July 2011 Notable Toys — Videos & DVDs

It’s time to celebrate Chanukah in Israel. Grover’s bringing the latkes and all is well until Anneliese gets caught in a game of tag with a chicken and loses her special menorah. Can her Muppet friends find the missing menorah in time to celebrate Chanukah? Launch date: October 2010.

Join Grover the blue monster and his new pal, Anneliese van der Pol, as they begin to explore the beautiful land of Israel. It’s an adventure they’ll never forget — full of fun, friends and flying falafel. Launch date: October 2010.

Shalom Sesame is a brand new series of 12 episodes from the creators of Sesame Street starring the loveable Sesame Street cast of furry pals, new friends from Israel and celebrities. Each episode introduces Jewish holidays, traditions and culture to viewers of all ages. Join Grover as he explores Israel, its people and places, and learns new things. Launch date: October 2011.

Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock is the first Gustafer Yellowgold DVD/CD package to have a storyline, unfolding in graphic novel fashion and weaving together ten thought provoking, melodic soft-rock music videos in the inimitable Gustafer Yellowgold style, ranging from sublime alt-pop to gentle acoustic. Launch date: March 2010.

Gustafer Yellowgold's Mellow Fever is the third in the award-winning series of DVD/CD sets released by Apple-Eye Productions.  Each song is accompanied by a series of hand-drawn, minimally animated illustrations set to melodic and catchy tunes ranging from mellow acoustic to crackling-pop.  Mellow Fever features guest-star performances by WILCO’s John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, as well as Lisa Loeb. "Gustafer Yellowgold's DVD/CD set are the only series of musical moving story-books," Brian Pearl, in marketing at Apple Eye Productions, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2009.

Come On, Let’s Go! will guide children (and their parents) on a musical and visual journey. Susie Tallman’s first DVD compiles 22 fun-filled music videos from the best of Children’s Songs, Nursery Rhymes and Let’s Go! Travel, Camp & Car Songs. The full-length DVD offers all the musical brilliance and charm of Susie Tallman with lots of new faces and wonderful, imaginative places. Join Susie and her friends on a farm horsin’ around, quack like ducks on a lake, jump on the bed with monkeys and eat cupcakes at a tea party.  "As with all Susie Tallman’s music CDs, Come On, Let’s Go! offers fresh, upbeat styles, real instruments, lots of voices, and interesting, inspired visual takes on old favorites," Amy Steadman, President of Rock Me Baby Records, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.
Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; Parent’s Choice Recommended Award.

New firefighting engine friends Flynn and Belle come to the rescue with Thomas in the all-new, CG-animated adventure Thomas and Friends™: Day of the Diesels - The Movie coming to DVD, Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, Digital Download and On Demand. When Thomas starts spending all of his time with Sodor’s newest heroes, Percy is drawn to the Dieselworks, where he is made to feel special by the master of mischief himself, Diesel 10. But Percy doesn’t know that he is part of Diesel 10’s master plan to take over the Steamworks. Running time: 58 minutes. Also available in a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack for $24.99.

Geared toward preschoolers, Juno Jr. expands on the Emmy Award-winning Juno Baby line with original orchestral music, rich story lines and a deep emphasis on music education and appreciation. Join Juno and her brother, Rai Rai, as they take an adventure to the imaginary, magical, musical world of Harmonia Springs. After Bunny’s “serenade stand” doesn’t live up to her expectations, Indie hires her to be his own, personal “One Bunny Band.” Indie gets more than he bargains for as Bunny misses the music mark time and time again. But in the end, Bunny and her friends learn how to put feeling into their music through concepts such as tempo, dynamics and articulation. For every Juno product purchased, the Juno Company donates a music education DVD to a child in need.     

One of Disney's biggest and most fondly remembered hits, the screen version of the literary classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is full of South Seas scenery, hundreds of exotic animals, and treacherous pirates. This heroic tale chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they skillfully overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a "civilized" community. But the ultimate challenge lies ahead when a band of cutthroat pirates threaten to destroy the Robinson's Makeshift paradise. 2-Disc DVD, widescreen, closed-captioned, run time of 126 minutes.
— As of 06/14/2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 120 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros:  Great scenery; offers many different genres for the whole family; special features are informative and entertaining. Cons: Not as good as the book; too much suspension of belief required for enjoyment by adults.

Thomas and his friends are preparing for the Railway Inspector’s visit to Knapford Station.  But when the coal trucks crash, covering Gordon in soot, can Thomas take charge and help straighten out the mess? This 48 minute DVD includes four episodes and a bonus trivia game.

Shaun and his barnyard buddies deal with a fiendish fox, attempt some clever catering, take to the links, run a farmer’s market, stage a daring rooster rescue and more in this 44 minute DVD. Episodes include Foxy Laddie, Whistleblower, Frantic Romantic, Who's the Caddy, Everything Must Go, In the Doghouse, and Cock-a-Doodle Shaun.

In this DVD, Baby Bop discovers that counting can lead to hidden treasures and that there’s a carnival of shapes and colors for all to enjoy. And BJ™ uses the alphabet to help Riff™ get ready for his music concert in the park. Launch date: July 12, 2011.

Fireman Sam and his friends in Pontypandy work together to save the day when Mike’s kitchen catches fire, Dilys gets stuck out at sea and Norman cries wolf. This 55 minute long DVD features six episodes.

With slapstick humor yet not a single line of dialogue, Timmy Time follows a day in the life of a preschooler where they learn lessons about friendship and trial and error. This 45 minute DVD features five episodes, including "Snapshot Timmy." Launch date: June 28, 2011.

In this novelization of the upcoming Judy Moody film, Judy and her friends decide to make their summer vacation the best summer ever. Then, her parents announce they are going away and leaving Judy and her brother, Stink, with their Aunt. Judy comes up with an elaborate "Thrill Points" system and a list of daring activities that she and her friends in the T.P. (Toad Pee) Club must accomplish in order to earn points. But Judy must pull out all the stops when she realizes that she's earned less points than her friends. The book, written by the author of the original series and co-author of the screenplay, stays true to the character of Judy and her brother Stink, and Judy's unique language and penchant for misadventure keep the story going through all 136 pages. The book includes an interview with "Judy," a glossary for readers who want to speak like Judy, and information on the author.

The Oscar-winning creators of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep show off their all-new preschool play group, with adventures showcasing Timmy and his young friends. Fun, laughter and surprises take center stage when Timmy performs groovy dance moves, genuine acts of kindness, and also learns the true meaning of saying "I'm sorry." This DVD is 40 minutes long and features five episodes.
— As of 05/12/2012 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Recommended age may be too high; not as entertaining as other cartoons from the same creators.
Awards: Parents’ Choice Gold Award 2011

It's Shavuot, a holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai. Avigail and Brosh want to stay up all night observing the holiday, like the grown-ups. But will they be able to do it? They try their best, along with the help of a dancing cow and their friends. Shalom Sesame is a brand new series of 12 episodes from the creators of Sesame Street. Grover and his friends explore Israel, its people and places, and learn new things. Launch date: May 10, 2011.

This DVD features more than an hour of carefully animated stories by the wildly talented Keller including “The Scrambled States of America Talent Show”, “Do Unto Otters” and “Open Wide: Tooth School Inside”. The original stories featured on the DVD have won numerous awards, including the Caldecott Honor, ALA Notable, Nick Jr. Best Book, and more, and bonus extras include read along captioning, discussion questions, an interview with Keller and the music video “Tooth School Anthem”. Runtime is 66 minutes plus bonus footage. Launch date: May 24, 2011.

It is often said that life is a journey, and it’s true. But sometimes it’s hard to know which path to follow when signs point in so many directions.  From best-selling author Peter H. Reynolds comes the inspirational tale “The North Star”, encouraging learners of all ages to navigate to their full potential and follow their dreams. Celebrity narrators such as Zooey Deschanel and Tim Curry lend their voices to the other three stirring tales featured on this all-new DVD, including as William Steig’s “Brave Irene”, “Players in Pigtails” and “Swamp Angel”, a Caldecott Honor book from Anne Isaccs and illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky.  Extras include read along captioning. Total running time 57 minutes. Launch date: May 24, 2011.

The “My First” series, a new line of DVDs from Scholastic, was created specifically to support early literacy skills and a love of reading in the pre- and early reader.  The debut release, My First Collection Featuring Splat the Cat, is a 3-DVD set featuring 14 stories adapted from the book versions that, together, have won more than 15 awards, including the Caldecott Medal, NAPPA Gold, and American Library Association Notable Books. Splat the Cat and Other Furry Friends features four beautifully adapted stories led by the title tale from best-selling author/illustrator Rob Scotton (“Splat” and “Russell the Sheep” series). Disk two features "The Story About Ping" and four additional award-winning stories, including “Goose”, “The Most Wonderful Egg in the World”, “Duck on Bike” and “Rosie’s Walk”. As an added bonus, the DVD also contains a Spanish Language version of “The Story of Ping”. The third disk features five rhyming stories. Total running time 100 minutes. Launch date: May 10, 2011.