The Real Life Adventures of Catherine "Cat" Calloway, The First Book by David Essel | #ChildrensBook

Being at school has never been an easy task. Besides learning there are lots of challenges every child faces every day. It is simple to lose your confidence when there is no friends and family to support you. The world of success and influence takes their dominance and it is easy to blend, give up and let your dreams disappear without a trace.

Have you ever had a feeling being unwanted, forgotten and insignificant? Then the book The Real Life Adventures of Catherine "Cat" Calloway, The First written by David Essel makes you think about where low self-confidence and low self-esteem come from. The main character of the story, Catherine CAT Callaway the First. She is a very popular kid in school, everyone likes her. One day during lunch time she decides not to join her friends but have her lunch with a girl who sits alone. That little girl is shy and seems does not have any friends at school. Ling Ling Lu is a new student and other kids find that girl different, weird and strange. She tried to make friends, but it is not easy for her.



Cat is an absolute opposite to Ling Ling Lu. She is confident, easily makes friends and loves to help. That particular day Cat decides to make a difference in another person's life. Catherine thinks that no one should eat lunch alone at school and makes one step forward to help Ling Ling Lu. She thinks that everyone must be treated with kindness and respect.

When you look at the whole picture, you do not think that everyone does something wrong. Kids, teachers and parents do not notice or try to ignore struggling little kid who tries to fit new school environment. But Cat sees that Ling Ling Lu has hard time and makes one little gesture to change the situation.

How often we see that another person needs help but just pass by and ignore. The book challenges the readers if they can do the same thing, step out, offer help and do not be just an ignorant passer-by.


We loved how the story turned out after Cat decides to join lunch time with Ling Ling Lu. Teddy said that it is such a positive book to read. He likes how Cat ignites with confidence other people so that they become better individuals to show their unique talents to others.

The Real Life Adventures of Catherine "Cat" Calloway, The First book has nice illustration throughout the book, there are also simple messages repeating multiple time to remember like  "Treat others with kindnesses and respect".

About the Author: 
David Essel is in reality just a big kid in an adult's body, who loves to write about good stuff and great people. His first book is titled: Phoenix Soul: One Man's Search for Love & Inner Peace. David is also a radio and television host, professional speaker, life coach and model. 

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The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part Is Still Awesome Now Available on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital | #TheLEGOMovie2

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-Ray Combo I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.



It's time to find out what happened in The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part, because now it is available on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray combo pack and DVD. If you missed the movie on the big screen as we did because we were busy with our assignments and competitions then we all can watch it in the comfort of our homes with popcorn, treats and, probably, build something new with LEGO bricks.

The Lego Movie 2 takes us to Bricksburg, the city where it all started. In five years this shiny and colorful place turned into the bleak and dull. Their threat - LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space, which wreck everything cute, vivid, attractive and do it faster than it can be rebuilt. Most of the citizens changed, affected by constant fights and threats. No more romantic dreams, creative ideas and vibrant colors. Most of them, including Batman and Lucy, constantly expect the worst. Only Emmet remains true to himself, optimistic and full of creative projects to everyone's disappointment. He tries to impress Lucy by building nice family house for them, so they can live there together. But circumstances changed and evil LEGO creature, powerful and strong, invades to take the leaders.

The city is in chaos, Emmet needs to save Lucy and other folks from LEGO invaders. He travels across the Lego universe in his spaceship re-built from his house. On the way to saving his friends he meets Rex Dangervest who offers his help in saving kidnapped Bricksburg residents. Together they head to Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi Systar System where most of inhabitants are brainwashed with pop songs. And residents of Bricksburg are expected to follow them, everyone except Lucy who was able to escape. But others cannot resist Catchy Song and even Batman, claiming to stay forever bat-chelor, agrees to marry Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi.

The story, cities, invaders and LEGO universe is created by a boy and his sister, often Lego scenes switch to the real world, where Apocalypseburg is built by brother and the Systar System by a girl. Their interaction, conflicts and rivalry are reflected in LEGO universe.

The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part is filled with funny jokes, lots of them inspired by pop culture. There is a line-up of catchy songs like Everything is Awesome and Catchy Song, also the one at the end of the movie with closing credits is incredible. The Blu-ray combo pack includes Everything is Awesome sing along and other songs you can sing as many times as you wish. Plus the release also includes free admission for kids to LEGO Discovery Centres and Legoland Resorts.

Everything is still Awesome in The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part!

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Learn the ABC with Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection on DVD | Shout! Factory

Learning the alphabet is important for preschool kids. It is like a gate to the world of reading. The best way to learn it is with friends you know. It's time for ABCs with Elmo and his Sesame Street buddies. They explore and show you every letter of the alphabet in new DVD release called Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection. It includes two hours of A to Z stories, songs, parodies, animated features, funny situations and more, everything dedicated to the alphabet letters.

Children will be excited to learn and sing their ABCs while watching Awesome Alphabet Collection. Each letter is presented as a compilation form different segments, for example it can start with a letter song, then an animated story and finished with a funny scene. That way kids learn the ABC from different angles and remember for sure what is associated with that particular letter.

The collection includes familiar songs like "The Beetles Perform Letter B" and "C is for Cookie", M is for "Monster Song". Sesame Street furry friends explore the alphabet with a lineup of celebrity guests. For example, Pharrell Williams belts it out for the letter B, Ricky Gervais tries singing a lullaby to a sleepy Elmo and Sia performs for letter S.


While most scenes in the collection are amazing and most of the songs are special and our favorites, only one song for P letter is very annoying, only one. Overall, we had fun experience watching the collection, I like that there are Sesame Street segments from different years.

The release also includes Elmo’s Amazing Alphabet Race bonus feature and ABC-themed printable activities. You can download them from here.

Awesome Alphabet Collection is being released during Sesame Street’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration. The anniversary celebrates equality, respect, opportunity and joy!

Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection DVD is available for purchase on Amazon, Walmart, and other e-retailers. Plus we have a copy to give away for our readers. For your chance simply fill the Rafflecopter form below! The giveaway is open for US and Canadian residents & ends May 20, 2019!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Dolphin's Secret: A Meditational Journey for Children Book by Meryl Best Lowell | #happiness

Many children undergo stress at young age when they learn new things every day and try to cope with emotions and wishes they have. New schools, classes, friends and activities, new requirements affect children a lot. Plus, you can see how tech savvy these days our kids are. They start using digital devices at very early age, and often overwhelmed with so much information they are getting from a myriad of sources. They need to have something to deal with constantly changing world, find calmness and be stable with their emotions. Every child is precious, and every child is exposed to stressful situations at certain level. It can be learning challenges at school, parents and teachers who expect too much, peer pressure, bullies at school or some insecurities for being unfit, being not like everyone else.


Today's children have a lot to handle, that's why learning some mindfulness techniques is very important. They help kids let their worries go and fill them with a deep sense of love.  I know that at Teddy's school they already teach yoga and how to relieve stress. That's why when he started reading The Dolphin's Secret: A Meditational Journey for Children he was genuinely interested in learning new techniques. The book written by Meryl Best Lowell introduces children to Yoga Nidra, an ancient form of guided meditation which incorporates a sequence of mindfulness techniques. This is a how-to storybook, written in simple and easy way so that kids ages 4-8 can to follow the instructions. The Dolphin's Secret is not a boring book of exercises, it presents a magical story of Meri, a beautiful mermaid, and her friend Aloha, a dolphin. Together they invite children to join their journey and show how to relax and feel better. Their exercises are designed to do when kids lay down before naptime or bedtime. They include breathing techniques easy to follow. Teddy did his exercises in the park. It was fun and relaxing to lay down under the blanket and forget about worries, school and assignments, think about dolphins and  making bubbles.


The Dolphin's Secret book is beautifully illustrated. It includes images of a whimsical world, Meri and Aloha, and as they tell the story and their secrets. You can see the images of kids doing yoga, breathing exercises and their happy faces. Teddy even found someone looking like him in the book.

I think The Dolphin's Secret: A Meditational Journey for Children very practical and useful book for parents, teachers and kids to learn easy relaxation techniques, help children to cope with their feelings. 

About the Author:
Meryl Best Lowell has been exploring and practicing different forms of meditation since 2004 and believes that Yoga Nidra, an ancient form of guided meditation, makes meditation and deep relaxation accessible to everyone. She was hiking on a mountain in Arizona when she was inspired to write a series of children’s books, which incorporate the mindfulness techniques of Yoga Nidra to give children a direct experience of meditation.

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Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns on Blu-ray/ DVD for Family Fun and Lovely Songs | #MaryPoppinsReturns

Mary Poppins Returns made a significant effort to show that our childhood dreams never disappear but rather continue to exist and come back. Lots of things changed since Disney’s 1964 Mary Poppins release. Jane and Michael are now grown-up and have children to take care of. Their life takes the burden of regular adults, expected to work, support families and pay loans. Michael’s kids Annabel, John and Georgie even question if their dad ever was a kid. With lots of happening in Michael’s life, it is hard to see what is truly matters. After losing his wife, Michael is on the way to losing his home too - unless he presents father’s stock certificate to the bank.

Mary Poppins returns with a kite run. She is elegant, immaculate and special; she brings fun to every moment of life, making everyone think that magic is a normal thing. Mary Poppins sings and dances, every day with her is an adventure and it is everywhere. Regular bath can turn into a beach party and a colorful bowl is a place to experience animated adventures with circus, chase and horse riding. 

Jack, London’s lamplighter gladly joins Mary Poppins and kids in their magical adventures. Together they make Cherry Tree Lane a fun place to play. I like how kids learn to see through the pretty looks and identify who is a good person and who is not.


The movie is filled with songs and dance, and I think sometimes Jack outshines Mary Poppins showing many talents. Teddy liked watching the movie; his favorite parts were songs and kids adventures on the beach and with Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy.

Mary Poppins is brilliantly played by Emily Blunt to my opinion. She is the perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any task into a fantastic adventure. Her confident attitude is contagious, everything is possible and being unusual and strange is a new normal.

Mary Poppins Returns is now available on Blu-ray/DVD and Digital to enjoy the magic and sing-along while watching!

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Let's Celebrate Earth Day with Ranger Rob This Month & Make A Difference | #RangerRobEarthMonth

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd, it inspires people around the globe to connect with nature and support our environment. The love for nature starts from an early age. By helping children appreciate the importance of the natural world, we can help them begin to recognize how important nature is in our life and how important to protect it. Positive experiences with nature at an early age can help children develop a caring attitude and encourage them to follow more environmentally-friendly actions in the future. It is great to see characters on the screen like Ranger Rob who inspire kids to get outdoor and explore the nature so that they can learn to help protect and foster the future health of our planet.


Ranger Rob is a young ranger-in-training who ziplines, swings and even snowboards his way around Big Sky Park, the coolest natural adventure park ever. It features all sorts of ecosystems and Rob thinks of it as his very own adventure-filled playground. With so much to explore and discover he’s in for the experience of a lifetime―and you’re invited to come along for the ride! Ranger ready to get outside?

This month Rob and his friends, Stomper, Dakota and Sam, invite kids & families join Ranger Rob Earth Month & demonstrate their support for the environment! It does not have to be complicated, even picking trash around the community or turning off the lights are good actions to take!


On Ranger Rob social channels you can find great ideas how to celebrate Earth Day not only in April but every day. We like Ranger Rob Earth Month Scavenger Hunt and Earth Day celebration ideas. I hope that kids after trying them even for one day will continue to show appreciation and care for environment.

To have more fun you can take Ranger Rob and his friends toys outdoor to play and lean about nature in your local park or a playground. We often go to our local park and take our friends there to play, we are having fun games there, watch animals, explore different plants and trees and clean the area, after winter there are lots of trash on the fields. These toys are available at Toys RUs stores and on Amazon.


This month, Ranger Rob TV is hosting a very special giveaway in support of Earth Day 2019! You can enter to win a fantastic Ranger Rob Command Tower Toy Set via Facebook and Instagram pages. Teddy had a chance to play with the toy set, it is just amazing! Ranger Rob Command Tower  has a telescope station,a zip-line, a tour tour, a swing and a merry-go-round carousel! The giveaway ends on April 22nd.

Let's step outside, connect to nature and remember that Earth Day is every day!

Ranger Rob, Nelvana’s hit animated series airs on Treehouse and Nick Jr.

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Easter Bunny’s First Choice for Holiday Baskets | #JAKKSToys

Easter is almost here, we are looking forward to festive celebrations, days off and Easter Bunny to come. Are you on the search for fun and easy Easter basket ideas that are a more exciting than the regular basket for everyone? Then Jakks Pacific have you covered with cute egg-sized collectibles little ones will be excited to get! These creative ideas are sure to make your loved ones smile and enjoy the holiday.


Squish-Dee-Lish Series 1 Mystery Packs are our all time favorites, made of a slow-rise foam, are the latest super cute collectible. Series 1 combines animals with delicious foods such as cute cupcakes and yummy donuts. Perfect for young kids and grown-ups, you can squeeze them, play or roll. Adults can squish away their stress with a fun and anxiety. The toys are soft and colorful, we use them to distract little ones from crying and have some pretend plays for fun. Usually little ones like when squishies show up one by one, they even have their favorite characters. There are 24 styles to collect so everyone will be excited to have these cuties in their Easter basket. The best part these are blind bags, so no one knows which Squish-Dee-Lish everyone gets, except probably Easter Bunny!
Available now in Toys ‘R’ US for $4.99.

Chicks with Wigs are new to us, but these are amazing chicks to play with. They have so beautiful hair of different colors and you can style them. They are perfect Easter gift this year. Teddy likes his toy, he is not into hair styles and accessories, but he had so much fun with new Chick with Wigs. He found elastic bands and decided to apply some styles, failed a couple of times and finally managed to get what he wanted.  These are blind boxes, so you do not know what chick toy you get and what hair color she has. Available at Walmart for $4.97.


Who’s Your Llama is a line of collectible llamas bursting with personality! These are the silliest llamas you’ll ever meet. Each one comes stored in a reusable camper with a collector’s guide. From Bahama Llama to Drama Llama, each one comes dressed in a cute outfit and includes 1 of 4 super silly features: winking, spitting, grinning, or sticking its tongue out. These features are what Teddy likes the most, especially winking and sticking its tongue out! There are 24 mini llamas to collect, all different colours and styles and six different coloured campers. Kids will have fun trying to find the “chase” mini llama with the gold finish.
Available at: Toys ‘R’ Us for $8.99.


Harry Potter Die Cast Wands Assortment offers die-cast replica wands of your favorite characters from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast series. There are 12 wands to collect in the first set, including the wands of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and other wizards. These wands are 4-inch scale and include a stand for display. Each wand is packed in a blind mystery box. Though Teddy is not a huge fan of Harry Potter, he like the toys and all the magic stuff around these stories. Being a wizard with a magic wand is pretty cool! Available at Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon and Walmart for $5.57.

Hop into spring with these adorable toys! I hope they will help you fill your Easter baskets with surprises, joy, and fun!

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