DVD Review - Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

About the Movie
STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET takes audiences inside the minds and hearts of the “Sesame Street” creators, artists, writers, and educators who together established one of the most influential and enduring children’s programs in television history.

Inspired by the activism of the late 1960s, socially conscious television executive Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett conducted a revolutionary experiment: to harness the burgeoning power of television and create an educational, impactful, uplifting and entertaining show that could reach children nationwide, especially those living in urban areas. Cooney recruited trailblazing Muppets creator Jim Henson and acclaimed children’s television writer and director Jon Stone to craft the iconic and beloved world of “Sesame Street.”

STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET reintroduces this visionary “gang” of mission-driven artists, writers, and educators that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and created one of most impactful television programs in history.

With more than 20 interviews with original writers, cast, and crew, and never-before-seen behind the scenes footage, STREET GANG is told from the inside with humor and emotion, weaving together personal narratives and eyewitness accounts. The film explores the original mission of the “gang” that created this cultural phenomenon, now spanning 50-plus years and reaching more than 150 countries.



My Take on the Movie
I grew up on sesame street and I continued to share this series with my own kids. This movie really allows you to get a behind-the-scenes view of the origins of Sesame Street. The documentary really gives you an appreciation for the work done by the creators to make this amazing show happen and to become a success. I loved that not only did you get to know about the people that you have heard of but also the lesser-known people behind the scenes that really made the show what it is today. If you are as much of a fan as I am of Sesame Street you will love this documentary!

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Wii Sesame Street Ready Set Grover -a Great Game for Young Children

About the Game
Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! is an Educational Adventure game that blends the fun and friendly aspects of the Sesame Street universe with the ease of play of Wii to entertain and inform young children. The game features Sesame Street character favorites Grover, Elmo and Abby Cadabby who accompany young players through mini-games designed to encourage healthy habits to last a lifetime. Additional features include: a Grover remote cover for your Wii Remote, drop-in co-op play, an in-game parents area for monitoring your child's progress and more.

Get Kids Off the Couch with the Help of Sesame Street Friends

Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! takes kids on a healthy habits adventure with their favorite Sesame Street friends: Grover, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby. This exciting obstacle course encourages healthy habits through fun, active gameplay utilizing classic Wii mini-game game mechanics based in the motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii Remote/Wii remote Plus. Through this, young children of all fitness levels will come to relish fun physical activity like stretching, jumping, dancing, as well as benefit from lessons that reinforce the importance of good nutrition and hygiene.

Beyond appearances by favorite Sesame Street characters, Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! is also designed to ensure children's continued interest in the game. The Wii version of the game includes a Grover Wii Remote cover. This unique accessory not only adds a tactile level of fun for young players each time the remote is picked up, its special design covers up unnecessary buttons on the remote that might otherwise confuse young players. In addition, the game includes two-player drop-in/drop-out co-op, which allows parents to step into the game when children need help. Parents can also monitor their children's progress in the game, as well as configure it to individual children from the in-game parent's area.

Key Game Features

• Promotes healthy habits for life including physical activity, good nutrition, hygiene, and rest and relaxation
• Provides easy to follow audio-visual directions
• Use a second Wii Remote to drop-in and assist when needed
• Game difficulty adapts to your child's level
• Includes a Grover Wii Remote character cover, minimizing unnecessary buttons and making it easier for your child to grip and play
• Centralized parents area allows you to monitor your child's progress and customize the game to individual children

My Take on the Game



All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Book Review - Elmo's Merry Christmas Book

About the Book
Christmas is coming and Elmo can hardly wait! Kids can join Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird, and all their friends as they get ready for Christmas on Sesame Street. Dozen of flap surprises throughout and an exciting countdown calendar at the end of the book will make this a fast holiday favorite!

My Take on the Book
What I loved about this book was that it brings all of the sesame street characters to life in a lift-the-flap book that does not end. The plot of the story was fun and my 3.5 year old loved the story. Even better with over 60 flaps she felt like she had hit the jackpot as she opened all of the flaps. We did stop her from opening all of the flaps as the book has a great advent calendar at the end of the book where a child can open a flap once per day in December, up to December 25, to get ready for the holiday season! This is a great book for any lover of sesame street!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Sesame Street's best-selling book comes to the iPad

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and Callaway Digital Arts (www.callaway.com), interactive publisher of premium children’s and lifestyle applications for the iPad, today announced that The Monster at the End of This Book for iPad is now available in Apple’s App Store. The first Sesame Street app designed specifically for iPad, The Monster at the End of This Book takes full advantage of the platform to bring the beloved children’s classic to life with vibrant animation, engaging sound, and lively music. The Monster at the End of This Book for iPad is available from the App Store on the iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore/ for a special holiday promotional price of $.99.
 

The Monster at the End of This Book for iPad enhances the classic book with a completely immersive user interface that draws children into the story. As everyone’s favorite lovable, furry blue monster tries to secure pages with everything from ropes to brick walls, children will delight in interacting directly with the story elements.

First published in 1971 and celebrating its 40^th anniversary in print in 2011, The Monster at the End of This Book, written by Sesame Street’s visionary director and executive producer, Jon Stone, and illustrated by Mike Smollin, has sold more than 3 million copies, making it the best-selling trade book in Sesame Street’s 41-year history. For decades children have been enthralled by Grover’s attempts to prevent them from reaching the end of the book, only to turn the last page and discover that the monster is Grover himself.

“We are honored that Sesame Street chose Callaway Digital Arts to bring its all-time best-selling classic to life,” said Callaway Digital Arts Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Nicholas Callaway. “The Monster at the End of This Book iPad app awakens the joy and wonder of childhood in people of all ages. Whether you’re one or 100, it will bring a smile to your face.”

Features of The Monster at the End of this Book for iPad include:

• Lively interactive animation that responds to your child’s touch
• Narration by the lovable Grover
• Engaging activities that empower readers to move the story forward and encourage kids’ critical thinking and listening skills
• Word highlighting to help build beginning reading skills
• Playful parent tips from the educational experts at Sesame Street

“The Monster at the End of This Book is a timeless story that generations of Sesame Street fans continue to love and share with their children,” said Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Distribution, Sesame Workshop. “This app will allow them to experience this story like never before and give readers the chance to play along, listen, and interact with one of their favorite characters.”

About Callaway Digital Arts
Callaway Digital Arts (CDA) publishes premium lifestyle and children’s applications for Apple’s iPad, iPhone, and iPod family of products. CDA’s in-house studio brings talented storytellers and digital artists together to create high-quality applications that leave a lasting impression on people of all ages. Funded by the Kleiner Perkins Caufield& Byers iFund, CDA’s apps include Martha Stewart Makes Cookies, Miss Spider’s Tea Party (for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch), Miss Spider’s Bedtime Story (for the iPad), and(RED): The Lazarus Effect. For more information about CDA, visit www.callaway.com.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Celebrate Sesame Street 41st Anniversary with Top Apps

To help celebrate Sesame Street’s 41^st Anniversary, Appitalism.com, the first site to combine a social community with an online store to help consumers quickly and easily discover, discuss and download the best digital content regardless of your device, recommends the following Sesame Street apps.

Sesame Street Puzzle – Available on Android, this fun puzzle game allows players to drag pieces to recreate a picture.  With 60 different puzzles, this free app is guaranteed to keep you entertained.

Elmo’s Monster Maker – A 2010 Parents' Choice Silver Honors Award Winner, this app available on Apple’s iOS for $3.99 allows you to create your own monster with Elmo.  Choose a monster body and customize it with a face, eyes, nose, and so much more. When you’re done, Elmo will dance and play with your monster! 

Grover’s Number Special – A 2010 Parents' Choice Silver Honors Award Winner, this app available on Apple’s iOS for $2.99 allows you to join Grover in the kitchen to catch—and count—ingredients to make delicious and nutritious meals. 

About Appitalism.com

Appitalism.com combines a social community with an online store, enabling consumers to discover, discuss and download digital media from a catalog of over ten million premium apps, songs, books, games and videos compatible with a broad range of digital devices including smartphones, tablets, PCs and eBook readers. Simply put, there is no better way to discover and download apps and digital content than on Appitalism.com

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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