LEGO Brand Retail

Review of Monkey of the Month

 Books  2 Responses »
Dec 212012
 

Monkey of the MonthMonkey of the Month is written by Adam Kramer and illustrated by David Kramer. Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

This is a rhyming book about a boy that gets a present from the Monkey of the Month Club. Each month comes with a new monkey and a new adventure. Although we only get to see about 8 monkeys in all (I was a bit disappointed that the author could not give us all 12 months of monkeys) before the mother sends the monkeys away. But I guess it is surprising that his mother could put up with 8 months of monkeys!

There’s no moral to the story accept perhaps to adults to be careful what you gofts you give to kids on their birthdays. It might be best to check with Mom first.

Overall this book has a cute story with nicely done illustrations.

Book Description

Bored with mundane birthday gifts, a young boy unexpectedly receives a most peculiar gift on his birthday: a one year-membership to the “Monkey of the Month Club.” Though pleased it isn’t just a pair of socks, he is very confused by this odd gift, until, month-by-month, monkeys and their primate cousins start appearing at his door. As the year moves on, his house becomes full of chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and more, who begin turning his house into their own private playground. While a house full of monkeys, all unique in their own way, sounds like a lot of fun, membership in the “Monkey of the Month Club” does have some drawbacks. Find out what happens in this exciting and humorous adventure accompanied by bright illustrations. Grades Pre-K-3.

Adam Kramer is thrilled to enter the field of children’s books. When he’s not writing, he might be found catching a baseball game with his wife Lena. Stemming from his love of cartooning, David Kramer’s whimsical, animated characters reflect his love of storytelling and a creative imagination.

Deal of the Day: Tiny Prints Thank You Notes

 Online Shoping  No Responses »
Dec 202012
 

Christmas will be here in a few days then…It’s almost time to say “thank you.”

Who do you need to thank this year? thank you cards

Your family, your boss, your spouse, your co-workers…anyone who got you a Christmas gift (or for whom you are thankful this year). In a week, it will be time to thank them for their wonderful (and even not so wonderful) gifts. Writing thank you notes seems to be a lost art.

Tiny Prints has the perfect way to say “thank you” at an incredible price. For one day only, from 10:00am PT today through 9:00am PT tomorrow, they are selling their amazing thank you cards at 50% Off!

These are not your average thank you cards either. They are pretty awesome. From the paper quality to the ability to personalize them with pictures and your own text, these cards are sure to leave a lasting impression…and maybe even result in a better gift next year. SWEET!

Check out Tiny Prints right away and say “thank you” in style this year. And remember to use promo code DOD1220 to save 50%! P.S.

You know you don’t need a gift from someone to let them know you’re thankful for them!

Review: 1Up Collectibles Comic Shop

 Collectibles, Comics, Toys  No Responses »
Dec 192012
 

Here is my review that Yelp.com seems to have flagged/filtered/removed for their own stupid reasons.

Five Stars ***** for 1Up Collectibles

This is the best comic shop in the area hands down!

I have had issues with other shops giving you attitude (think Comic Book Guy in the Simpsons). NOT HERE.

The owner is super friendly and knowledgeable about his products (and customers). I went in looking for back issues because my previous store had screwed up my subscriptions so bad I was missing loads of issues. When they did not have them in stock he went out of his way to find them for me and I have been a regular ever since.

Since I have started getting my subscriptions here there have been a few hiccups but every single one of them was dealt with promptly and with superior customer service.

For one of the best in shop comic book experiences around head to 1Up Collectibles.

I feel censored by them when I come in and give a good review only to have it disappear because they feel my review (my thoughts, my opinions) are not valid. Instead of removing these supposedly bought/paid for reviews why not simply require us to put in a FCC disclaimer at the end of every review (we have to do it for blog posts why shouldn’t they have to do it as well?) Then the world could judge for itself if the review is valid or not.

Disclosure/Disclaimer: I was not given anything in exchange for this review. Unless you count the bag full of comics I come home with every time I visit 1Up Collectibles, but I pay for those…oh yeah…I do get a discount but that’s part of my subscription service (anyone will get that if they subscribe), so I don’t think that counts as a gift. Besides it was not in exchange for this review.

Yelp.com Not as Good a Site as Everyone Tells Me It Is

 Online Shoping, Rants  No Responses »
Dec 192012
 

Yelp Sucks

You can see here that Yelp.com is still offer a bogus deal. Don’t fall for these scams.

I finally got around to writing up several reviews for Yelp.com and while I was on the site I noticed my favorite comic shop, 1up collectibles, had a Yelp “deal”. $75 for $50 (I knew my next comic pick up would be more than that so I bought it thinking I would be saving myself $25.

Well, I fell for the old scam of if it sounds too good to be true it is. Turns out 1Up Collectibles had turned off that deal over a year ago and Yelp.com should NEVER have been selling it. Shame on Yelp for scamming folks out of their hard earned money. My only hope is that my credit card company will see fit to reverse the charges since I can’t spend it and even if I could my comic guy would never see the money from Yelp since he no longer has an account with them.

How is it that they can continue to sell these deals after the companies discontinue, expire or stop them?

Is their a Yelp.com page to review them on their site? If so I have yet to find it. Guess the world is not allowed to review them!

Speaking of not allowed to review…they apparently filter reviews (even though I found a post saying they no longer filter — bullcrap). I wrote up my honest, unsolicited review of 1Up Collectibles and they removed/filtered it. My review (my thoughts, my opinions) don’t count when it comes to Yelp.com. Guess what? Yelp.com doesn’t matter and it seems like more and more people are starting to realize that.

Maybe Yelp should require reviewers to disclose if they received anything in return for their feedback. Instead of black balling the store owner for suspected deceptive practices. We have to do it on our blogs *waves nicely to the FCC* so instead of censoring us simply require the same standards of all websites to your users. Amazon.com does, so why can’t Yelp?

So lessons learned here. Yelp will remove you if they think you were bribed to write a review even if you weren’t and NEVER, EVER buy any Yelp Deals as they are not deals they are steals (as in Yelp stealing your money and you not getting a thing in return). You won’t even be able to call and speak with someone to ensure that your issue or problem will be dealt with. Shame on you Yelp.com

 

Disclosure/Disclaimer: I was not given anything but a headache and an empty wallet from Yelp.com in exchange for this review.

Bully Coming to Blu-ray & DVD on February 12, 2013

 Movies  No Responses »
Dec 192012
 

BULLY DVDBULLY is a must see film for everyone!

“The Most Important Film of the Year.” ~ Marlo Thomas, Huffington Post

“This movie really does have the power to save lives.” ~ Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT and THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY TAKE A STAND WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTARY THAT FUELED A NATIONAL MOVEMENT BULLY ON BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK AND DVD

Directed by Sundance and Emmy® Award-Winning Filmmaker Lee Hirsch, BULLY Heads To Retail On February 12, 2013!

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD release of BULLY, the critically-acclaimed documentary film that sparked a national movement that rallied people to stand up to bullying, hate, and intolerance. Directed by Lee Hirsch, BULLY follows the lives of five students whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis, and the families that fight for them. A call to action, the film not only captured the attention of the country, but fostered a national dialogue about bullying, uniting parents, teachers, and students in the fight against the violence that has gone unchecked for too long in our schools. Timely and significant, BULLY heads to retail on February 12, 2013.

TIME Magazine film critic, Richard Corliss, called BULLY ”A movie your kids must see.” Wrote film critic, Claudia Puig, in her review for USA Today, “Bully should be required viewing for everyone, including parents, teachers, and school officials.” Added Rolling Stone film critic, Peter Travers,”Lee Hirsch’s film is a potent and provocative look at a problem that’s out of control.” Said People Magazine’s, Alynda Wheat, BULLY is “Powerful.”

Here are the facts: Thirteen million kids will be bullied in the U.S. this year, making bullying the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. Three million students will be absent each month because they feel unsafe at school. Thirty percent of children who reported being bullied said they sometimes brought weapons to school. School personnel are reported to notice or intervene in only one out of every twenty-five incidents. Fifty percent of the time, when an upstander intervenes in bullying, the bullying stops within ten seconds. Bullying is a serious problem, and the solutions belong to us all.

The Bully Project, the social outreach campaign inspired by the film, has screened BULLY for more then 250,0000 educators and students nationwide, in a supported educational context, including curriculum and professional development tools to enrich the experience. From screenings at the White House to citywide summits in Cleveland, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City, the filmmakers have built a tremendous network of partners and experts. BULLY director Lee Hirsch, in an article for Origin. Magazine, wrote, “Sometimes it is the emotional experience of film and television that bring a cause to our hearts and stir us to action – they inform and inspire.” After seeing this film, leaders from the worlds of Hollywood, fashion, politics, business and sports – including President Barack Obama, Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Johnny Depp, the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees, Tommy Hilfiger, Justin Bieber, Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper – publicly lent their support to amplify the message of BULLY.

From Sundance Award-winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, comes a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America’s bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, BULLY is a powerful and inspiring film that every educator, parent and teenager should see.

The BULLY Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD special features include a Filmmaker Q&A, Featurettes, Celebrity PSAs, and Deleted Scenes. Note: Special features are subject to change.

Official Website: www.thebullyproject.com

Review: Carrot by Vanita Oelschlager

 Books  No Responses »
Dec 172012
 

CarrotCarrot is written by Vanita Oelschlager and illustrated by Kristin Blackwood. Published by VanitaBooks LLC.

Dreams are okay, but sometimes reality is even better. Learn to accept what you have in your life through the eyes of an orange tabby cat named Carrot.

Cute kitty adventure illustrations are teamed up with a rhyming text that is sometimes well above a child’s reach (but I guess that is what parents are for — to explain those big words like caviar, champagne and cotillion).

Book Description

A playful and rhythmic page-turner, Carrot the Cat learns that to like who you are is right where it’s at. Carrot is a delightful story about a common house cat who finds that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.

Lawless Now on DVD

 Movies  No Responses »
Dec 142012
 

LAWLESS DVD“A Solid Outlaw Adventure.” ~ Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT and THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY PRESENT THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED EPIC OUTLAW TALE LAWLESS ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD

Based On A True Story From Matt Bondurant’s Novel The Wettest County In The World, This Gripping Tale of Brotherhood, Bootlegging, and Murder.

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD release of the critically acclaimed film, LAWLESS, from director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition). Written by musician, composer and screenwriter, Nick Cave (The Proposition), inspired by the 2008 biographical novel The Wettest County In The World, LAWLESS follows the bootlegging Bondurant Brothers on their quest for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Shia LaBeouf (Transformers franchise, Disturbia), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), Academy Award® nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight Rises), Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Coriolanus, The Help) and Emmy® winner Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce, The King’s Speech), LAWLESS heads to retail on November 27, 2012..

LAWLESS, which was nominated for an illustrious Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival, also stars Jason Clarke (Texas Killing Fields, the upcoming The Great Gatsby) and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines).

The Hollywood Reporter called LAWLESS “A gritty and suspenseful bootlegger tale.” Added film critic, Richard Roeper, in his Reelz Channel review, LAWLESS is “A hell of an entertaining movie, I give it an ‘A’!” Wrote Paste magazine film critic, Tyler Chase, “Lawless blends stylish originality with genre standards into a mixture as potent and explosive as Virginia moonshine.”

They were brothers who became outlaws, and outlaws who became heroes…The three Bondurant boys (Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke), along with their sultry new hire (Jessica Chastain), command the most lucrative bootlegging operation in Franklin County, Virginia. The locals consider them “indestructible.” But the law – in the form of a corrupt special deputy (Guy Pearce) – wants a cut of their action, at any cost. When youngest brother Jack (LaBeouf) gets a taste of power with a deadly gangster (Gary Oldman), the whole business blows sky high. Based on the astonishing true story, the Bondurant brotherhood is the stuff of legend.

The LAWLESS Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD special features include an audio commentary with Director John Hillcoat and Author Matt Bondurant; two featurettes: “The True Story of the Wettest County In The World” and “Franklin County, VA: Then and Now”; Willie Nelson’s “Midnight Run” music video; and deleted scenes. Note: Special features are subject to change.

Learn more about LAWLESS at: http://lawless-film.com/

A Tale of Two Mommies

 Books  No Responses »
Dec 132012
 

A Tale of Two MommiesA Tale of Two Mommies is written by Vanita Oelschlager and illustrated by Mike Blanc. Published by Vanita Books.

This little book teaches kids it’s okay to have two mommies that love you. You get the same support and love from your parents no matter who they are.

All net profits for this book will be donated to charitable organisations.

Book Description: A Tale of Two Mommies is a beach conversation among three children. One boy asks another boy about having two mommies. A young girl listening in asks some questions too.

True to a child’s curiosity, practical questions follow. “Which mom is there when you want to go fishing? / Which mom helps out when Kitty goes missing?” To which he answers: “Mommy helps when I want to go fishing. / Both Mommies help when Kitty goes missing.”
A Tale of Two Mommies is intended for 4-8 year olds.

This book lets us look inside one non-traditional family, a same sex couple and their son. As the children talk, it’s clear this boy lives in a nurturing environment where the biggest issues are the everyday challenges of growing up.

Review of Song for Papa Crow

 Books  No Responses »
Dec 112012
 

Song for Papa CrowSong for Papa Crow is written and illustrated by Marit Menzin. Published by Schiffer Publishing.

This is a nicely illustrated story of self acceptance. Little crow wants to fit in and be liked but none of the song birds like his singing. After meeting a mockingbird that gave him a magic seed little crow could sing like any bird that he wanted. His father kept telling him to just be himself and to call whenever he wanted his father to come. So when little crow tried to all his father all his father heard were the calls of song birds. He did not know his son needed help.

Book Description

Little Crow loves to sing, and Papa Crow loves his song. But when Little Crow shares his crow songs with the other birds at the big old tree, they laugh and scatter. Maybe the Amazing Mockingbird can teach him to sing songs with the finches, flycatchers, and cardinals – and help him make some friends. But Little Crow should be careful what he wishes for… Using Mockingbird’s tip, Little Crow quickly becomes the most popular bird on the block. But, in a moment of danger, he learns that singing someone else’s song can have terrible consequences and that his own voice – and his father’s love – is of the greatest value. Paired with colorful collage illustrations, this inspirational story is complemented by fun facts about North American birds and their sounds. . Grades Pre-K to 2. Marit Menzin’s award-winning collages have been seen in galleries and magazines. She has loved art since childhood, and this, her first picture book, combines her love of nature and art. Marit lives with her family near Boston, Massachusetts.

Review of Squirrel Rescue

 Books  No Responses »
Dec 102012
 

Squirrel RescueSquirrel Rescue is written by Jennifer Keats Curtis and illustrated by Laura Jaques. Published by Schiffer Publishing.

This is a fun little story of two boys that find and rescue a baby squirrel that has fallen out of its nest while the boys were outside playing a game.

Not only does this book show kindness to animals, but it teaches kids and adults how to responsibly treat wild animals.

Above all respect wild animals (they are wild after all).

Check out SquirrelsandMore.com

A portion of the book sales will be donated to squirrels and more fore wild animal rehabilitation.

Book Description

A baby squirrel that has fallen out of his nest suddenly interrupts a spring game of catch. Knowing what to do, the two boys demonstrate how to handle the furry mammal properly and what to do when they find the squirrel’s sibling. Placing them safely in a box, the two boys retreat to the house so as not to scare the mother away while she recovers her babies. Once again, Jennifer Keats Curtis combines an exciting animal encounter with an ordinary childhood event to create a fascinating, realistic story about wildlife rescue. Laura Jacques’ extraordinary illustrations perfectly capture the thrill and excitement of the boys and the animals. Grades K to 4.

About the Authors

Jennifer Keats Curtis is the author of several well-known children’s books, including Saving Squeak: The Otter Tale; Osprey Adventure; Turtles in My Sandbox; and Baby Owl’s Rescue. Award-winning illustrator Laura Jacques’ wildlife books for children include: For the Birds; The Life of Roger Tory Peterson; Baby Owl’s Rescue; and Whistling Wings.

Review: Another 365 Days

 Books  No Responses »
Dec 082012
 

another 365 daysAnother 365 Days is a year in the life of Clemmie Atkins that takes you on a rollercoaster ride that is teenage love and angst (sometimes the same thing).

I have been devouring YA LGBTQ (boy that’s a lot of letters) books for the past year and this is one that rises to the top like cream. Yummy cream.

I wasn’t sure about the journal or diary style of writing but it worked well and I found myself rather enjoying it. In fact when I had finished reading it I wanted more! So left with wanting more and not having read the first book, 365 Days, I hoped on over to Amazon and bought it. Like I said I hadn’t read the first book but that did not seem to matter. I was quickly caught up on what events might have transpired in the past within the first chapter or two. Not knowing did not hurt this story at all (but I will be catching up and I don’t fear that reading the books out of order will be any problem).

I do believe KE Payne has made herself a new fan and I look forward to reading her other books as well. Once I consume the rest of her library I am going to want more so get to writing, please.

So I am over at GoodReads posting my review and decided to read other reviews (I don’t usually like to read others reviews because my thoughts often differ from theirs). So I am seein gall these reviews stating that the book was full of grammatical errors. It was? I hadn’t noticed (could be because my grammar is not the best but I honestly did not notice). It is written in a style of a diary being kept by a teen (and what teen worries about grammar when their life is full of drama). Maybe what they had a problem with was the language barrier. Yes, it was written in English, but in British English not American English and it takes some getting used to at times. I found myself actually reading it with a bit of an English accent in my head (guess I watch too much Brit TV).

Synopsis of the book:

Life’s sweet when you’re seventeen and in love, right? Clemmie Atkins certainly thinks so! She’s still madly in love with her girlfriend, the hot and super-confident EMO, Hannah Harrison, and her irritating sister, HRBH, will soon be leaving home to go to university.

But just when it seems that life is finally pretty darn cool, a new distraction at school threatens to upset everything, and the return of the enigmatic and sexy J with a startling confession confuses things further…

Clemmie has another 365 days to try to get her life back on track…but will it be enough?

 

Available from Bold Stroke Books, Amazon.com and other booksellers.

Author’s website: http://www.kepayne.co.uk/

KE Payne on Live Journal (blog): http://ke-payne.livejournal.com/

Geek for Tots

 Toys  No Responses »
Dec 052012
 

Geeks for TotsWin Toys For Helping Tots with Geeks for Tots!

Geeks for Tots is back once again to promote giving this holiday season. Geeks for Tots is a contest that encourages donations to the Toys for Tots.

There are far too many kids that won’t get gifts this holiday season and the Toys for Tots program is here to help. Toys for Tots takes new toys and distributes them to kids in need. To encourage donations to the Toys For Tots program, the Geeks For Tots contest is offering prizes to those who send in proof of donations to Toys for Tots.

The Prizes up for grabs are:

To participate in the contest, a contestant has to either send in a picture of them donating at a Toys For Tots drop off box or by forwarding copy of a receipt from an online cash donation to the Toys For Tots website.

More details like where to send the photos and receipts, please visit GeeksForTots.com . And the official rules can be found here: http://www.geeksfortots.com/2012/11/how-to-win-geeks-for-tots.html)

Follow them on twitter: https://twitter.com/GeeksforTots

Like the on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeeksForTots

 

About Geeks for Tots:

Geeks for Tots is a grassroots contest started with the simple goal of encouraging donations to Toys for Tots via a contest. This is the fourth year of the contest. Previously it was known as “Joes for Tots.”

 

For our donations this year check out these links…

Geeks for Tots Get Your Geek on for Kids in Need This Holiday & Win

Pink Poodle Project or Toys for Tots Part 1

Edgar Halps Wif Toys for Tots Donation Part 2

Kittehs Halping Kiddies or More Toys for More Tots Pt 3

Open Door Mission Donation for Kids

Toys for Tots Part 4

 

Frankenweenie is Coming to DVD & Blu-Ray

 Movies  No Responses »
Dec 042012
 

FrankenweenieIf you were like me and missed the movie in the theater (I am still kicking myself over that), you will be happy to hear that the arrival of this zombie doggy at your door is only weeks away.

Disney & Tim Burton have announced the Blu-ray & DVD release of the film on January 8th.

Again if you are like me, you will be adding this to your calendar to run out and pick it up on release date to save a few bucks and of course be able to finally get to see this film.

I love Tim Burton, his stop-motion animation and even his live motion short of Frankenweenie. What? You did not know Frankenweenie was originally a live action short film? Yep it was. In fact it appeared on the Nightmare Before Christmas DVD, but now you will be able to own it on the 4 disc Blu-ray set (which also includes the 3D version of the film)….Santa better remember to bring me my LG 3D TV I asked for.

Order your copy of Frankenweenie today and avoid the rush to the store :)

For some more Frankenweenie fun check out ScifiSlacker.com…

FRANKENWEENIE IT LIVES!

Frankenweenie Characters

Frankenweenie Fun Facts

Behind the Scenes of Frankenweenie

Cool Retro Movie Posters For Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie is Coming!

 

 

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