February 7 2010

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February 3 2010

Aaron Nigel Smith Puts His Music Where His Mouth Is

Upon getting Aaron Nigel Smith’s Everyone Loves to Dance CD and accompany press materials, what instantly impressed me was his “resume.” Before even listening to his album, it was clear Aaron had a commitment to enriching the lives of children with music. The creator of the FUNdamentals of Music and Movement, he has grown this program to serve thousands of kids across the United States with 3,000 schools and daycare centers in his network.

Everyone Loves to Dance album coverOutside of his own music and FUNdamentals program, Aaron is also a member of the Between the Lions show and live tour, and was part of the acclaimed B is for Bob Bob Marley kids’ project. As for his own releases, his first album Let’s Pretend snapped up a NAPPA and iParenting Media award. So, upon receiving his new release, I was eager to hear what he had to offer.

This 15-track album is a combination of original and standard songs. While Aaron can certainly hold his own, he also calls in some help from Ziggy Marley, “Backstreet Boy” Kevin Richardson, DJ DREZ, and up-and-coming LA artists Rhythm Child. The CD kicks off instantly on a high-note with our family’s favorite, the title track “Everyone Loves to Dance.” This instantly likable, calypso-flavored pop song, featuring Ziggy, was in our heads for the rest of the day. Other highlights are “Rowling in the River,” a breezy reggae tune, and “In the Car”, a bright, acoustic jam, both of which make me long for warmer weather.

Aaron’s “day job” clearly shines through as well with music enrichment/education-themed songs like “Music & Movement”, “Instrument of the Day”, and “Note of the Day.” And, to keep first-time, young listeners interested from the get-go, his album is interspersed with new musical interpretations of classic songs and movement games like “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” “Muffin Man,” and “Simon Says.” Finally, his album ends with some beat-driven remixes, a sweet-spot for Maia and me.

Certainly a talent to watch in the family music genre, Aaron Nigel Smith’s Everyone Loves to Dance is out now and available on his website or via iTunes and Amazon.

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January 31 2010

Multi-Platform “Zebrafish” Shows Power of Science, Giving, Compassion

When I see a quality kid-centric project coming out of my Boston hometown, it is hard not to call it out. And when it is a project with a philanthropic twist, it demands a post.

Zebrafish is named after the fish used for studying diseases

Generation Cures is an online community and content site created by Children’s Hospital Boston and FableVision with the goal of “teaching and empowering kids to give back” and to “use their powers for good.” A quick visit to the site shows this is no partial effort. Both organizations have created a robust experience that includes games, videos, music, webisodes and real-world challenges. The cartoon webisodes center on a relatable tween garage band called the Zebrafish, who work together to help a sick friend. According to Janet Cady, Children’s Hospital’s Chief Philanthropy Officer, the mission of the fictional band is to show tweens “that they don’t have to be an adult to make a difference, and that their good work can mobilize family and friends to help sick children worldwide.”

The “Zebrafish” concept was also Boston-born, dreamt up by author-illustrator Peter H. Reynolds’ FableVision media company. Reynolds, illustrator of the Little Boy and Judy Moody books, has set up both FableVision Studios, focusing on projects like websites, games, animated films, interactive graphic novels, digital books and iPhone apps, as well as the K-12 educational publishing division, FableVision Learning. A quick visit to this organization’s website makes it clear they are used to creating quality educational output for children.

The true impetus for this post was news that the Boston-born “Zebrafish” property is making its way from the Generation Cures website to the printed form. Children’s Hospital Boston recently sent out a press release announcing Atheneum Books, a Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing imprint, is creating a hardcover middle-grade novel of this property. The book itself, to be written by Sharon Emerson and illustrated by Renée Kurilla, will be in a unique “visual novel” format. More specifically, it teams a traditional prose novel with four color graphic novel panels, making it accessible to manga-happy middle schoolers.

The story of Zebrafish will focus on band members Vita, Walt, Jay and Plinko as they support ailing band member Tanya. Recently diagnosed with leukemia, Tanya and the band must deal with the implications of her illness while planning a fundraiser to purchase research equipment for her hospital. Proceeds of the books will go back to Children’s Hospital Boston.

Read more about the Generation Cures project here or learn more about the transmedia Zebrafish effort here. Also, check out the official book trailer below.

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January 27 2010

Make Room on the Rails for New Preschool Train Property

By default, we are a Nick Jr. family.  If I ever do have to choose an on-demand category or buy a DVD, I tend to turn to Nick Jr. My daughter Maia’s favorite shows have always been under the Nick umbrella, including Wonder Pets!, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Olivia, Max & Ruby and, yes, The Fresh Beat Band. So, most likely I would have missed the debut of Playhouse Disney’s new preschool property Chuggington. However, a review copy was sent my way and Maia and I had a chance to play critic and see what the other stations had to offer.

For those outside the industry, Chuggington is, in fact, not a new show. This train-themed series has actually been a global phenomenon since it made its debut in the UK in September 2008. Since then, it has also found a place on programming blocks in countries like France, Australia, Germany, Japan and Canada. The show was also produced by pedigreed talent with experience in locomotive-themed entertainment. Created by London-based Ludorum, this company was founded by former CEO of HIT Entertainment, rights holder to Thomas & Friends. The other Ludorum co-founder was the former CEO of Learning Curve, the license holder for Thomas & Friends toys. Clearly these guys know their trains.

However, Chuggington is definitely not a Thomas rip-off. This series is completely CGI 3D and with faster-paced plotting than the blue locomotive. The show focuses on three colorful “trainees,” Brewster the diesel-electric train, Koko the electric locomotive and Wilson the red engine train. The characters have their own distinct personalities, as well as individual strengths and weaknesses, as they prepare to become full-service trains. Each episode has them traveling the rails through different locales and meeting reoccurring human and train characters, while learning real-life lessons that will resonate with the preschool audience.

The Chuggington crew
Brewster, Koko and Wilson take to the tracks

My initial thought on watching the Chuggington screener was: “I wish they had this when I was a kid!” A lover of trains as a youth and an adult, watching the trains glide along the roller-coaster like tracks is a locomotive-lovers delight. The show also manages to integrate specific, relatively technica,l day-to-day operations of trains throughout the stories, sure to entertain and educate parents as well. It does this while cleverly mixing the “social-emotional lessons” promised in press materials.

My co-critic, though, is a three-year-old girl. I was excited about the show because of my own personal interest in trains, but I actually doubted that Chuggington would have female toddler appeal, despite the press release’s suggestion that it targeted both demographics. However, to my surprise, Maia seemed to take to it right away. Her first question when watching a new show or film is usually “is there a girl in it?” So, she was quite happy to see Koko, the green and purple bullet-train. She also seemed particularly interested in watching how the trains would resolve each problem, and even enjoyed the “suspense” element which was refreshingly heightened for a preschool show. Most of all, she has been singing the theme song non-stop, something you will find yourself doing whether you like it or not.

Based on Maia’s reaction, and its global success, I have a feeling this show will build a following Stateside as well. With a robust supporting website, toy deals in place, and a big PR and marketing push underway, we won’t be the only home singing “Chuggington!”

Chuggington debuted January 18th on Playhouse Disney and airs Tuesday through Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and weekends at 7:30 a.m.

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