Turbo F.A.S.T. races to NETFLIX

One of my son's favorite movies during the summer of 2013's blockbuster movie season was TURBO, the story of a snail who wants to be fast and thanks to a freak accident is transformed into a speedy racer who competes in the INDY 500.  This premise has been used by the Internet movie/television service NETFLIX in its bid to transform itself from a re-broadcaster of media content to an originator of premium programming, as it made available it's first original programming series targeted to children, TURBO F.A.S.T. on Christmas Eve.  NETFLIX made 5 (23 minute) episodes available to its subscribers on December 24, 2013 and additional new shows will be added to the site for streaming in 2014.

I watched the first episode with my 5 yr old son and daughter and they both really enjoyed it - enough that as soon as the show ended they yelled out "let's watch it again!"  The first show in this new animated series has Tito, Turbo's taco truck driving buddy, bring the racing snail home after a world wide promotional tour celebrating his win at Indy.  They are greeted by Kim Ly (voiced by comedian Ken Jeong - who voiced the character in the movie) as they return to the Starlight Plaza strip mall in a short skit which serves as a segue from the movie to the cartoon series. Tito takes Turbo to a "City" for bugs that he has created next to the dumpster behind the strip mall and lets the snail off into his new home.  That is the last scene with "humans" in it as the show focuses on Turbo's adventures in the Bug City as he is also joined by his snail family and friends from the movie - Chet, Burn, Whiplash, Skidmark & White Shadow.

Check out this clip from the new animated television series:

The animation for TURBO F.A.S.T. is refreshing in that it has a bright neon glow to it reminiscent of 80s Saturday Morning cartoons like Pacman and The Smurfs with a 2D flat hand-drawn retro feel versus the CGI three-dimensional let's try to make the cartoon look like "real life" approach that many other animated series are doing at the moment.  This is also a departure from the movie which was in a 3-D high tech animated format itself.  See the difference between a scene from the movie and a scene from the new tv show:

TURBO - the movie

TURBO F.A.S.T

Of course, the tv show has a focus on racing and the name of Turbo and his friend's team which starts off as Fast Action Race Team but they change during the course of the first show to Fast Action Stunt Team because they like the name FAST better than FART plus they do some superhero stunts making them more than just a "race" team.  Thus the name of the show TURBO F.A.S.T.  Many of characteristics of the show including the voices ( though voiced by different actors) of the snails are very similar - that may be in part because DREAMWORKS STUDIOS created both the original movie and is producing the cartoons for NETFLIX. 

You may think that with a show that focuses on snails racing and doing stunts it might be a boys themed cartoon, but the producers do a nice job making it enjoyable for both genders.  My daughter liked the show as much as my son.  One of the reasons she liked the show was they incorporated as one of the major characters a female race named BURN that my daughter really appreciated.  Another fun aspect of the show is that they give each snail a score card with video game type 1-10  rankings for various categories that they flash on the screen.  It gives the characters a little more personality plus the viewers an idea of what each snail may be better at when it comes to a race or an adventurous task.  For example, BURNS' score card gives her a ranking of 7 for SPEED, 8 for ACCELERATION and 10 for SASS.

The only thing I really didn't like about the show was the opening music/song for the show which tries to give the program a Snoop Dog hip hop feel to kick it off which I didn't find very tasteful and my kids really didn't seem to like.  It wasn't a catchy tune that my kids would pick-up and sign which I find them doing all the time from some of their favorite PBS and Disney Junior shows - so hint hint to the producers you don't need to portray gangsta to present a cool vibe for a racing themed show.  Change the song!  I will note thought that there wasn't anything inappropriate about the song itself that would merit parent concern about a child hearing it or watching the show.

All in all TURBO FAST is a fun ride of a show that I give a nod to for children's viewing.  The few episodes we've seen so far from the initial 5 released show a pattern of promoting a theme of teamwork, overcoming obstacles, and following your dreams.  Both the movie and tv show send the message it is OK to dream BIG, which I believe is a great thing to communicate to our youth.

For more information, visit:  http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Turbo_FAST/70271773?locale=en-US

Make way for the extreme team.

Join Turbo and his posse on the Turbo Fast Action Stunt Team.  Filled with outrageous comedy, action and laugh out loud fun, "Turbo FAST" amps up everything to the extreme: extreme adventures, extreme challenges, and extreme excitement.

Genres: TV Shows, Kids' TV, TV Cartoons

This show is: Witty, Exciting

(Source: NETFLIX website) 

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A Nostalgic Look at Youth & Comic Strips

My 4 year old son has a small teddy bear he drags along with him everywhere that looks remarkably similar to Frank in the comic strip Frank and His Friend so when I saw this panel from the new book FRANKAND HIS FRIEND:  SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION by Curio and Co. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Frank is the stuffed toy in this cartoon series that tags along with his “friend” the boy who owns and loves him.   The comics are filled with humorous reflections of life through the eyes of a child’s toy – you can’t have a purer prism to filter life moments than that.  This table top coffee book is a collection of 70s era newspaper comic strips that bring you back to a time when most adults started their morning or wrapped up their evening supposedly reading about world events but more likely were perusing the comics page.  In today’s world of the Internet and satellites where everything so “right now” in our faces, it is nice, maybe you could say nostalgic, to remember a time when newspaper comic strips were popular culture that were talked about at the office water cooler or the lunchroom at school.

FRANK & HIS FRIENDS is a combination of childhood adventures in the style of Calvin & Hobbs with the 70’s era pop culture feel of Pete’s Dragon.  The book jacket notes the comic strips are from illustrator CLARENCE ‘OTIS’ DOOLEY whose work was syndicated across the country from 1975 to his untimely death in 1986.  It notes “However, though Frank and His Friend was published for only nine years, it has continued to inspire artists. From Arthur Bloomer’s Rumpus Room Rascals to the tow-headed underdog of Raining Cats and Hamsters, most of our favorite characters of the last twenty years owe something to the influence of Frank and His Friend.”

You may read that and go WOW! that's incredible, but I don't recall ever hearing about this author or his comic strip Frank & His Friends...don't feel bad because there is NO such person.  The fact is that Frank & His Friends isn't a collection of old newspaper strips but rather a brand new cartoon meant to replicate a bygone era created by the staff at the publishers of CURIO & CO.  To immerse the readers into this experience they've gone as far as to create a fictional author and back story surrounding the comic strip to enhance the nostalgia value and authentic feel of their creation.  In reference to this the publisher has noted, "This allows Curio & Co. to poke fun at today's impatient culture and create an 'instant heirloom' for collectors who want their history in half the time." They point out, "Dooley, of course, is as imagined as Frank.  He's just one more character in the sprawling fictional landscape of Curio & Co., which has created something more than a new paperback here.  It's an entry point to a world of intertwining back-story threads that are as much fun to unravel as the imaginative pathways of our childhoods."

What is nice about Frank & His Friends is that there is a Norman Rockwellish tone to the artwork and messages in the comic strips that also makes this an attractive publication to share with older generations.  The crisp artwork with its simplistic themes and youthful tones can also be shared with  younger generations too as a fun children's bedtime story or a nice fireside read on a cold winter day.

My father is notoriously hard to shop for when it comes to getting presents for him.  Yet as I write this post I’m having flashbacks of him reading the newspaper comics while drinking coffee every morning before work as we got ready for school and our Sunday morning ritual of rushing home from church so we could watch Little Rascals & Lone Ranger reruns together on TV.  I believe I may have just found a perfect gift by wrapping up Frank & his Friend: Special Collector’s Edition to put under the Christmas tree for him this year.

The FRANK & HIS FRIENDS: SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION is 128 pages of fun priced at $19.95. I’d encourage you to pick it up as a great addition to any home library’s book shelf or a wonderful gift for a loved one.  

For more information, visit:  http://www.curioandco.com/

DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.  The thoughts and opinions in this article are my own.

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THERE IS A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN

Disney Junior introduced a new animated show to join its popular kids focused television lineup on Friday the 13^th called SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST.  The follows the exploits of a calico cat, voiced by the singer Mandy Moore, who serves as the Sheriff of the frontier town of Nice & Friendly Corner using a magical lasso and cow-girl know how to keep the peace.  The show utilizes Wild West folklore and Country music to impart social skills and lessons for young children ages 2-7 encouraging them to be good friends and neighbors.

My 5 year old son was home sick from preschool and we watched the Friday the 13^th sneak peek preview airing on the Disney Channel together.  The episode focused on dealing with the issue of “being a good sport” when one of Callie’s sidekicks becomes the best horseshoe player in town he becomes an arrogant jerk so the Sheriff teaches him a lesson by graciously beating him at his own game.  While the show has a cute premise with the Sheriff, her deputies a cactus and a red robin, and a town full of characters that look like they were pulled from a Richard Scary book, it just didn’t capture my son’s attention.  It wasn’t that the show had a girl for a main character, because he loves to watch Disney’s newer cartoon brands Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins rather the content was a little more focused towards younger children.  I’d say that if he was a few years younger that he’d love this show, though the songs in it with their country twang just aren’t as catchy as those in Sophia and Doc, so while the age rating for SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST is 2-7 I’d probably say it is more geared for children 2-4 years old.  Both my 5 yr old twins feel the Disney Junior cartoon HENRY HUGGLEMONSTER is too immature for them as well, so if you have a younger child I’d recommend this and for kids that are 5 and older they may watch but not necessarily love this new cartoon. 

This is a quality production that shows DISNEY is committed to giving PBS KIDS dominancy in quality childhood programming a run for the money as they continue to produce and air programs like SHERIFF CALLIE which really is comparable to Dinosaur Train, Daniel Tiger, and Peg + Cat in catering to a 2-5 year old audience.  As a parent, I hope this “battle” will encourage both networks to continue to develop and expand new and interesting programs for children with safe age appropriate content and dependable education and social skill development content.

The Friday the 13th Sneak Peek Show EST air times are: 8:45 am , 2pm & 7:20pm

For more information, check out the show’s website:  http://disneyjunior.com/sheriff-callies-wild-west

SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST is scheduled to join JAKE AND THE NEVERLAND PIRATES, SOPHIA THE FIRST, DOC MCSTUFFINS &  HENRY HUGGLEMONSTER on DISNEY JUNIOR’S regular weekly lineup starting January 20, 2014.  

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ROBOTS, MONSTERS & ALIENS ... OH MY!

The release of PACIFIC RIM this summer really geeked me out because I grew up a huge fan of Giant Robots versus Monsters stories which really haven't been that popular last few decades until Guillermo del Toro re-energized the genre with his blockbuster movie.  In the movie, aliens breed giant monsters and send them to Earth through a trans-dimensional portal to wipe out the human population so the aliens can recolonize the planet for themselves.  To defend the planet, giant robots called JAEGERS are created to fend off these monsters which have been named KAIJU (Japanese for "strange creature).

While they may seem cheesy now, I never missed a chance to watch The Adventures of Johnny Sokko & his Flying Robot

Ultraman

or Godzilla

I remember watching these tv shows and movies as an elementary school kid while playing with my Shogun Warrior toys recreating epic battles between robots and monsters...those were the good old days.  Now maybe with PACIFIC RIM and the upcoming new GODZILLA movie a new generations of kids, and their geeky dads, can enjoy a renewed era of story-telling in this genre.  Check out this trailer to the new GODZILLA movie coming out in 2014:

Can't wait for the new movie to come out to get a your monster madness fix, well don't fret because IDW Publishing has a new line of Godzilla comic books on the market now and next week you can purchase the graphic novel accumulation of the first story arc of the series in GODZILLA: RULERS OF EARTH VOLUME 1 hitting store shelves on December 17, 2013.

In the Godzilla comics there are two variety of monsters, ones that have evolved from radiation and pollution mutations on Earth and ones, that like in Pacific Rim, are sent by aliens who want to take over our world for themselves.  The comic also introduces a new cast of characters called Megazoologists who are academics studying these new creatures and often time need to be rescued by the military cast who are fighting off these monsters.

The artwork in this comic is bright and crisp giving the impression that you are watching an animated special on TV versus reading a publication.  The quality of the artwork really enhanced the story and made the book interesting to flip through.  Plus the story lines were well scripted making for a fun read.  Due to violence and graphic nature of the book it may be a little much for young children, but for an older grade school kid, teen or adult who has an interest in monsters I'd recommend adding it to their bookshelf.

For more information, visit http://shop.idwpublishing.com/comics/series/godzilla.html

DISCLAIMER:  I received an advance copy digital pdf of GODZILLA: RULLERS OF EARTH VOLUME 1 to review from the publisher.  The opinions in this post are my own.

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Buy a GREAT Christmas Gift to help a GREAT Cause

Have you heard of the SIERRA CLUB? Founded in 1892 to help protect the lands that eventually became Yosemite National Park from exploitation and development, the group is now America's largest environmental group with a focus on preventing pollution and promoting conservation of our environment.  We've been members of the SIERRA CLUB for several years because our family supports their mission of promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources and the preservation of "wild places".    

Are you still looking for Christmas presents this year?  If so, how about adopting a wild animal through the SIERRA CLUB?  You can purchase an adaption kit through the Club for a wide variety of animals ranging from alligators, to bats, to tarantulas or polar bears for a reasonable price.  The kits include either a plush toy or puppet, an adaption certificate, a color picture of the real animal, information sheet about the animal, and a letter of recognition for supporting the natural habitat of the animal selected through your donation.  Adaption kits start out at $25 (I've seen these same puppets and toys at stores and zoo gift shops priced more than that) and proceeds support the SIERRA CLUB's efforts to protect endangered wildlife and their habitats. 

According to the SIERRA CLUB 83% of your donation will go directly to benefit the Club's conservation programs, including those that preserve and protect wild spaces.

The TARANTULA puppet is one of my favorite selections you can pick from this year.  The BAT puppet and ELK plush are also pretty unique and cool items you can purchase as well.  My daughters preference though is for the LYNX and my son's favorite is the ALLIGATOR.

How is the SIERRA CLUB helping these animals through the donations it receives through these adaption kits? In regard to ALLIGATORS for example they are  working to restore fresh water flows from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay - critical to keeping most of the Everglades above water - the Club has also played a leadership role in initiatives to elevate roads, remove unnecessary canals and buy land needed to clean, store and move the water downstream. The goal is to build resilience in the ecosystem so that native species like the alligator can survive.

For more information about ADOPTING A WILD ANIMAL and SUPPORTING THE SIERRA CLUB visit:  www.sierraclub.org 

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Do Something Good ... Get Something Green

It is Week 3 of DC COMICS “Justice League” themed WE CAN BE HEROES campaign and they have already raised $95,000 dollars to fight hunger in Africa.  This week’s theme is GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW and making a donation provides you with some GREEN perks.

$10 – 5 DIGITAL DOWNLOADS ( Green Lantern Comic Books 2 –23 & Green Arrow 17–18.

$25 – FOREVER EVIL #1 Print Comic Book with We Can Be Heroes Variant Cover

$25 – GREEN LANTERN “EMERALD KNIGHTS” Blu-Ray animated movie signed by animator Bruce Timm

$45 – A collector edition FOREVER EVIL t-shirt

$50 – A Green Lantern Volume 1: Sinestro paperback signed by the creative team of Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke

$75 – A limited edition Green Lantern lithograph

$5,000 – Get drawn into an upcoming issue of the Green Lantern comic book as a character

$12,500 – Spend the day on the set of the CW tv series the Green Arrow

There will be different perks available throughout the campaign so check back each week to see what is new.  Some items may sell out early in the week as happened with several items this week that I didn’t include in the list above.  New perks go up on Tuesdays…next week’s theme will be Aquaman, Flash & Cyborg. 

To participate in the WE CAN BE HEROES CAMPAIGN, visit:   http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes-justice-league-edition

DC COMICS had decided that it’s charitable focus for the company will be through an ongoing campaign called WE CAN BE HEROES which utilizes their Super Heroes to raise money to assist with Hunger Relief efforts in the Horn of Africa.  Throughout the year, DC is holding periodic campaigns which allows fans to donate money to the campaign, receive some unique and interesting swag for their contribution, and get a tax deduction too!  Donations to WE CAN BE HEROES will be used to assist three non-profits: SAVE THE CHILDREN, MERCYCORPS, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE.

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RAZORS EDGE IS A FUN ROMP THROUGH THE CLASSIC STAR WARS UNIVERSE

I remember as a kid wanting to go beyond the Star Wars movies and read about the further adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia in books.  In the late 70s/early 80s though there wasn’t what is now referred to as “the Expanded Universe” of novels, cartoons, and so on.  I remember going to the library and book stores looking for Star Wars stories and having a hard time finding anything.  So that is why Alan Dean Foster’s  “Splinter of the Mind’sEye” is a classic for me that I still keep on my book shelf.  This 1978 novel follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in a time span shortly after the conclusion of events from the original Star Wars movie and was of the only early stories available about these heroes back then. It is rumored that this novel may also have been used as a backup script for a lower budget movie sequel if Empire Strikes Back’s blockbuster budget hadn’t been green lighted.  This was a fun romp of a story for a young grade school kid to enjoy that featured Darth Vader chasing after Luke & Leia who have been marooned on a dangerous swamp world.  As an adult, I enjoyed the story enough that I also went out and bought the Dark Horse comic book adaption of the story … which is also nice that it is illustrated similarly to the style of the StarWars comics by Marvel from the 70s and 80s.

Last month I read a new Star Wars book that reminded me a lot of “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye” called STAR WARS: RAZOR'S EGE.  Nebula Award finalist Martha Wells makes her Star Wars debut for the franchise’s Empire & Rebellion novel series with an action-packed adventure featuring Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker – set just after the destruction of the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.  The rebels are trying to build a new headquarters called Echo Base and Princess Leia is assigned to lead a secret mission to gather vital construction supplies through third party emissaries and smugglers, unfortunately pirates get in the way wanting the cargo for themselves.  Throw in to the mix that a spy has informed the Empire of this mission and Imperial spaceships are in pursuit while one of the pirate ships turns out to have a crew of survivors from Princess Leai’s destroyed home world of Alderaan who aren’t very happy with either the Rebels or Empire and you have a dynamic that will glue you to the pages of this book.  The author also provides a fresh approach to the story by focusing on Princess Leia as the main character with Luke, Han and Chewie in supporting cast roles.

I found Star Wars: RAZOR'S EDGE to be a fun and enjoyable read.  It reminded me of an era when Star Wars was brand new for both its characters and its fans.  If you enjoy “classic” Star Wars stories that have the vibe and energy of when this franchise was just coming alive in the late 70s you won’t want to miss out on reading this book.  Star Wars:RAZORS EDGE went on sale September 24, 2013 and you can find it at most online and brick-and-mortar book retailers. 

DISCLAIMER:  I was provided a complimentary digital pdf reviewers edition of this book to read by the publisher.  The opinions in this article are my own.

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Wonder if you can make a difference?

DC COMICS had decided that it’s charitable focus for the company will be through an ongoing campaign called WE CAN BE HEROES which utilizes their Super Heroes to raise money to assist with Hunger Relief efforts in the Horn of Africa.  Throughout the year, DC is holding periodic campaigns which allows fans to donate money to the campaign, receive some unique and interesting swag for their contribution, and get a tax deduction too!  Donations to WE CAN BE HEROES will be used to assist three non-profits: SAVE THE CHILDREN, MERCYCORPS, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE.

Earlier this year DC hosted campaigns themed around BATMAN and SUPERMAN, and is currently hosting a 6-week fundraiser based upon THE JUSTICE LEAGUE.  Starting September 14, 2013  through the end of October there will be unique items revolving around the members of the Justice League that you can purchase to assist the campaign:

September 24 – Wonder Woman

October 1^st – Green Lantern & Green Arrow

October 8^th – Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg

October 15^th – Batman & Superman

October 22^nd – The Justice League

This week’s theme is Wonder Woman - check out these swag items you can pick up as part of the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign:

$10 – 5 digital comics (Wonder Woman Issues 0 – 5)

$25 – A print edition Superman/Wonder Woman comic with a special WE CAN BE HEROES variant collectable cover.

$30 – A one year print subscription to your choice of either Aquaman, Batman/Superman, Green Lantern, Justice League or Wonder Woman comics

$45 – An exclusive  Superman/Wonder Woman T-shirt

$50- The Wonder Woman Encyclopedia signed by creative talent Phil Jimenez

$150 – A signed lithograph by artist Adam Hughes. Plus you get a $66 dollar tax deduction!!!

$200 – Wonder Woman's famous wrist cuffs, plus they throw in an autographed Adam Hughes lithograph and one of the Wonder Woman/Superman t-shirts

$550 – plated gold Wonder Woman jewelry set – they also throw in the Adam Hughes autographed lithograph and one of the Wonder Woman/Superman t-shirts .  Add in a $180 dollar tax deduction too!

And for the GRAND PRIZE – Meet the original Wonder Woman for a donation of $10,000.

DC COMICS will fly you to New York to meet Linda Carter and throws in everything mentioned above. 

Remember the perks will change each week so if you see something you like don’t wait too long to purchase it and keep looking back for new collectables and interesting superhero items.

To participate in the WE CAN BE HEROES CAMPAIGN, visit:   http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes-justice-league-edition

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Do you have what it takes to be a professional comic book artist?

OK, I have to say up front that I don’t have any artistic talent, but if I did one of my dream jobs would be drawing comic books.  So if you have any artistic ability or know someone who would love the chance to work on comic book layouts for a living, you will definitely want to know about the Open Talent Searchbeing held by DC COMICS.

They are asking for anybody with an interest to submit a 4 panel page based upon a script they provide for an upcoming Harley Quinn comic book.  Harley Quinn is the side-kick and girl friend to DC Comics infamous villain The Joker.  The contest kicked off with a little infamy itself with complaints from some public interest groups that the script promoted or glamorized suicide.  DC has issued an apology and said the script portrays a fantastic dream sequence and does not depict a real suicide. They have maintained the script as is for the contest with the questionable scene being that depicted in Panel 4 remaining in place.  Harley Quinn is a violent lunatic so suicide isn't that tough to believe for the character and doesn't seem that far off beat for a comic script involving the character though it may have been a little too edgy to include in a public contest like this. 

The winning entry will be included within the published on page 15 of the first edition of a new Harley Quinn series that begins in November with issue #0.  Best case scenario is this could open doors to a paying gig by winning this contest and worst case is you get a great portfolio piece or souvenir for yourself.

Check out all the contest and submission rules on the contest website:  www.dccomics.com/node/305151. Than provide them your original artistic interpretation of what the four panels should look like from the provided script below on a single page:

PANEL 1
Harley is on top of a building, holding a large DETACHED cellphone tower in her hands as lightning is striking just about everywhere except her tower. She is looking at us like she cannot believe what she is doing. Beside herself. Not happy.

PANEL 2
Harley is sitting in an alligator pond, on a little island with a suit of raw chicken on, rolling her eyes like once again, she cannot believe where she has found herself. We see the alligators ignoring her.

PANEL 3
Harley is sitting in an open whale mouth, tickling the inside of the whale’s mouth with a feather. She is ecstatic and happy, like this is the most fun ever.

PANEL 4
Harley sitting naked in a bathtub with toasters, blow dryers, blenders, appliances all dangling above the bathtub and she has a cord that will release them all. We are watching the moment before the inevitable death. Her expression is one of “oh well, guess that’s it for me” and she has resigned herself to the moment that is going to happen.

The contest ends on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 10 am PDT so get those entries in.  If you win let us know too!  Good luck!!!

DC COMICS: Open Talent Search

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Fun Toys Making October a Happy Time To Visit McDonalds

UPDATED (9/21/2013):  The BATMAN toys have come out in late September rather than early October.  We found the first round of toys at McDonalds on Saturday, Sept 21st, but they didn't have any Wizard of Oz toys  yet.  We picked up a batmobile and batman figurine for the kids but  they didn't have the "bat mask" which is what the kids really wanted.

McDonald's has received some bashing over the years about their Happy Meals not being healthy and marketing to kids through the promotion of toys - my response to that is grow up and be a parent.  Don't let your kids dictate to your family's meal time decisions.  McDonald's should be a "treat" and not a regular part of your kid's diet so if you are eating there enough that you are concerned that the restaurant is luring you in through toys and marketing aimed at kids you have bigger problems than just what your kids are eating.

I find it enjoyable to go to McDonald's when there is a fun toy promotion going on as something out of the ordinary to do.  We don't go all the time and my kids relate our trips there to a special treat or reward.  In fact I'm more likely to take them if there is a cool toy in the Happy Meals - and sorry McDonalds but more often than not your toys aren't that great - but my children don't expect to go to McDonalds all the time to eat or for a toy. I don't care if the food isn't that healthy because most things you eat as a "treat" aren't, like  movie popcorn or sundaes at an ice cream parlor.  I love to take my kids to grab a slurpee from 7-Eleven and that sure isn't healthy but we do it once a month or so as a fun side trip with Dad.  As parents though, my wife and I focus on making all the other meal times healthy and teaching our kids about living that promotes exercise, eating responsibly and leading a lifestyle that avoids using alcohol and drugs for enjoyment or entertainment.

Kids are being forced to go to school earlier and longer with more pressure and competition to excel than ever before.  My kids are doing two years of preschool and now the school districts require 5 day a week full day daycare.  More and more kids are forced into daycare because their parents are working full time jobs.  The violence and terrorism reported on the news most be scary for children, I know as an adult I find it horrific. If a Happy Meal with a toy can help my kids enjoy being a kid and enjoy a special moment of childhood - god bless you McDonalds!

While my wife and I have been to McDonalds frequently this year, we've only been to McDonalds four times with our kids...when they had the Despicable Me and Smurf toys out (which are kids still frequently play with so they were pretty good toys).  I have to admit those toys were a factor in making a visit to McDonalds because since we take the children there a limited amount we wanted to make the visits really count. So I guess the toy marketing does work for them ... but hey they are a business looking to make money! I'm tempted to make a stop in October with the kids too because it looks like they are going to have some fun toys that month in their Happy Meal boxes:  BATMAN & THE WIZARD OF OZ

The BATMAN toys will feature a caped crusader mask, toy motorcycle and batmobile, and some action figures.

THE WIZARD OF OZ toys will feature figurines of all the main characters from the original classic movie.  

Now don't get me wrong, childhood obesity is a horrible problem in this country, but instead of focusing on something that is providing some "fun" in life people need to address the larger issues contributing to the problem.  Parents need to set the standards and limits for their kids.  Our society also needs to establish more of a priority in respecting education, exercise, and healthy living as standards for everyone to strive to achieve.  And if McDonald's wants their food to be more than a specials "treat" for my children they need to create a healthier menu.  But in the end, my wife and I are setting the example and setting the rules, rather than allowing a restaurant to take that responsibility over for us.  I don't mind my kids enjoying a Happy Meal every once in awhile as long as they also get the understanding that isn't the way you eat a healthy every day diet...and that is where parenting comes in.

Here are some links that can provide some advice and help if obesity is a problem for your family:

HELPGUIDE: Nutrition for Children & Teens 

Academy for Nutrition & Dietetics 

Choose My Plate.Gov

Nobody wants to deal with a screaming or whining child, but sometimes the best thing you can ever do for your child is just say NO so they understand that there aren't rewards for bad behavior and you can't always get everything you want.  

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BOOK REVIEW: KENOBI

Have you ever wondered what happened between Star Wars Episode III and Episode IV during the period in which the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi lived on the far off planet of Tatooine keeping a watchful eye over " the new hope" as the crazy hermit Ben Kenobi?  Not much has been addressed over the years about that time period in the Star Wars mythos where this key character transitions in life from middle age warrior to elderly wizard. That is the focus though of a new novel by John Jackson Miller titled: STAR WARS: KENOBI.

In Miller's book, a few weeks have passed since Obi Wan battled Anakin on the lava planet of Mustafar.  Kenobi believes Anakin to be dead, not knowing of Darth Vader, and has taken Luke to live with Anakin's step-brother, Lars Owen, on the desert planet of Tatooine.  Obi Wan plans on laying low and keeping a quiet watchful protective eye over Luke but the locals don't make that as easy as that might seem as Kenobi is entangled in a series of adventures despite his best efforts to avoid them.

The story is an entertaining bed time or vacation read that doesn't take a lot of time to devote to finishing. I  read the whole book over the Labor Day weekend.  It takes an interesting angle by portraying the story with a Western theme, with a few gangsters thrown into the mix because you can't be on Tatooine without including Jabba the Hutt's gang.  The focus of the story is on the battle between the settlers of an oasis near where Kenobi sets up his hermit camp, and the Tusken Raiders (Sand People) who don't want humans encroaching on their territory.  The characters fit into the theme of cowboys from the American Western movies and the Native Americans they battled within that genre.  It was an interesting approach to tell a tale from this famous space opera as a Western and the author did an admirable job of replicating a Wild West theme on a distant planet from a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.  Miller develops interesting characters on both sides of the conflict and Kenobi essentially becomes a secondary character until the last few chapters of the book.  You don't mind that Kenobi is essentially a second-tier character in a book with his title on the cover though because the author does a nice job of developing the primary characters and plots of the book to hook you in so you want to know their stories and outcomes. I believe that not having the book entirely focus on Kenobi was actually a nice approach for the novel to take and gives readers a look at the Star Wars Universe from a different perspective which gave the novel a refreshing viewpoint to fans who already know a lot about the central characters from the movies.  Yet the words in print still portrayed to the reader a feeling as if you were watching one of the Star Wars films.

For the most part I enjoyed reading KENOBI, but there were some things I found disappointing.  The biggest disappointment in the book was that a mystery so many die hard Star Wars fans have, how does Kenobi learn to vaporize himself during the Death Star duel with Darth Vader and subsequently communicate with Luke from the dead, isn't answered. Kenobi meditates throughout the book in lengthy passages trying to communicate with his dead Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jin, from Episode I, and the reader is waiting for an eventual response.  We never get one it essentially is Kenobi just rambling to himself throughout the book. He is caught doing this by the settlers and gets the name "Crazy Ben" for talking to himself.  We know from the movies and also this story that Kenobi doesn't have these skills at this point in his life that he has later on in the original trilogy movies. So the question remains unanswered.

Also I always pictured the Sand People as might warriors from the first time I was startled as a kid as they ambushed Luke Skywalker and made me jump out of my seat in surprise, they are portrayed that way in all the movies, but Miller takes the approach of presenting them as a dying race in a similar scenario as unfortunately the American Indians faced in our United States history.  While that is an accurate historical portrayal of how unfortunately things were for native Americans in the Wild West it really diminishes the image of Tusken Raiders for fans.  I can understand why the author did this to develop the story and character for the Sand People's leader but he could have had just that one tribe be down and out rather than the whole race of beings on the verge of extinction.

Additionally the whole story only involves the first few months of Kenobi being a "hermit" on Tatooine and his dealings with a select group of settlers and Tusken Raiders.  It would have been nice to have had a broader story detailing more about Kenobi's more than a decade watching over Luke Skywalker as the child grows up.  I guess though writing it this way open up more possibilities for sequel books for the author.  Plus you probably don't want to read a war and peace length novel on this topic so breaking this time period into short stories is most likely the best approach.  I have to say though I had such high hopes and looked really forward to reading this book and afterward it just seemed to be lacking.  The story was just a little too simplistic for me in the end.

That being said, I did enjoy reading the book overall.  It was a nice distraction from the stress of everyday life taking me away to a fantasy world for a few hours during my Labor Day weekend.  If you are looking for a book that you can just sit back and  just enjoy the adventure, I would recommend picking up STAR WARS: KENOBI.  This book will keep your attention and amuse you during a long plane ride or while sitting by a pool and when it comes to a paperback that is my primary objective for picking out a fantasy novel...will it take me away ... and KENOBI does complete that mission.

Check out this book profile from the publisher for more info about this new Star Wars story:

The Republic has fallen.
Sith Lords rule the galaxy.
Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has lost everything . . . 
Everything but hope.
 
Tatooine—a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy.
 
Known to locals only as “Ben,” the bearded and robed offworlder is an enigmatic stranger who keeps to himself, shares nothing of his past, and goes to great pains to remain an outsider. But as tensions escalate between the farmers and a tribe of Sand People led by a ruthless war chief, Ben finds himself drawn into the fight, endangering the very mission that brought him to Tatooine.
 
Ben—Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, traitor to the Empire, and protector of the galaxy’s last hope—can no more turn his back on evil than he can reject his Jedi training. And when blood is unjustly spilled, innocent lives threatened, and a ruthless opponent unmasked, Ben has no choice but to call on the wisdom of the Jedi—and the formidable power of the Force—in his never-ending fight for justice.

DISCLAIMER:  I received an advance reviewer digital pdf copy of Kenobi from the publisher.  The thoughts and opinions in this post are my own.

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