Derek Thompson, a minor league hockey player, is ironically nicknamed “Tooth Fairy” for knocking his opponents’ teeth out. Thompson, frustrated with his inability to play in the major leagues takes his frustrations home with him, becoming quite the dream crusher.

Throughout the movie Thompson takes shots at the littlest of targets, first a grade-school hockey fan, where he goes on to talk about Zambonis, dying, and lowering expectations. He also bursts the dreams of Carly’s daughter by telling her there is no tooth fairy, and so Thompson’s journey to fairyhood begins as he’s sentenced to a week-long sentence as the real life Tooth Fairy.

I felt like there were so many points of conflict in Tooth Fairy involving Thompson — between the new kid on the hockey team, Carly and her children, Tracy the fairy case-worker, Head Fairy, and other lesser characters along the way.

I’m not quite sure they needed to add so much conflict to get their point across that Derek Thompson is a jaded person who doesn’t believe in dreams. After all, he made his girlfriend’s children cry on several occasions and she still went back to him; I’m not sure how true-to-life that would be. I get the point… he’s not a nice person.

Aside from beating the point to death that Thompson’s character needs a breakthrough, this is a wholesome family movie with no cursing, no nudity, and is rightly rated PG. I would recommend this to families with children who do not still believe in the tooth fairy anymore though, unless you want The Rock telling your kids that the tooth fairy doesn’t exist.

My favorite parts in the movie are the snippets of comedy sprinkled throughout. If you’ve ever watched a Dwayne Johnson movie you know he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Aside from Thompson’s hilarious fairy assignment antics, Tracy the case-worker fairy brings some dorky humor and Jerry, the gadget fairy is cheesy but bound to get some laughs from the kids at least with bathroom, pet, and crazy humor. I also enjoyed the ending, which I won’t give away, but love that it’s a happy ending that will make the whole family warm.

I would recommend this as a family-friendly movie. Even though there are a lot of magic and mystical things going on inside Tooth Fairy, this movie has a great message. Sometimes you just have to believe that if you can dream it, you can do it.

Do your children believe in the Toothfairy? How much money do you give for each tooth?

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/video/article/movie-review-tooth-fairy/page-2/#ixzz0yHZvvk3v

What or who is Anni Zola you may be asking, unless you are or have a teenager, you may be as confused as I was when I first started listening to her musical audiobook titled My Story. Even though I don’t quite understand something doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing though.

In fact, this cute anime inspired fictional teen has great message for her fans including encouraging teens to do something to make their planet a better place.

In her song Share My Dream, she speaks of seeing how beautiful the world can be and even has lyrics to tell her listeners to do something to contribute to a beautiful world:

“Are you angry by what you see,

coz if you’re like me,

you wanna go and fix it.”

Anni Zola’s CD has 4 songs, each different in their own right. My Story is most like a poem/talking song while Come On Out and Play is more techno-pop. These songs are very under produced and sound like they were created in someone’s home recording studio. Even though Anni Zola will most likely not be featured on hit-radio the songs on the album are fun and get a great message across in a cute way.

The stories on Anni Zola My Story gives great background into Anni Zola and her hometown of Orfea and her life story. Overall I applaud the efforts of Anni Zola on creating a better world and would be excited if my teen sister liked something like this. Aside from the album Anni Zola has a great website: http://www.annizola.com The website is full of media, games, and background story that compliments the album nicely.

If you’re trying to teach your tweens or teens how to love their world and be eco-friendly check out Anni Zola’s website and if they like that then I would definitely recommend getting the album.

What materials do you use to teach your children about being earth-friendly??

The first release, Goodnight Moon…and More Great Bedtime Stories is a hit. In the B Household Goodnight Moon has been a favorite since Little Miss A was a baby and truth-be-told she still loves when I read her that book, in fact I caught her just a second ago, during her “rest time” reading, “Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Moon,” to her Barbies. This 36 minute DVD holds 3 great stories on one DVD and supports learning in vocabulary, fine motor skills, and comprehension.

Now the second DVD, I know I will get in trouble for not reading…is A Pocket for Corduroy and More Stories about Friendship. Okay here’s your chance…I know, I should have read this classic when I was a child and if not then now that I have two beauties of my own….but I just haven’t, sorry. Anyway, it was great getting the opportunity to watch this children’s classic along with the sign language bonus.

The first time we watched this Miss A just loved that the movie was the book in video form. Then she noticed the ASL right away and started copying the signs, I thought that was pretty cool. When Miss A was about 4 months old we started teaching her baby sign so she could communicate with us, so I’ve always thought that even for hearing children sign is a great way to teach and help them learn. So many studies back up the findings that learning sign language has so many benefits for children, so I enjoy that both videos are jam packed with opportunities for learning.

The great part about both DVDs is that a hearing impaired or a hearing child can watch together and both get enjoyment out of fun stories that never grow old. I love them and know you will too, check out http://newkideo.com/ to buy yours for less than $13 a video.

Are there any Storybook Classics that you have not read?? PS I promise I won’t harass you!!

I love how the beginning pages in The Finger Prince explain each finger print character in detail, with fun and whimsy. Then, dum…dum..dum, enter the scariest cleaning utensil you’ve ever met.

The Finger Prince is recommended for children ages four to eight, and I certainly see why, with “Monster Sponge” on the loose. “Monster Sponge” actually scared me a little bit as I read the book, so I didn’t let my three year-old Miss A even see it, to be on the safe side.

“Monster Sponge” pops up on the unsuspecting Finger Print community, in a rage shouting that he will eat them, get them, and wipe the floor with them. Perhaps I’m a little uptight, but those aren’t words I even want my little ones to use even when they’re just playing.

It seems that the villain seems to get bigger and bigger throughout the book, even eating some of the Finger Prints, only to be defeated by Petey Peanut Butter and regurgitating the eaten Finger Prints…um, ewwww.

Now, although this is not a story for my family, I do like the underlying message that even the loner can be a hero and save the day. So the message is a decent one, and I like that the author Peter Begley used finger prints because I haven’t seen anything like that in children’s books, so I’ll give him points for creativity.

If I could do anything to change this book, I would either make some story line changes to create a more gentle way for Petey to fit in with the other Finger Prints or recommend this book for ages eight and up.

The last page in The Finger Prince says, “To Be Continued,” so I gather we should be expecting a sequel, I’m interested to see where Begley takes these characters, but not interested enough to purchase a copy of my own since I know we won’t be adding it to the B Family collection.

What fun “things” do you think you’d make a children’s book from?

Article first published as Book Review: The Finger Prince by Peter Begley on Blogcritics.

Since the age of five, Miami-born Jason Derülo has been performing for crowds. He attended Dillard Center for the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Derülo began his music career at the age of 16 producing hit songs for other great artists including Diddy, Sean Kingston, Cassie, Lil Mama, and several artists on the Cash Money Records label.

This amazingly talented young man became the first artist signed to Warner Bros. Records’ joint venture with the Beluga Heights label. He has had quite the year and is quickly establishing himself as one of the breakout stars of 2010. This album is taking him to great places; his biggest single, “Whatcha Say,” was released in May 2009 and not only went triple platinum, but also had five million digital downloads topping two of the U.S. Billboard charts and the New Zealand singles chart. Between “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head,” Derülo became the first male solo artist to score consecutive No. 1’s on Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart in the chart’s 17-year history.

If that wasn’t enough, his third single, “Ridin’ Solo,” is quickly approaching one million units sold, top ten on the U.S. Billboard charts and is also ranking high on the U.K. charts as well. I can totally see why! “Ridin’ Solo” really got my attention — I love the beat. For those of you who are conscious of explicit lyrics this song does have a few curse words in it, so you may want to get the clean version.

Going back to the actual album, I love the mixes, and how fun and upbeat these love-themed songs are. Being mommy to a three-year-old and four-month-old I’m at the point where if I listen to “The Wheels on the Bus” one more time my head will fall off. Luckily, I get to listen to adult music occasionally when the girls aren’t with me. “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head” are both great songs to dance to, total club songs or songs to rock out to in the car. Derülo reminds me of a mix of Usher, Ne-Yo, and Rihanna and whatever he’s doing, it’s working. I want to listen to this CD over and over again and wish there were even more songs on this album. I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for his listeners in the future.

Jason Derülo just keeps getting hotter and has recently been nominated for three 2010 Teen Choice Awards in the music category, including the highly coveted Choice Music: Breakout Artist – Male. His double platinum-selling single “In My Head,” has been nominated for Choice Music: R&B Track, while the album has been nominated for Choice Music: Album – R&B. Check out the Teen Choice Awards when they air August 9 and be sure to get your album. Jason Derülo is a great addition to your collection.

What’s your favorite album right now?

Article first published as Music Review: Jason Derülo – Jason Derülo on Blogcritics.

When I first became a mom, no amount of babysitting or nannying prepared me quite enough for the responsibility and blessings that motherhood would bring.  Just like all the other moms we were figuring it out as we went. That’s where this book comes in, if you want a little insight to motherhood, author Jen Klein has survived it all, changing diapers in not-so-quaint places to finding baby food in the most unlikely places.

The Mommy Files features quotes from both famous and real moms and adds some She Knows secrets from SheKnows.com, a site for women that covers many topics including parenting. This book reminds me a lot of what a girlfriend’s Cliff Notes for the book, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. From morning sickness to potty training and beyond The Mommy Files cover the details of having a baby, but it also covers the “nitty gritty,” that most books don’t touch on.

I love this quote from the book: “Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes.” – Joyce Armor. It’s really funny because I often refer to my own stretch marks as my battle wounds. It’s a long and hard pregnancy but I survived. I also enjoy that this book has great information on Birth Plans and Birthing options if that’s something that you are interested, but I am a little put off to see that The Mommy Files does not really discuss C-section information, which I think is handy for every new mom to know. I think there are a lot of women out there who are scared of c-sections and don’t have the facts going into it, that would have helped ease my mind a little more.

I also noticed in this book Klein discusses breastfeeding mothers looking down on bottle feeding mothers, which I do see in the mother-world, but she doesn’t touch on those moms that choose not to nurse who criticize mothers who breastfeed in public or even in private, I know some of those mommies too.

In one of the chapters, I noticed that Klein kind of suggests to ignore advice that comes your way, personally I think if you’re like me, I wanted all the advice, the good, and the bad that way I had as much information, tips, and tricks I could have in my arsenal to choose from down the road. I guess that’s why this book interested me too.

I like the way this book is written in a whimsical, funny, yet realistic point of view. Love the sections on mommy groups and sleep and think overall it’s a great book for the collection. Motherhood is a huge topic to cover so I don’t fault Klein for not hitting every point, but you may not want to consider The Mommy Files your end all be all guide to pregnancy and childbirth.

What’s the best advice you can give a pregnant mom??

I have never read or seen any of the Wimpy Kid series, but I really got into this book. If you are a fan of Wimpy Kid you will love this book. From creating the storyboard, to choosing the actors, to wrapping up the movie — all of your favorite Diary of a Wimpy Kid Movie minutes are here.

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary has a great notebook feel, with original Diary of a Wimpy Kid drawings that act as a narration in the book. You’ll enjoy the great color pictures sprinkled throughout sharing behind the scenes tips and tricks all about the film.

Most of the book describes the tricks of the trade on making the movie. The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary starts with a section on casting and how they decided to use certain actors. I love the way the Wimpy Kid Gregs are discussed: Jeff Kinney, who wrote the original Diary of a Wimpy Kid books uses a timeline to parallel their two lives, the book version of Greg Heffley to the actor playing Greg, Zachary Gordon. Through casting the filmmakers also asked both actors auditioning for Greg and Rowley’s parts, two of the main characters, to do some homework and write journal entries in the voice of their characters; this book shows the journal entries and introduces you to each of the characters in the movie.

I love how the book describes the tricks of changing seasons in the motion picture, filming day at night and vice versa, using twins and using adult stunt doubles to make filming go a lot smoother. After all, “…a whole DAY of filming usually produces only about two MINUTES of a finished movie.” That’s crazy!

A lot of work is put into each movie and The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary was no exception. Read more about how filmmakers used three different schools, created graphic images of the cheese villain, and wrap up the movie with their wrap party.

Part of me wishes every movie had a Movie Companion, okay well maybe not every movie, but I do love how even though I’m not a Diary of a Wimpy Kid fan, this book makes me want to see the movie and read the other books.

What book do you wish was a movie?

How to win: Each day, for one week, I will be posting a new way for you to earn entry points each day. The more entry points you have, the better your chance to win both of the cds listed above!

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How to win: Each day, for one week, I will be posting a new way for you to earn entry points each day. The more entry points you have, the better your chance to win both of the cds listed above!

**For today’s entry point check out my sponsors and tell me one thing you like about them. You may go to both and obtain two entries. Please remember you MUST leave a comment on this page after you complete the entry. **

Giveaway ends July 10th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US or Canadian resident and 18 years or older to enter.

How to win: Each day, for one week, I will be posting a new way for you to earn entry points each day. The more entry points you have, the better your chance to win both of the cds listed above!

**For today’s entry point follow me on Google Friend Connect (the button is in the right sidebar) and tell me you do in the comment section of this page. Please remember you MUST leave a comment on this page that you are following. **

Giveaway ends July 10th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US or Canadian resident and 18 years or older to enter.