PBS Kids, PBS Distribution’s New Season, Holiday DVD Sets Will Entertain, Engage Audiences Of All Ages

Courtesy: PBS Kids/PBS Distribution

The unofficial start of the annual holiday season is only days away.  For those who don’t know, that is a reference to Halloween.  As Halloween nears, many are already turning their attention to colder weather and Christmas, including officials with PBS Kids and PBS Distribution.  The companies are scheduled to release two new seasonal DVD collections Oct. 19 on DVD in the form of PBS Kids: 20 Snowy Stories and PBS Kids Christmas Collection.  The collections, one a double-disc collection and the other a single-disc set, are successful new offerings.  Their success comes in part through the episodes featured in the set.  This will be examined shortly.  While the featured episodes do plenty to keep viewers engaged and entertained, the sets are not perfect.  Each collection suffers in the way of their packaging.  This element will be examined a little later.  The sets’ pricing rounds out their most important elements and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the collections.  All things considered, they make the collections wonderful ways for families to get into the seasonal and holiday spirit.

PBS Kids and PBS Distribution’s upcoming DVD collections, PBS Kids: 20 Snowy Stories and PBS Kids Christmas Collection are mostly successful offerings from the companies.  Their success is due in large part to their featured episodes.  The episodes are culled from a variety of PBS Kids’ most beloved series past and present, such as Arthur, Splash & Bubbles, and Word World just to name a few.  Also featured are episodes from the likes of Let’s Go Luna!, Dinosaur Train, and World World just to name a few more.  For the most part, the episodes feature stories that match the collections’ titles, too.  The only episode that is out of place is the Dinosaur Train episode, “Cretacious Conifers.”  Featured in the 20 Snowy Stories collection, it has no snow or even ice.  Yes, there is a mention of the winter solstice at points throughout, but it also focuses heavily on more of a Christmas theme as the story progresses.  To that end, it seems more of a fit on the Christmas Collection set.  While the Ready Jet Go! episodes featured in the 20 Snowy Stories collection are a little bit of a stretch – they feature Jet and his friends bringing ice back from outer space to beat the summer heat in two separate ways and for two separate reasons – they do at least fit a little bit.

Courtesy: PBS Kids/PBS Distribution

In the case of the Christmas Collection, its episodes are more uniformly in line with its title.  One of the most notable of its episodes is “Luna’s Christmas Around the World.”  After getting stuck in Antarctica thanks to the captain of the ship on which they are riding, Andy, Carmen and Leo lean from the members of the Circo Fabuloso how Christmas is celebrated in different regions of the world.  By the episode’s end, the kids learn the most important lesson of all about Christmas as they finally get the boat working again and leave Antarctica.

WordWorld’s episode, “The Christmas Star” is another of the most notable of the Christmas Collection episodes.  The title sounds like something that might present a religious theme, but that could not be farther from the truth.  Rather, in this case, Duck is on a search for the Christmas star because it belongs on top of the Christmas tree that he and his friends have put up.  Duck wants to use the star as his present to his friends.  Of course it has a happy ending that also ties in a basic spelling lesson.

Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas has already been released on a standalone Wild Kratts DVD.  That aside, it is still welcome here.  In this extended episode, it’s up to Chris, Martin and their friends to save a group of animal babies from Zach Varmitech after he kidnaps the cute, cuddly creatures for use as ornaments on his own metal Christmas tree.  As with every other episode in which the guys face off against Zach, they come out on top and get the animals back to the wild and living free.  How it happens will be left for audiences to discover for themselves if they have not yet seen this special episode.  Between this episode, the others examined here and the rest of those in this set and in 20 Snowy Stories, the episodes in whole make for more than enough reason to add these collections to one’s home library.  This is the case even though at least one episode is a bit out of place in its collection.

While the episodes featured in these collections form a strong foundation for the sets, the collections are not necessarily perfect.  The lack of an episode guide anywhere in the packaging detracts from the presentations to a point.  The episode guides are obviously there when audiences put the sets’ discs into their DVD and/or Blu-ray players, but they are not printed anywhere within the packaging.  As a result, audiences are forced to figure out and essentially memorize which episodes are aligned with which discs.  Yes, this is an aesthetic issue, but it would certainly help the presentation because it would save audiences time and effort in trying to decide which episode(s) they want to watch.  Instead of the episodes, the packaging lists the episodes’ sponsors inside the case.  That could have been done on the back of each set’s case.  This is not enough to make the presentations failures, but certainly would have benefited the sets’ presentations.

Keeping in mind that the lack of episode guides in the set is not enough to completely ruin them, there is one more positive to address.  It comes in the form of the collections’ pricing.  The average price point for PBS Kids: 20 Snowy Stories is $7.95.  Rounded up, it is a mere $8.00.  That price is obtained by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Books-A-Million, and PBS’ store.  Books-A-Million and PBS are the only retailers that exceed that price point, while the majority of the others list the double-disc collection at either $6.95 or $6.99.  Best Buy lists the collection at $7.99, which while a few cents over the average, is still right in line with the average price point.  Considering the amount of content featured across the set and the representation of the PBS Kids shows, that affordable price point definitely proves positive and money well-spent.

The average price point for PBS Kids: Christmas Collection is $11.33.  That price was reached by averaging prices at the noted retailers.  Amazon’s listing of $29.99 is either an anomaly or just outright incorrect, but for the most part, it is listed between $6.69 and $9.99, with a middle ground of $7.99, listed through Best Buy and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  Books-A-Million and PBS each list the single-disc set at $9.99.  Walmart and Target each have the least expensive listing, at $6.69.  Yet again, these prices are mostly such that they will not break anyone’s budget.  Knowing how much content even this set features, that knowledge makes purchasing the set even more encouraging, too.  Keeping in mind the affordability noted in each set along with the content featured in each collection, those elements make the sets well worth owning and successes in their own right.  That is even with the issue of the lack of episode guides in mind.  One becomes one more of this year’s top new family DVDs and BDs while the other more than earns its spot among the year’s top new family DVD and BD box sets.

PBS Kids and PBS Distribution’s forthcoming seasonal/holiday DVD sets, 20 Snowy Stories and Christmas Collection are successful new offerings from the companies.  Their success comes in large part through their featured episodes.  The episodes largely follow the theme of each set’s title.  They also teach important lessons within the stories.  That education and entertainment that they offer is sure to keep audiences engaged and entertained.  While the episodes are the key point of the collections, the lack of any episode guide in either set detracts from the sets’ presentation to a point.  It is not enough to make the sets failures, but still does hurt them to a point.  Keeping in mind the breadth and depth of the content featured in each set, the sets’ pricing proves positive, too.  That is because their pricing proves so affordable for the most part.  Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the collections.  All things considered, they make each set successful by themselves and collectively.

PBS Kids: 20 Snowy Stories and PBS Kids: Christmas Collection are scheduled for release Oct. 19.  More information on these and other titles from PBS Kids is available online at:

Website: https://pbskids.org

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbskids

More information on this and other titles from PBS Distribution is available at:

Website: https://pbsdistribution.org

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsdistribution

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://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.  

‘Arthur’ Leads 2019’s Top New Family DVDs/BDs With Its New Celebration Of Diversity

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution

Entertaining children and keeping them  entertained is not an easy task.  Every parent out there can attest to this statement, including this critic.  Thankfully, new DVDs and Blu-rays are released annually that go a long way toward keeping children entertained while also bringing families together.  This year saw its own share of strong new DVDs and Blu-rays for families, too.  That was thanks to PBS Distribution, Shout! Factory  and even — believe it or not — Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  From Sesame Street to Wild Kratts to even Scooby Doo and more, this year’s family-friendly DVD and BD releases offered hours of entertainment.

As with every list presented so far, this year’s list features the Top 10 titles of the year, plus five honorable mention titles for a total of 15 new releases.  Without further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks 2019 Top 10 New Family DVDs and BDs.

 

PHIL’S PICKS 2019 TOP 10 NEW FAMILY DVDs/BDs

1. Arthur: Arthur Celebrates Community
2. Ready Jet Go!: One Small Step
3. Ready Jet Go!: Space Rocks
4. Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide
5. The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
6. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Mister Rogers & Making Mistakes
7. Ready Jet Go!: Chasing The Sun
8. Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection
9. Sesame Street: Celebrate Family
10. Scooby Doo & The Curse of the 13th Ghost
11. Wild Kratts: Creepy Creatures
12. Wild Kratts: Briny Blue Sea
13. Splash & Bubbles: Pole To Pole
14. Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs Big & Small
15. Oddsockeaters

 

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.

PBS Succeeds Again With Its Latest ‘Nature Cat’ DVD

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS Kids/PBS

Early this year, PBS Distribution released another new collection of episodes from PBS Kids’ hit series Nature Cat in the form of Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide.  This latest collection of episodes – another four-episode presentation – is yet another success for the network.  That is especially the case considering that its episodes, which promote outdoor activity and learning, were included in a disc that was originally released in the dead of winter.  Now with summer only days away, those pro-outdoors stories – which form the foundation of the disc’s presentation – are even more timely in their presentation.  They will be discussed shortly.  The biology lessons tied into each story add to the stories even more, and will be discussed a little bit later.  The disc’s average price point put the accent to the disc’s presentation and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted here is key in its own way to the whole of Nature Cat & Mr. Hide.  All things considered, they make this DVD another success for PBS, PBS Kids and PBS Distribution.

Summer vacation is here or almost here for students across America.  While school is either out for summer or almost out, it doesn’t mean the fun and learning have to stop.  Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide offers young viewers plenty of entertainment while also educating those audiences.  That is done in part through the pro-outdoor stories featured in each of the disc’s four episodes.  From playing a game of hide and seek against Ronald and a group of other cats to exploring nature to learn about organisms that light up at night (and light up the night) to frolicking with some friendly dragonflies to enjoying a game of beach volleyball, the episodes featured in this disc do plenty to promote outdoor activity in the warm weather.  With any luck, young viewers will take that promotion for healthy, active lifestyles, and allow it to inspire them to move more while also learning about all that nature has to offer.  Speaking of learning about all that nature has to offer, the science lessons that are incorporated into the pro-active lifestyle stories add their own positive element to the DVD’s presentation.

The science lessons that are tied into each of the DVD’s four featured episodes are just as diverse as the pro-active lifestyle stories themselves.  The disc’s title episode features a lesson about camouflage.  It’s hardly the first time that viewers have been treated to a lesson about the ways in which prey use colors and patterns in nature to keep from being eaten by predators.  It has been discussed in Wild Kratts, another hit PBS Kids show.  It has also been discussed on PBS’ popular wildlife series Nature more than once.  In the case of this episode, viewers learn specifically how creatures, such as frogs and deer use camouflage to hide from predators.  Nature Cat ends up searching for ways to camouflage himself in a neighborhood-wide game of hide and seek that involves, what else, a dog hunting cats.  “The Glow Games” finds Nature Cat and his friends having to find three different bioluminescent life forms before Ronald.  The episode’s title gives a hint about one of the living, light-creating creatures that Nature Cat and company find.  Another of the bioluminescent creatures that the group finds is a popular summertime creature of the night.  It will be left for audiences to discover on their own.  The third is perhaps the most unexpected.  It will also be left for viewers to discover on their own.  Overall, the beings that Nature Cat and company discover are diverse in their own right.  “The Shell Game” takes audiences to the beach and teaches about invertebrates with the introduction of another of Nature Cat’s friends, a hermit crab who has outgrown his shell.  The crab tells Nature Cat and company that if he can’t find a new shell, he can’t help them face Ronald and his team in a game of beach volleyball.  It goes without saying that such a plot point is original in comparison to Nature Cat’s other episodes and to episodes from other wildlife-based series animated and otherwise.  “Enter The Dragonfly” entertains right from its title, which is a spoof of the famous 1973 Bruce Lee martial arts flick Enter The Dragon.  There’s no martial arts featured in this episode, despite that pun.  Rather, the story has a rather medieval vibe as Ronald is sent on a quest to become one of the Knights of Nature.  In the process, he – and viewers – learn the life cycle of a dragonfly.  That can easily serve as the starting point for lessons about the life cycles of other semi-aquatic animals, such as frogs, toads and salamanders.  By now, the diversity in the science lessons featured in this DVD’s episodes should be obvious.  That diversity goes just as far as the episodes’ pro-healthy lifestyle lessons to making this DVD a joy for audiences of all ages and kinds.  Keeping all of this in mind, the DVD’s average price point proves to be more money very well-spent.

The average price point for Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide is $5.67, using price listings at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and PBS’ online store.  The most commonly listed price, listed at Walmart, Amazon and Target, is $4.79.  The most expensive listing, $6.99, is at PBS’ store.  The DVD was not listed at Books-A-Million’s website at the time of this review’s posting.  Regardless of which retailer one uses, the money spent on this DVD will still go back to PBS even if purchased from a retailer other than PBS.  What’s more, the fact that the DVD’s average price point of less than $7 is one that clearly will not break any consumer’s budget, whether ordered online or in store.  The content noted in the DVD through this review proves the money spent on the DVD is well-spent.  All things considered here, Nature Cat & Mr. Hide becomes a presentation that proves to be yet another success for PBS, PBS Kids and PBS Distribution.

PBS Distribution’s recently released Nature Cat DVD, Nature Cat & Mr. Hide is another welcome offering from what is another welcome addition to PBS (and PBS Kids’) program lineup.  That is proven in part through stories that promote active lifestyles in each episode.  The science lessons that are tied into the stories add to each episode’s interest, too.  The DVD’s average price point is anything but a budget buster.  Rather, it is money well-spent, considering the breadth and depth of the DVD’s overall content.  Each item noted here is important in its own right to the whole of Nature Cat & Mr. Hide.  All things considered, they make this DVD yet another positive offering from the still very young series.  It is available now.  More information on the DVD is available along with plenty of Nature Cat activities, printables, episodes and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

 

 

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.

PBS Opening New Year With New ‘Nature Cat’ DVD

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS Kids/PBS

PBS Distribution has another new Nature Cat episode collection coming later this month.

Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide is scheduled for release on DVD Jan. 15.  According to a news release sent Wednesday about the forthcoming DVD, the collection will feature four more episodes from the hit animated science-based series.  It will retail for MSRP of $6.99, and can be pre-ordered now via PBS’ online store.

The DVD’s title episode finds Nature Cat facing off against his old nemesis, Ronald, in hopes of dethroning him as the neighborhood Hide ‘N’ Seek Champion.  In order to become the new champion, Nature Cat has to learn about camouflage so that he can stay hidden in plain sight.

“Glow Games,” another of the disc’s featured episodes, pits Nature Cat and Team Nature Cat against Ronald once more.  This time, he and Ronald are facing off to find three bioluminescent animals first.  The winning team takes the Golden Glow Trophy.

In “The Shell Game,” Nature Cat again faces off against Ronald, this time in the Animal Beach Volleyball Championship.  There’s just one problem:  Nature Cat and his friends are short one player.  Who will the team pick, and what will happen?

In “Enter The Dragonfly,” Nature Cat and his friends send Ronald in search of a a dragonfly in order to become a Knight of Nature.

More information on Nature Cat: Nature Cat & Mr. Hide is available online along with lots of Nature Cat games, activities and printables at:

 

Website: http://www.pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

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.

‘The Railway Children’ “Steams Ahead” Of The Competition In Phil’s Picks’ 2018 Top 10 New Family DVDs/BDs List

Courtesy: Film Movement

This critic, for those who might not know, is a parent and is married.  It makes finding time to go through everything needed difficult at times.  It also means trying to find ways to keep a child entertained quite often.  Keeping a child entertained includes finding DVDs and Blu-rays that will entertain and educate at the same time.

Thankfully, that part of doing this job is not too difficult, as companies, such as Public Media Distribution, Film Movement and Shout! Factory Kids have offered again this year, plenty of options.  Those options include, and are not limited to two new (and seemingly the last) Transformers Rescue Bots DVDs, two more fun-filled collections of episodes from Nature Cat and more new material from Wild Kratts and Dinosaur Train.

Of course that new material is just some of the fun new fare offered for families this year.  Film Movement’s release of The Railway Children live is a welcome new take on a stage presentation that also honors its literary source material, and Nickelodeon’s long-awaited Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie is a bit of a disappointment, but still worth at least one watch thanks to some major writing problems.

The top spot in this year’s Top 10 new Family DVDs/BDs list goes to the noted stage adaptation of The Railway Children.  This adaptation honors its source material while also presenting a one-of-its kind stage presentation that is unlike almost anything that American audiences have ever seen from stage plays.

The number two and three spots on this year’s list go to Public Media Distribution’s two new Nature Cat DVDs, Onward & Pondward and Winter Dance Party.  Each DVD’s episodes follow a specific theme while also teaching lessons that are directly linked with the themes.

Also included in this year’s list, as noted already are the new Wild Kratts  DVDs and those from Transformers Rescue Bots along with the new Hey Arnold! movie, just to name a handful of titles.  As always, the top 10 pics are the best while the five that follow are honorable mention titles.  Without any further ado, here is Phil’s Picks 2018 Top 10 New Family DVDs & BDs list.

PHIL’S PICKS 2018 TOP 10 NEW FAMILY DVDs & BLU-RAYs

1. The Railway Children
2. Nature Cat: Onward & Pondward
3. Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party
4. Transformers Rescue Bots: Outdoor Adventures
5. Transformers Rescue Bots; Team Rescue Bots
6. Dinosaur Train: Making New Friends
7. Wild Kratts: Adventures on the African Savannah
8. Wild Kratts: Mdagascar Madness
9. Littlest Pet Shop: Best Pet Friends
10. Ready Jet Go!: Jet’s First Halloween
11. Super Why: The Adventures of Little Bo Peep & Her Sheep
12. Arthur: D.W. and the Beastly Birthday
13. Hotel Transylvania 3
14. Disney Pixar Short Films: Volume 3
15. Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie

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.

‘Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party’ Gives Audiences Plenty To Celebrate

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Kids/Public Media Distribution

Winter is here again, and just in time for the season’s return, a new collection of winter-themed Nature Cat episodes is available on DVD in the form of Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party.  The new 4-episode, 50-minute collection is a wonderful way to entertain and educate children on those days when the weather forces them indoors.  That is proven in part through the stories featured in this latest collection.  They will be discussed shortly.  The lessons taught in each of the lessons are important in their own way to the whole of the new DVD, and will be discussed a little later.  The DVD’s average price point is money well-spent, and will be discussed later, as well.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of Nature Cat; Winter Dance Party.  All things considered, they make the DVD a wonderful winter treat for the whole family

PBS Kids’ new Nature Cat DVD, Winter Dance Party, is a welcome new way for the whole family to pass the season’s coldest days indoors.  That is proven in part through the stories that make up the collection’s body.  All four of the stories featured in this collection are pulled from the series’ first season.  They are not presented precisely in the chronological order, but that is not the most important item to note.  What is most important to note of the stories is that all four follow the central theme of winter, and focus on Nature Cat’s ongoing rivalry with Ronald.  The collection’s title episode finds Nature Cat and Ronald having to work together to celebrate the winter solstice while “Ice Is Nice,” the DVD’s second episode, finds both felines having to find out why their mugs of hot chocolate broke.  “A Jump To Remember” finds Ronald trying to keep Nature Cat from breaking his ski jump record, and of course getting what he deserves in the end while the disc’s finale, “The Groundhog Way” once again finds the two cats competing to see who is the better meteorologist after the groundhog says he is not going to try to predict whether winter will end early.  Those common threads of Nature Cat having to deal constantly with Ronald and of winter – and the fact that each story boasts its own identity separate from its counterparts, goes a long way toward making the episodes entertaining and engaging for audiences of all ages.  The stories themselves are just part of what makes this latest DVD another entertaining offering from the science-based animated series.  The lessons taught in each story are just as important to the collection as the stories, which form the episodes’ foundation.

Just as the stories boast their own identity from one another in each episode, so do the lessons that are tied into each story.  “Winter Dance Party” boasts a lesson that is focused directly on the winter solstice.  It explains the direct role of the angle of Earth’s rotation in the amount of sunlight seen prior to and after the solstice.  This is a lesson that might actually enlighten just as many grown-ups as children.  As is explained here, there are more hours of daylight, post winter solstice because it takes longer for the sun to make its way across the sky after the solstice than before.  In other words, the days are not necessarily longer.  It is just that the angle and speed of Earth’s rotation collectively just widens the arc through which the sun travels, not necessarily lengthens the day per se.  The manner in which this lesson is explained makes it accessible to audiences of all ages.

“Ice Is Nice” features an equally simple lesson about the phases of matter after Nature Cat and Ronald’s mugs of hot chocolate break.  The lesson here reveals that when water freezes, it expands, which is why the pair’s mugs broke.  This is just as important for grown-ups to learn because it explains exactly why pipes burst in extremely cold temperatures.  Frozen water expands in pipes, causing the noted breaks.  Yet again, this is proof of the accessibility of the lesson for audiences of all ages.  The only complaint that one might have with this episode is that Nature Cat and Ronald each used water for their hot chocolate.  There was no mention that milk also expands, as it is roughly 80 to 90 percent water.  So, it would have been even more interesting to have seen one of the pair use water and another use milk, to the same end.  That would have covered all of the bases.  Regardless, even using just water for the hot chocolate mix still gets the point across clearly enough.

“A Jump To Remember” teaches a relatively basic lesson about how water turns to snow on a cold day.  The lesson is taught as the group runs water through a hose on a very cold day and uses a specific type of nozzle to help create the snow.  It is basically what many ski lodges do in warmer winters in order to generate snow and keep guests.

“The Groundhog Way” is perhaps the most important of this disc’s episodes because its lesson makes clear that a rodent is not a weather forecaster.  It takes time to point out that the groundhog’s shadow does not determine one way or another the length of winter.  It drives this home by having Nature Cat and Ronald using their own “old wives tales” to try to prove they can determine when winter will end, with neither one winning in the end.  Some might dislike this lesson, as it debunks the pseudo-science of Groundhog Day and proves the absurdity of the day at the same time.  No one, not even the most experienced meteorologist or even the Old Farmer’s Almanac can actually determine when winter will end and spring begin.  This is a lesson that adults need to take in just as much as children, and is yet more proof of the importance of the episodes’ lessons to the whole of the DVD.  When the lessons noted here and their companion stories are considered together, the whole of those elements goes a long way toward entertaining and engaging audiences.  Even with their importance, they are just some of the DVD’s most important elements.  They collectively make the DVD’s average price point money that is well-spent.

The average price point for Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party is $6.44.  That price was determined using prices listed at PBS’ online store, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble Book Sellers.  Apparently, the DVD is not listed at Target, but the series’ debut DVD and its upcoming title, Nature Cat and Mr. Hide are listed there.  With an average price point of $6.44 and a mode price (mode is the most common number in a set of numbers) of $5.99, this DVD hardly breaks the bank.  It is more than affordable, as a matter of fact.  What’s more, the entertainment and education offered collectively through the course of the DVD’s 50-minute run time will leave audiences feeling that the money paid was very well-spent.  Keeping all of this in mind, audiences will agree that Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party gives audiences of all ages plenty to celebrate.

PBS Kids’ new Nature Cat DVD, Winter Dance Party is another entertaining and engaging offering from the animated science-based series that audiences will leave grown-ups glad they spent the money on the more than affordable DVD.  That is proven in part through the story featured in each episode.  The stories stand on their own merits while following two central themes from one to the next.  The science lessons featured in the episodes are accessible for audiences of all ages, and are themselves all winter-themed.  The average price point, as noted, is money well-spent, considering the breath and depth of the set’s content.  Keeping this in mind, this latest Nature Cat DVD gives audiences of all ages plenty to celebrate.  More information on the DVD is available online along with lots of Nature Cat games, activities and printables at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

 

 

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 reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

PBS to Release New ‘Nature Cat’ DVD Next Month

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Kids/Public Media Distribution

PBS Kids’ favorite nature loving feline has another brand new DVD on the way.

Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party is scheduled to be released Oct. 2.  Only the second collection of episodes to be released from the family favorite series, the forthcoming DVD presents four more episodes, all from the young series’ debut season.

The DVD’s title episode opens on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the start of winter.  It also means the slow countdown to spring, and Daisy’s family always celebrates the winter solstice with a dance party.  There’s just one problem — Daisy forgot to get ready for the party this year.  There’s a lot to do and not enough time to do it all.  Can Daisy get everything done before her family arrives for its annual celebration?

The winter theme continues in “Ice is Nice.”  This time, Nature Cat and Ronald both lose their hot cocoa when both of their mugs break.  This leads Hal to think a mug breaker is on the loose, but is there really?  Or is it just natural science at work?

In “A Jump To Remember,” the winter theme continues yet again as Nature Cat tries yet again to get in the the Animal Book of World Records.  This time, he tries to set a new record for ski jumping.  The problem is that there’s no snow on which Nature Cat can ski.This leads his friends to come up with their own idea about how to create snow.  Time will tell if the idea works.

“The Groundhog Way,” is one more winter-themed episode included in this DVD.  This story Nature Cat and company want to know if winter will end early or last another six weeks.  The problem is that this year, the groundhog doesn’t even want to come out, but instead wants to sleep in.  That’s because he’s only been right with his prediction five times, making him uncertain about his abilities to forecast.  Now it’s up to Nature Cat and company to save the day, and there’s no telling what that will mean.

Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party will retail for MSRP of $6.99.  It can be pre-ordered online now via PBS’ online store now.  More information on Nature Cat is available online now along with lots of games, activities, printables and more at:

 

Website: http://www.pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

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.

Viewers Of All Ages Will Enjoy “Diving” Into PBS Kids’ Debut ‘Nature Cat’ DVD

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS/PBS Kids

PBS Kids’ animated series Nature Cat is one of the network’s newest shows with now just two seasons under its belt.  The series’ second season officially wraps in just two weeks on July 16 with the show’s new “movie” The Return of Bad Dog Bart.  In the short time that the series has been on the air, it has also quickly become quite popular among audiences.  It’s become so popular, in fact, that early last month (June 5 to be exact), it saw the release of its debut DVD, Onward & Pondward.  The DVD’s title is a toss of the hat to Nature Cat’s catch phrase — “Onward and yonward!” – and also hints at the DVD’s central theme, that of all things water.  That theme and the connection of said theme to the DVD’s seven (technically six episodes, as the final episode is a two-part episode) forms the foundation of the DVD’s presentation.  The lessons tied into the stories are collectively just as important to discuss as the stories, and will be discussed a little later.  The disc’s pricing rounds out its most important elements.  Each element plays into this debut DVD offering from Nature Cat in its own way.  All things considered, they make Onward & Pondward a fully successful first effort and hopefully just the series’ first collection.

Onward & Pondward, the debut DVD offering from PBS Kids’ hit animated series Nature Cat is a fully successful first collection of episodes from said show.  Hopefully it is just the series’ first episode compilation, too.  The stories featured in this collection are, collectively, a big part of the DVD’s success.  By and large, the episodes – all of which are lifted from the series’ first season — follow the DVD’s water-themed title with each tale taking Nature Cat and his friends Hal the dog, Squeaks the mouse and Daisy the bunny on new, unique adventures each time.  “Welcome to Vernal Pond’ takes Nature Cat and company to a pond that appears every spring and is gone by fall.  In that span of time, dozens of creatures use the seasonal pond to spawn, including salamanders, toads and even fairy shrimp of all things.  “Puddle Pool Party” takes the group to a special pool party, only to find out that it can only happen under a certain circumstance – a circumstance that leads to an easily accessible lesson about the water cycle, which will be discussed later.  “Stream and Shout” takes Nature Cat and his friends on a journey to find where streams start and end (making for another easily accessible lesson) while “Swamp Thing” is a fun story that families will enjoy especially on Halloween while also learning yet another key lesson.  “There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills” finds the group panning for gold in a stream (again, the water link is there, although it’s slightly lesser than the other episodes).  “Earth Day Today” links the water theme as the group tries to retrieve a water bottle floating in a river.  Again, it is a loose connection, but a connection nonetheless.  That episode’s companion, “Earth Day Every Day” doesn’t touch on the water theme, but being that it is part of the overall Earth Day episode, it gets the pass.  Keeping that in mind, it’s good to see here that the episodes in general follow that noted central theme while also making their lessons just as original and accessible.  It creates a solid foundation for the DVD’s presentation.  The lessons tied into the stories strengthen that foundation even more.

As noted already, the stories included in this DVD present lessons that are both accessible for young viewers and are original from one to the next.  The term “original” means here that they don’t repeat from one episode to the next.  Case in point, the lesson presented in the DVD’s opening episode, “Welcome To Vernal Pond.”  This episode is essentially a story that teaches a basic biology lesson about ecosystems.  The very use of the seasonal pond in itself explains that ecosystems can exist seasonally.  On the slightly deeper level, it teaches about the animals that live within the given ecosystem.  In the case of the vernal pond, the seasonal pond was used by toads, ducks, salamanders and even fairy shrimp.  The shrimp themselves are good to note in that most adults (this critic included) probably have never heard of them.  Apparently they do in fact live in vernal ponds, and are even eaten by birds (in this case, likely ducks).  So to that end, including these tiny creatures might catch older viewers’ interest just as much as younger viewers and could, in turn, lead to family research.  In other words, it could be a catalyst for family learning and by connection, family togetherness.  Considering this, having such a seemingly simple lesson that clearly has a farther reach shows quite clearly the importance of the stories’ lessons.  It is just one way in which the lessons prove so important.  “Puddle Pool Party” presents an accessible lesson about the water cycle through the use of Squeaks’ attempt to have a pool party.  When it’s found that the puddle she saw was gone, this leads to the discussion about evaporation and condensation, and how the two are key parts of that cycle.  It’s a great and easily accessible lesson that is sure to stick with the series’ young viewers thanks to fun and easy way in which it is explained.  The geology lesson presented in “There’s Gold In Them Thar Hills” – one has got to love how the show’s writers used that old-time phrase for the episode’s title – centers on Squeaks’ discovery of gold in a stream.  This leads everyone to return to the stream to pan for even more gold.  At first, they find what’s known as “fool’s gold,” and determine it to be so because of certain classifications.  Those classifications are in fact the lesson.  They tell the difference between real and false gold.  Of course, it leads to the fun story that finds Nature Cat having to get the gold back from Ronald in the process.  Yes, it has a happy ending.  But again, the originality and accessibility of the lesson presented here shows yet again the importance of the stories’ lessons.  The lesson about waterways presented in “Stream & Shout,” the lesson centered on swamp life in “Swamp Thing” and the equally key lesson about ecology in the two-part Earth Day episode each show in their own ways, too, the importance of the stories’ lesson.  They cannot be ignored in discussing that importance.  When they are considered along with the lessons more directly noted here, the whole of the lessons proves without doubt the importance overall of the lessons tied into each episode’s story.  When the stories and lessons are joined together, they make for plenty of reason for elementary educators and families alike to own this DVD.  Of course they still are not the DVD’s only positives.  Its relatively affordable average price point also proves to be a positive.

Using the nation’s four major retailers – Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Amazon – alongside PBS’ own pricing, the average price point of Nature Cat: Onward & Pondward proves to be approximately $9.70.  That makes the unit price approximately $1.39 per episode.  Given, that’s a little more expensive than the cost of PBS Kids’ recently released Dinosaur Train DVD, Meeting New Friends, but is still relatively affordable at under $10 overall.  The noted unit price for one episode is less than the cost of a single-night DVD rental from Redbox, by comparison.  That shows how affordable this DVD is in the bigger picture.  As if that isn’t enough positive, buying this DVD also supports PBS.  That is more than enough reason for any family that values education and entertainment to own this DVD.  When all of this is considered along with the lessons, which are clearly valuable for a young person’s education (and entertainment), and the entertaining stories themselves, the whole of the elements makes Onward & Pondward a DVD into which any family will want to dive.  Yes, that terrible pun was fully intended.

Onward & Pondward is a wonderful first home offering from PBS Kids’ animated series Nature Cat.  It is an offering that audiences familiar and not so familiar with the show will all enjoy.  That is proven in part through seven stories that stand out from one another in their originality and that entertain audiences of all ages in the process.  The lessons tied into the episodes are just as engaging as the fun, family-friendly stories.  They strengthen the foundation of the DVD’s presentation even more.  The DVD’s relatively affordable average price point puts the finishing touch to the collection.  Given, even when tax is added, the price point does top $10, but only barely.  To that point, seven episodes at only $1.39 per episode is affordable.  This cannot be denied.  When this is considered along with the entertainment and education offered through the disc’s 88-minute run time, one can’t deny that this first home Nature Cat release is a successful debut DVD from the series.  It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered online direct via PBS’ online store.  More information on Onward & Pondward is available online now along with plenty of Nature Cat activities, games, printables and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

 

 

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.

PBS Announces Release Date For New ‘Nature Cat’ DVD

Courtesy: PBS Distribution/PBS/PBS Kids

PBS Distribution is bringing Nature Cat home.

PBS Kids’ family favorite animated series will see its new compilation DVD Onward and Pondward is scheduled to be released June 5 in stores and online.  The new collection takes viewers on seven adventures with the series’ title character and his friends over the course of 80 minutes.  Among those adventures is a Puddle Pool Party that goes amiss when the puddle goes missing, a mini-gold rush of sorts, a celebration of Earth Day and more.

The full episode listing for Nature Cat: Onward and Pondward is noted below.

NATURE CAT: ONWARD AND PONDWARD EPISODES

• “Welcome to Vernal Pond
• “Puddle Pool Party”
• “Stream & Shout”
• “Swamp Thing”
• “There’s Gold In Them Thar Hills”
• “Earth Day Today”
• “Earth Day Every Day”

Nature Cat: Onward And Pondward will retail for MSRP of $14.99, but can be pre-ordered online now at a reduced price of $9.99 via PBS’ online store.  More information on Nature Cat is available online now along with Nature Cat activities, printables and more at:

Website: http://www.pbskids.org/naturecat

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

 

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.