Okay, here we go gang. A first on two fronts. My first “official review” for a product and my first giveaway.
As long-time readers may recall, I’ve pretty much rejected marketing on this blog. My problem wasn’t so much an aversion to all marketing, but rather, the types of things people were pitching to me to review. It was either stuff I’m not into, stuff which wasn’t a good fit for the blog or stuff that seemed out and out shady. In short, if a product isn’t something I would buy myself, or, in some cases, something I really think readers would like, then I’m not interested. Until now, all the products I’ve reviewed have been things I’ve bought on my own.
So I was thrilled recently when a public relations company recently contacted me and asked if I would review the holiday special, Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. Not only is the Curious George movie one of my son, E’s, favorite movies (and the first movie he laughed at as a toddler) but we also love watching the show together on PBS whenever he’s home during the day. It’s one of a handful of children’s shows I don’t mind sitting through.
I was sent a screener copy of the movie (which has an annoying “Property of Universal Pictures” across the top), a CD for a screening party and a DVD to give away. As in, to one of you.
Review:
If you, or your child, enjoys the PBS series, Curious George, this is essentially a Christmas-themed one hour version of the daily episode. The animation, among the best in children’s TV, is superior to the art in the original books, more playful and far more rich and colorful. In short, the artists paint a beautiful and comforting world which is pleasant enough for even the smallest of children to enjoy.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas features the same characters and setting (in the city, rather than the rural episodes) and takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Both George and the Man in the Yellow Hat find themselves attempting to find the perfect gifts for one another. While George has “told” the man what he wants, in the form of a drawing, The Man can’t figure the drawing out. However, he doesn’t want to let George down by admitting his ignorance, so he sets out to try and secretly figure out what George wants. Meanwhile, George is also trying to figure out what to get The Man.
As is typically the case in a Curious George story or episode, silliness ensues as George makes a few wrong turns along the way, creating the obligatory messes that only this monkey can make.
One of the funnier scenes was when the two were out searching for a Christmas tree. Without spoiling what happens, George created a huge mess, which had my son laughing out loud and turning to look at me with a big “uh-oh” look on his face.
Of course, this charming special isn’t just about laughs. There is also a heart-warming message.
E enjoyed the movie. While he typically strays away from the TV to play or color, he actually sat through the entire screening, most of the time with his hands folded and a big smile on his face. He loved Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas so much that when it was over, he said, “Again?”
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas is available in stores now but you will also be able to catch it for free on TV as it is set to air today (and a few more times between now and Christmas) on PBS; check your local listings.
Quick rundown.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
- Running time: One hour.
- Cost: I’ve seen prices ranging from $9.99 on sale to $16.99
- Fun Factor: 9 (out of 10)
- The good: Great story, beautiful animation, a heart-warming storyline and lots of belly laughs.
- The not-so-good: I didn’t care much for the songs, though E seemed to enjoy most of them.
- Bottom line: You can’t go wrong with this DVD. Perfect for all ages.
Now for the part you’ve been waiting for – your chance to win a copy of Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas.
I have one retail copy, still in its wrapper, making it the perfect gift for your little ones. For your chance to win, all you need to do is comment here and share an entertaining holiday shopping story of your own. Stories can be funny, thrilling, scary or sweet. For instance, you can tell a story how you once fought off a pack of baseball-bat-wielding moms to get the last Tickle Me Elmo.
The contest is open to anyone in the Continental United States (sorry, but I’m paying the shipping costs) and will remain open until Sunday Nov. 28. I will post the name of the winner (chosen at random) on Monday, Nov. 29.
How a winner will be chosen:
Everyone who comments here will have their name written on a piece of paper which I will have E pick out of a bag at random. Consider this piece of paper a ticket and each commenter who shares a story here gets one ticket. However, if you’d like to get up to three tickets, you can get one more ticket for a blog post linking back here or a tweet on Twitter linking to this contest. Comment with a link to the tweet and blog post here before Sunday and I’ll add your extra tickets.
For more information about Curious George, check out the PBS page, where you (well, I hope not you, but your child) can also play the A Very Monkey Christmas game.
(Update: Congratulations to Kool Aid, who won the Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas DVD!)
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
My kids love Curious George! We watch it every morning, it’s kind of my timer that breakfast and leaving for daycare revolves around.
Not much to tell as far as interesting shopping stories, but two years ago I did go to the local Best Buy on black Friday. I can’t even remember what I wanted, but I stood in line for over an hour to get it. That was kind of crazy!
MainlineMom´s last blog ..Videos
I’m hedging my bets here since Writer Dad is also doing a contest. The kiddos are upstairs watching the CG movie right now
. At least if I win I won’t have to hear Monkey whine about how I never let her watch CG because it’s not on at the times I let her watch TV. Oh, the poor thing.
Shopping story, huh? Well, I never fought anyone off for a TME, or any of the other “hot toys” of the year. Honestly, I must be a pretty mundane shopper because I really can’t think of anything blog/comment worthy.
Last year, I think – maybe the year before – I took the kids to see Santa right before Christmas, like 3 days before. Big mistake. Monkey told Santa what she wanted and it was TOTALLY different from everything she had told me to tell him before. So, 3 days before Christmas, I’m scouring the stores for one particular Littlest Pet Shop: the chinchilla. Never did find it. Santa had to leave a note for Monkey that he just didn’t have the time in the last three days to make one, so here’s a different one – or something like that.
I know it’s not a great story, but really? It’s all I got.
Kool Aid´s last blog ..Christmas Tree Sweepstakes
Okay, I got a great shopping, or something kinda like it, story for you. It took place when I was about 8 (times that times 100 and you will get my age, Hehe!). Anyway, my mother had won a shopping spree, yup the good ole fashion ones where you go flying through the store grabbing anything and everything. I can’t remember the store name, but I do remember the isles and isles of toys (Well that is what I was focused on anyway. Well it was my mother, my two olders sisters and I. We all were running wild through the isles throwing stuff into my mom’s carts. It was WILD. We were crashing into each other, falling on items that we knocked off shelves and skidding around corners. I think I was laughing so hard and screaming to much to really get that much stuff. We had a blast and got a lot of stuff. We shared the toys with neighbor kids. What I wouldn’t give to experience that again as an adult.
Ha ha ha ha, Kool Aid, double dipping your entries. You’re a smart lady!
Writer Dad´s last blog ..October
My 2 yo is big into George amd would enjoy this. We need to introduce him to at least some media that isn’t the same old Elmo episodes we own on DVD.
Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..Imagine All the People…
I’m developing an up-to-date version of everyone’s beloved monkey that deals with some of the more delicate issues of modern living. It’s called Bi-Curious George.
(Besides I think we all knew that the Man in the Yellow Hat had a few secrets of his own)
David´s last blog ..Black Friday Sales
nice to see that contrast between your style of contest and Seans’. I suppose the music is meant to appeal to the younguns, and not us ‘parents’
Im going to look up that listing, and so what if I want to play monkey games???? As a Canuck I dont qualify, but I’ll tweet up your contest.
Good luck to all.
My son is 6 and still stops in his tracks everytime George is on. He loves it!
A shopping story – This past Friday I braved the crowd at Old Navy to try and get a free copy of Lego Rock Bank for my son. I fortunatley was early enough to get my copy for my selected game system (they only had 25 copies a few of each for each game system). The lady behind me not so lucky and started calling everyone from me up names and getting pretty rude. I just tried to ignore her and she started shoving saying she waited for 1 1/2 hours to get this and couldnt and why are all these people in front of her so much more special? I laughed and said because we waited 2 hours!!! Needless to say she got escorted out by security and my day got much better after that. The truly upsetting thing was she had her probably 10 year old daughter with her, what an example for her to see.
Happy holidays to all!!
A Very Monkey Christmas was on PBS this morning. Even though E’s already seen it about 9 or 10 times, he still watched the entire movie again. Who can resist George?
Mainline Mom – Thanks for the visit. You stood in line but can’t remember what you got? Must not have been too emotionally scarring. I still remember the items I bought when I was in line, though it was for something like six hours, not one.
Kool Aid – I can totally relate to searching for something next to impossible to find! Thank you.
Cheryl – Thank you for commenting. I’d love to do one of those contests. Of course, I’d just likely load up on one section of the store, either video games or music or DVD’s. If it was a grocery store, I’d likely just fill my whole cart with 12 packs of soda and snack foods.
Writer Dad – Yeah she is.
Seattledad – Elmo and George? Yup, sounds like our house.
David – You mean, like the one I did here? Great minds, and people with the same name, think alike!
Trina – Well, as a Canuck, you’re allowed to play monkey games even if you’re an adult. I understand there’s not a whole lot to do up there, ‘n all. As for the difference in Sean’s and my reviewing style, the main difference is that I have much better taste than him.
Charlene – Thanks for the comment. Sounds like a rude lady. You live in Florida, by chance?
Blogger Mom – We couldn’t resist him if we tried! Luckily, we like George. And fortunately, it wasn’t a Thomas The Train contest.
your taste is in question, your understanding – hmmm…. off to hide in my igloo now