released DVD.  Released through PBS Distribution Dec. 3, the DVD features five episodes of the timeless series that all focus on the issue of making mistakes.  The presentation of the various ways in which mistakes can happen is key for the DVD’s presentation.  It is just one of the important pieces of the DVD’s overall presentation to note.  The episodes’ sequencing plays into the DVD’s presentation in its own key fashion, too.  The DVD’s average price point is yet another important item to consider in the DVD’s presentation.  When all three of the items are considered together, the whole of Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes proves to be a release that would be a mistake for audiences to not own.

PBS Distribution’s latest Mister. Rogers’ Neighborhood DVD Mister Rogers &Making Mistakes is a strong new release that families and educators alike will appreciate.  That is due in no small part to the DVD’s overall content.  The DVD features five episodes of the timeless series in which mistakes are made (and discussed) in a variety of settings.  In one episode, Mr. Rogers sits down with a famed pianist and talks about the mistakes that he – the pianist – makes in practicing songs and that he even made throughout his life as he learned to play the piano.  In another case, Mr. Rogers receives the wrong tape from Mr. McFeely. He was expecting a tape that shows how erasers are made, but instead, receives a tape showing how books are made.  By connection, Mr. Rogers also discusses an error made in a book that he was reading.  The Land of Make Believe segments feature their own lessons about making mistakes.  Mr. Skunk, at one point, points out that it’s easy for him to accidentally make a foul-smelling odor when he is scared. He points out that he does not do it on purpose – even though in real life skunks do just that intentionally as a defense mechanism – and that it is embarrassing when it happens.  Mr. Skunk is reminded by others that they understand, and that mistakes happen.  Their understanding cheers him up.  In an even heavier moment, Daniel Tiger asks one of his friends if he was a mistake.  Taking on such thoughts and feelings was nothing new for Mr. Rogers, considering that he tackled during his time on television, issues, such as death, divorce and violent acts.  Daniel is reminded by his friend that he is not an accident and is loved because he is who he is.  Mr. Rogers then reminds his own viewers that everyone is different, and that is what makes them so great, stressing that no one is a mistake.  This is a powerful moment and one that is certain to live on forever.  Between these noted moments and others featured throughout the course of Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes, the lessons about making mistakes featured in this DVD make for more than enough reason for audiences to own the single-disc presentation.  It is just one of the positives presented in the DVD.  The sequencing of the episodes plays its own important part in the DVD’s presentation.

The sequencing is important to note in that all five of the episodes featured in the DVD are sequential.  They are not just a handful of episodes pulled from the series.  Audiences get to take in the full story of Audrey Duck and her poem’s reception thanks to this format, and the full week-long focus of making mistakes from Mister Rogers.  This may not seem overly important on the surface, but looking at it on a deeper level, it proves very important.  That continuity creates a feeling of completion among audiences.  That sense of completion, in turn, creates a positive feeling in viewers’ minds.  Yes, it’s mainly a psychological matter, but clearly key in its own right.  It would have been so easy for those responsible for the DVD’s assembly to simply throw in some random episodes.  Those individuals didn’t do that, though.  They paid attention to the importance of fluidity of the episodes.  That attention and thoughtfulness paid off for them and for audiences alike. The result is just as much enjoyment from the episodes’ presentation as from their content.  Keeping all of this in mind, it makes the DVD’s average price point quite important in its own right, too.

The average price point of Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes is $7.62.  That price was reached by averaging prices listed at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and PBS’ online store.  At the time of this review’s posting, it was not listed at Books-A-Million’s website and at that of Target. Barnes & Noble Booksellers presents the least expensive listing for the DVD — $6.63 – while PBS’ listing of $9.99 is the most expensive of the listings.  Best Buy’s listing of $7.99 is the middle ground for the listings.  Regardless of which retailer one uses, PBS will benefit from the DVD’s sales.  It features content that is appealing to audiences of all ages and formatting that makes it that much more appealing.  All things considered, this compilation proves to be a presentation which it would be a mistake to not own.

PBS Distribution’s latest Mister. Rogers’ Neighborhood DVD Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes is another positive new offering from the company.  It is a presentation that audiences of all ages will enjoy time and again with its lessons about making mistakes.  Grown-ups will relate to the lessons just as much as children thanks to the very directed aim of the lessons.  The fact that the episodes are featured in precise linear fashion adds even more appeal to the DVD, as it creates a sense of completion for audiences.  The fact that the DVD’s price, both singular and at average, is less than $10 adds even more appeal.  It means that the DVD is affordable to everyone, to say the very least.  Each item noted is important in its own right to the whole of the DVD.  All things considered, they make this release one that audiences would be mistaken to not own.  More information on this and other Mister Rogers­-related content from PBS Distribution is available online at:

 

 

 

Website: http://pbsdistribution.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PBSDistribution.org

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

New ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Music Compilation Available Now

Courtesy: Sugar Mountain PR

Fred Rogers, a.k.a. Mr. Rogers, composed more than 200 songs during his many years on PBS’ beloved series Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.  A new musical tribute to Rogers and his work was released Friday in the form of the new compilation record Thank You, Mr. Rogers.

The 13-song record features performances of beloved songs from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, such as its theme song, ‘Many Ways To Say I Love You’ and ‘Podemos Ser Amigos?’  The songs are performed by the likes of Vanessa Williams, Tom Bergeron and Kellie Pickler.

Williams offered her own kind words about Rogers and his work in a recent interview, saying, “As a child, you appreciated the songs, but as an adult, you really appreciate the music.”

David Newell, who played McFeely in the series expanded on Williams’ comments in a separate interview.

“Each song in this collection is different from the other…and each singer has made it their own,” he said.  “Fred would be delighted to know that his music lives on to new generations.”

Actress Rita Wilson — wife of fellow actor Tom Hanks, who will portray Rogers in a new biopic of the beloved celebrity — also offers her talents to the compilation on a performance of ‘Sometimes People Are Good.’  She offered a thought similar to those of Newell and Williams in another interview.

“Mister Rogers’ melody and lyrics are beautifully integrated together,” she said.  “his words of kindness, acceptance and peace are a classic message.”

Videos of many of the compilation’s songs being recorded in studio are streaming now at the record’s official YouTube Channel.  The record is available to download and stream through various outlets here.

More information on Thank You, Mister Rogers is available online now at:

 

Website: http://thankyoumisterrogers.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThankYouMisterRogers

 

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Three New PBS Kids Titles Available Now Through PBS Distribution

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution

PBS Distribution released three new titles for the whole family this month.

Released July 9 were Ready Jet Go!: One Small Step and Arthur: Arthur Celebrates Community.  The first of the two titles was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.  It features a special hour-long episode that looks back at the historic moon landing mission after Jet tells his friends that he has built a new super saucer.

The announcement leads Jet and his friends to the moon, and a rough  landing on the moon leads Jet and Sunspot to go missing, leading his friends to search for the pair.  In the process of the search, Jet’s friends find things left behind by the Apollo 11 mission.

Ready Jet Go!: One Small Step can be ordered online at PBS’ online store now.  Ready Jet Go! games, activities and printables are available online at:

Website: http://pbskids.org/readyjetgo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialReadyJetGo

 

 

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution

Arthur: Arthur Celebrates Community features four episodes from the beloved animated series that teach invaluable lessons about compassion, civility, honesty and open-mindedness.  One of those lessons comes in the form of “When Rivals Come To Roost,” which finds the students of Lakewood Elementary having to share their school — and science fair secrets — with the students of Mighty Mountain after the school floods.

The episode’s second story, “The Longest Eleven Minutes,” finds Muffy having to deal with the internet going out as she obsesses over her blog.

The controversial “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone” is also featured in this new collection.  This episode finds everyone’s grumpy Lakewood teacher tying the knot, but not to who they might think.

Also featured in this collection are the stories, “The Feud,” “House Guests,” “Binky Can’t Always Get What He Wants,” “Muffy’s Car Campaign” and “Truth or Poll.”

Arthur: Arthur Celebrates Community is available now through PBS’ online store.  Lots of Arthur activities, printables and activities are available online now at:

 

Website: http://pbskids.org/arthur

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArthurPBS

 

 

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution

On July 16, PBS Distribution released a brand new collection of classic episodes from the beloved series Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood in the form of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood: Would You Be Mine Collection.  This second collection of classic episodes features 30 more episodes from the series, spread across four discs.

One of the series’ most beloved episodes, “A Visit to the Crayon Factory” is featured as a bonus in this collection.  Also appearing in the collection are famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, equally famous performance group STOMP and Olympian Suzie McConnell.  The set’s run time tops 14 hours, giving the whole family lots of entertainment.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood: Would You Be Mine Collection is available now through PBS’ online store.  More fun for the whole family is available through activities, printable and games at:

 

Website: http://pbs.kids.org/daniel

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TVNeighbor

 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://philspicks.wordpress.com.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

PBS Announces Release Date For New Fred Rogers Doc

Courtesy: PBS/Public Media Distribution

Public Media Distribution will release to DVD next month another documentary focused on Fred Rogers and his beloved series Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like was released digitally Sept. 3 and is currently scheduled to be released on DVD Oct. 2. The hour-long documentary, which originally aired on PBS and not to be confused with the other Fred Rogers documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor, is a retrospective on Fred Rogers and his beloved series.

Veteran actor Michael Keaton (Batman, Baman Returns, Spiderman: Homecoming) serves as host for the heartwarming documentary.  It also features interviews from other well-known figures, such as Yo-Yo Ma, John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun, The World According to Garp, Interstellar), Whoopi Goldberg (The View, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ghost) and others.

Mr. Rogers: It’s You I Like was produced by JoAnn Young (JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala, Oscar Hammerstein: Out of my Dreams) and John Paulson (JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala, A Raising in the Sun Revisited).  Ellen Doherty and Kevin Morrison of Fred Rogers Productions executive produced.

Mr. Rogers: It’s You I Like will retail for MSRP of $19.99 and can be pre-ordered now at a reduced price of $14.99 at PBS’ online store.  More information on this and other titles from PBS is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.pbs.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pbs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/pbs

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” It.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

PBS Kids Releasing New Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood DVD Gift Set Next Month

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Kids

Officials with PBS announced Tuesday that the network will release a special Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood gift set this fall.

PBS and PBS Kids will release Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Tiger’s Happy Holidays in a special gift set on Tuesday, October 14^th. The special gift set includes Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Tiger’s Happy Holidays and a Daniel Tiger toy. The DVD features seven more episodes from the award-winning series, one of which—“Snowflake Day”—is a two-part episode. Everyone in Daniel’s neighborhood celebrates “Snowflake Day” each year. In celebration, the neighborhood holds a community play. And this year, Daniel is the star of the play.

Daniel learns how letters are mailed off in the DVD’s second episode, “Something Special For Dad” after he sees how happy his dad having received a letter from Grandpere in the mail. Seeing how happy the letter made his dad, Daniel wants to mail a letter to his dad, too. So he and his mom go to the post office where they learn how mail is sorted and mailed. To top off his visit, Daniel even gets to join Mr. McSpeedy on his rounds and hand deliver his letter to his dad.

“I Love You, Mom” is another wonderful addition to this compilation of episodes. In this episode, Daniel wants to tell his mom how much he loves her, but wants to do it in a special way. So he and his dad go to Baker Aker’s bakery where they learn how bread is made. While they are there, Daniel gets to make banana bread for his mom. Banana bread is one of her favorite foods. Daniel and his dad bring the bread back and surprise her with the bread, which she then shares with Daniel and his dad.

Grandpere Tiger makes a special visit to Daniel and his parents in “Thank You, Grandpere Tiger,” the fourth episode included on this new DVD. There’s just one problem. Grandpere can’t stay for the neighborhood’s annual “Thank You Day” celebration. That makes Daniel sad. In the process, Daniel learns to be thankful for the time that he and Grandpere get to spend together and gets a very special surprise when it turns out that Grandpere is at the neighborhood’s annual celebration.

Following up on Grandpere’s visit, the DVD continues with the episode “Neighborhood Thank You Day.” Viewers learn all about the neighborhood’s annual “Thank You Day” celebration in this episode. Every year during the “Thank You Day” celebration, everyone in the neighborhood puts a note in the “Thank You Tree” as a way to say thank you to one another. Daniel can’t decide who he wants to thank with his note. He does finally come to a decision. It all ends with a special Thank You Day feast that includes everyone in the neighborhood.

The DVD’s penultimate episode, “Katerina’s Costume” features on Katerina as she is trying to decide what outfit she wants to wear for the neighborhood’s annual Dress Up Day. Daniel and Miss Elena, on the other hand, have no problem deciding on their costumes. Katerina does eventually make her decision.

“Dress Up Day” closes out the DVD. Much like the case of Halloween, Daniel and his friends go to all the stores in their neighborhood, showing off their costumes on Dress Up Day. They get different stickers at every store they visit.

The upcoming DVD gift set will be available Tuesday, October 14^th. It will retail for MSRP of $14.99. the DVD will also be available alongside the gift set as a stand-alone presentation. It will retail for MSRP of $12.99. It can be ordered online at PBS’ online store at http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=45475006&cp=&kw=daniel+tigers+happy+holidays&origkw=Daniel+Tiger%27s+Happy+Holidays&sr=1.

Parents and children can watch more episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and play games together online at http://pbskids.org/daniel. Parents and children can keep up with the latest news from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood online at http://www.facebook.com/danieltigertv. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Peg + Cat’s First Outing On DVD Is Fun For The Whole Family

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Kids

PBS Kids’ new children’s series Peg + Cat has proven to be a big hit among audiences in its first season.  And now families and educators alike can enjoy a handful of the show’s episodes any time thank to the brand new release of the series’ first ever DVD compilation Peg + Cat: Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems.  The primary reason that audiences will appreciate this brand new DVD is the list of episodes collected for the compilation.  It features eight shorts from the series’ first season.  The episodes themselves serve a number of purposes including not just problem solving but also encouragement of creativity among audiences and basic math skills.  Another reason that audiences will appreciate this collection of episodes is its animation.  Those that are perhaps new to the series will appreciate that the show looks in every way like it was drawn not just by hand but by a child.  That makes it even more relatable to younger viewers.  And rounding out the compilation’s positives is the inclusion of a number of bonus features that prove to be just as fun in the living room as in the classroom.  All three factors together make Peg + Cat: Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems another welcome addition to the collection of any teacher and family.

Peg + Cat has become a fast hit among its key audiences ever since its debut last fall. Now almost a year after it made its debut on PBS Kids, will release its first ever DVD tomorrow, September 9^th. Whether or not audiences are familiar with the series, viewers will all agree in watching the episodes collected for this DVD that the central point of the series’ success is its writing. The series teaches basic math skills and general problem solving skills for children ages four up to perhaps six years old. PBS Kids’ already has a show that teaches math skills for older children in the form of Cyberchase. But the network hadn’t had such a show for younger viewers until Peg + Cat came alone last year. Parents and teachers will appreciate the ability of this series’ writers to balance both skills throughout the course of each short without letting one take the focus more than the other at any one point. What’s more, the episodes are written on the level of the series’ young viewers. This makes each episode easily accessible by those viewers. Add in short run times that don’t challenge the attention spans of the series’ writers (each episode runs roughly ten to thirteen minutes depending on the episode) and those lessons become even more enjoyable. Collectively, the episodes’ run times and the writing that easily reaches the series’ young viewers make a solid starting point in any discussion of what makes Peg + Cat: Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems another welcome addition to the collection of families and educators alike.

The writing that went into each of the episodes included in the brand new debut Peg + Cat debut DVD is a solid starting point for any discussion on what makes this series such a favorite among its young audiences. Another aspect worth discussing is the show’s animation. The show was animated as if it had been drawn by a young child. This makes the show even more relatable for its key audiences. Just as interesting although more subtle is the use of the infinity sign for clouds within the world of Peg + Cat. And the “infinity clouds” even move in the background. It’s all drawn on a sheet of grid paper with small math problems doodled at various points throughout the paper. This adds even more feel of their world having been created by a child. The end result is even more easily suspended disbelief among viewers. And on a slightly similar note, the animation looks somewhat similar to that of Nickelodeon’s short-lived Nicktoon Chalk Zone. It’s not a direct mirror image. But the similarities are there. Taking into account the amount of work that went into the animation behind Peg + Cat, that animation becomes even more an important part of the whole that makes this brand new collection of episodes worth the watch. It still is not all that viewers will appreciate about the episodes collected for this DVD. The last aspect of the DVD that makes it such a joy for children and adults alike is the amount of bonus material included on the disc.

Included as bonus material in the brand new Peg + Cat DVD are: four flipbooks, a pair of coloring sheets, a board game, and a couple of craft activities for families to enjoy together. Each of the flipbooks comes with cells completely pre-illustrated. All a child has to do to make them complete is print out the cells and follow their included instructions to bring the flipbooks to life. The coloring sheets are self-explanatory. One sheet presents a frame from the show’s opening sequence while the other features a scene from the DVD’s lead episode, “The Chicken Problem.” The bonus board game also comes with all the necessary items and instructions. The goal of the game is to get all of the peaches from the center of the board. The included craft activities encourage young people to get their parents especially involved. Kids will love having their own Cat sewed by their parents. And they’ll enjoy just as much having their parents help them make their own Peg and Cat puppets. As with the other activities, the necessary materials are provided. All parents and children have to do is print out said materials and lay them over construction paper before cutting out the included shapes. The rest is easy when children and their parents follow the included directions. It’s one more way that children and their parents will have a great time together playing with Peg and Cat even after watching the episodes featured on this disc.

The material included on Peg + Cat’s debut DVD is in every way true bonus material. It is that piece that pushes this DVD over the top and makes it another must have for any educator or parent of young viewers. Together with the wonderful, thought out animation and equally considered writing, Peg + Cat: Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems proves to be a wonderful first release from a series that will hopefully have a long life on PBS Kids. It also collectively proves this DVD to be not just a must have for parents and educators but also one of the year’s best new DVDs for children and families. It will be available tomorrow, September 9^th in stores and online. It can be ordered direct from PBS’ online store at http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=42447736&cp=&sr=1&kw=peg++cat&origkw=Peg+%2B+Cat&parentPage=search. Families and educators can play more Peg + Cat games and watch even more episodes of the series online at http://pbskids.org/peg. More information on the show is also available online at http://www.facebook.com/PegPlusCatTV. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.