With Valentine’s Day just two weeks away, everyone’s mind is on “that someone special.”

This new DVD from Scholastic Storybook Treasures, The Valentine’s Collection…Featuring One Zillion Valentines, celebrates the special relationships we all hold dear — between classmates, between friends, between family.

This collection includes five animated stories about friendship:

- One Zillion Valentines
- Goggles
- A Letter to Amy
- Will I Have a Friend
- Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Two of these, Goggles and A Letter to Amy, are stories written and illustrated by the beloved Ezra Jack Keats.

Like with all other Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs, The Valentine’s Collection…Featuring One Zillion Valentines includes Scholastic’s read-along capabilities to encourage reading skills and comprehension.

It’d make the perfect little accompaniment gift for your little ones or classroom this Valentine’s Day! You can purchase The Valentines Collection directly from Scholastic/NewKideo’s website for $14.95.

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned product at no cost from Scholastic/NewKideo in exchange for my honest review. I received no other product or monetary compensation. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

HarperCollins, publisher of numerous award-winning and superb books for children, has a line of books for budding and blossoming readers called the “I Can Read” series. The cool part is that many of these “I Can Read” books are offered in e-book format!

Showcasing some of kids’ favorite and notorious book characters, these books lend a helping hand by offering read aloud features, highlighted words, and self-reading options — all while letting kids see the accompanying fun illustrations found in the paper form of the book.

Here are three that we recently received to review (and love):

Fancy Nancy: My Family History

Fancy Nancy begins to seek out information about her family history for a school report — but will she be tempted to exaggerate her stories and tell more fiction than truth?

Marley: Messy Dog

Cassie’s mom decides to paint Cassie’s room her favorite color. But guess who wants to help? Will Marley ruin the day (and Cassie’s room)?

Splat the Cat Sings Flat

Splat the Cat is going to sing at a school talent show for Parents’ Night…but he discovers he has what many cats (and people) do: Stage fright! What will he do to overcome his shyness?

These are all narrated by upbeat and interesting speakers if your child chooses the “read aloud” feature. The words are highlighted as they’re read, helping to increase reading comprehension and boost vocabulary. Each of the above titles (and all e-books in the I Can Read series) can be downloaded for viewing/interacting with via the iTunes store or via Barnes and Noble for the NOOK.

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned e-books from HarperCollins at no cost in exchange for my honest review. No other products or monetary compensation was received. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

We were able to get a first-hand look at this beautifully written, choreographed, and animated app for the iPhone, iPad, and Android. This Puff the Magic Dragon app is the storytelling lyrics by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary, taken straight from the nonsensical poem by Lenny Lipton. This app brings these words to life with beautiful, animated illustrations by Eric Puybaret.

Children can experience this whimsical app in three different ways:

“Sing To Me”—listen to Peter Yarrow sing the classic song with pages that automatically turn as the song progresses
“Read to Me”—narrated by Peter Yarrow, words are highlighted as they are read by the author and children can interact with the characters
“Read Myself”—children read the story at their own pace, turning the pages as they go, interacting with all the characters.

Bonus features of the Puff the Magic Dragon app include touch-activated stars that provide further levels of interactive play, as well as tilt-screen animation features that allow children to create waves in the oceans surrounding Honalee.

A must-have for any childhood, this story/song/poem (now an interactive, takealong app) is available from the iTunes store for iPhone and iPad or via the Android store. (Links to both are on the info page.)

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received this app at no cost from Sterling Publishing in exchange for a review. I received no other product or monetary compensation for my honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Angelina Ballerina: Sweet Valentine, from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, hits the scene on DVD, digital download and on demand. Five sweet stories intermingle to create a sentimental and entertaining presentation.

From the press information I received:

“Love and friendship take center stage in these sweet stories. Angelina uncovers the mystery of her secret admirer with some help from her friends. Angelina and Alice help Marco realize the true importance of helping his friends. The students celebrate Ms. Mimi, and although it may have been for the wrong reason, they do it with a lot of heart! And when Angelina and her girlfriends try to make a girls’ club, they realize a friendship club is much sweeter. Spread the love with dancing, skating, singing and best friends forever!”

Like all other Angelina Ballerina productions, Angelina Ballerina: Sweet Valentine is very well enjoyed at our house! It’s helped put us in the Valentine’s Day mood, despite these dreary, gray days of winter.

The DVD also features two bonus items: Angelina’s Picture Game and the “Get Up and Dance” Music Video.

Over sixty minutes of quality, wholesome, heartfelt entertainment grace this special DVD release Angelina Ballerina: Sweet Valentine. You can purchase it from Amazon.com — or look for it wherever DVDs are sold near you.

Win it!

Courtesy of HIT Entertainment, Lionsgate and Andrea Blain PR, one of you will win a copy of Angelina Ballerina: Sweet Valentine!

Here’s how to enter:

1) MANDATORY: Tell me, in a comment below, who would love this DVD at your house!

2) For a second entry, subscribe to Muse Reviews’ feed OR subscribe via email — tell me in a separate comment if you’re a new subscriber or already a subscriber.

3) For a third entry, become friends with Muse Reviews on Facebook, then tell me you did so in a separate comment below.

4) For a fourth entry, twitter about this contest using @MuseReviews within your tweet, then tell me in a separate comment that you twittered! (Only one tweet per person per contest, please.)

I’ll close this contest at 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012. US entries/addresses only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congrats to the winner, #43, Ryana!

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above product and product information from Andrea Blain PR at no cost per my review….but my review is honest and my opinions are my own. I did not receive any other monetary or product compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

New from Scholastic Storybook Treasures comes a 3-DVD set featuring the best of the Caldecott medal and Caldecott honor winners!

Caldecott Favorites includes twenty visually stunning, animated stories on three DVDs…one of which is a favorite story around here, the perfect story for winter: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

The other stories on this fantastic collection include:

- Peter’s Chair
- Pet Show!
- A Letter to Amy
- The Trip
- Apt. 3
- In the Small, Small Pond
- Bear Snores On
- Bark, George
- Caps for Sale
- The Hat
- The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
- Make Way for Ducklings
- Antarctic Antics
- The Story About Ping
- The Ugly Duckling
- Angus and the Ducks
- Cat and Canary
- Wings: A Tale of Two Chickens

With narration by folks like John Lithgow, Laura Dern, Lynn Whitfield and others, and with classic animation that is Scholastic Storybook Treasures’ signature style, this set it sure to warm your heart. You can order Caldedott Favorites directly from Scholastic/NewKideo for $24.95 — or look for it at other online and brick and mortar stores that sell Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs.

Win it!

Courtesy of Scholastic/NewKideo, one of you will win a copy of the Caldecott Favorites 3-DVD set!

Here’s how to enter:

1) MANDATORY: Tell me, in a comment below, another Scholastic Storybook Treasures title that your children/classroom would love!

2) For a second entry, subscribe to Muse Reviews’ feed OR subscribe via email — tell me in a separate comment if you’re a new subscriber or already a subscriber.

3) For a third entry, become friends with Muse Reviews on Facebook, then tell me you did so in a separate comment below.

4) For a fourth entry, twitter about this contest using @MuseReviews within your tweet, then tell me in a separate comment that you twittered! (Only one tweet per person per contest, please.)

I’ll close this contest at 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012. US entries/addresses only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congrats to the winner, #39, CMC!

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above product and product information from Scholastic/NewKideo at no cost per my review….but my review is honest and my opinions are my own. I did not receive any other monetary or product compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

HarperCollins introduces a new app starring the lovable, posh storybook character girls love, Fancy Nancy!

Fancy Nancy Dress Up is an app that allows your little girly girls to dress up Fancy Nancy to their heart’s desire — all with the swipe of a finger on your mobile smart phone or iPad device!

Created by Bean Creative, the Fancy Nancy Dress Up app boasts the following features:

v Mixing and matching an endless number of outfits for hours of playtime fun

v Hearing Fancy Nancy herself encourage fans to make her fancier and fancier

v Choose backgrounds and decorate them with stickers from the Fancy Nancy books

v Creating original pictures for an all-new Fancy Nancy storybook

v Save and share your fantastique creations

v Insert Fancy Nancy into your very own photos

Our little Fancy Nancy aficionado loves the Fancy Nancy Dress Up app! It’s just another fun extension of the fun and playful Fancy Nancy repertoire near-constant at our house.

You can download it for just $0.99 from the iTunes App Store.

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above product and product information from HarperCollins at no cost per my review….but my review is honest and my opinions are my own. I did not receive any other monetary or product compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

An Angelina Ballerina 3-DVD Holiday Gift Set is making a big splash this holiday season!

This deluxe gift set includes three of Angelina Ballerina’s holiday-themed DVD titles:

- Angelina Ballerina: Nutcracker Sweet
Waltz into the land of sugar and spice with Angelina as she excitedly prepares to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the holiday showcase. But when too many candy canes and fruitcakes give her a tummy ache, she learns that sharing with friends is a lot more rewarding.
- Angelina Ballerina: Love to Dance
Take center stage with Angelina Ballerina on her first day at Camembert Academy as she learns about new forms of music and dance like jazz, tap and hip-hop. Angelina and her friends quickly discover that becoming a prima ballerina requires collaboration, compromise and commitment.
- Angelina Ballerina: Ballet Dreams
Join Camembert Academy’s shining star, Angelina Ballerina, as she finds her way in a new school, puts together her own show and tries to land a leading role in the Mouskinov Ballet. Angelina blossoms as she adjusts to her new teacher’s style and learns the importance of being a patient big sister.

Each DVD contains fun bonus features such as a “Prima Ballerina” puzzle game and a “Create Your Own Dream Routine” game. And of course, there’s a hefty dose of Angelina’s dance steps for little ballet fans’ enjoyment! You can purchase Angelina Ballerina’s 3-DVD Holiday Gift Set from Amazon and many major retailers nationwide.

Another wintery-themed Angelina Ballerina DVD recently hit the shelves: Angelina Ballerina: Dancing On Ice!

Here’s this DVD’s synopsis:
It’s an “ice” time to be a dancer! Angelina, Alice and all of Camembert Academy prepare for the big ice show in the delightful new Angelina Ballerina: Dancing on Ice, skating onto DVD, Digital Download and On Demand October 11, 2011 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. Whether learning a difficult new dance, looking for lost skates, juggling two events at the same time, or creating an original project for “Make-It-Up-Day,” the mouselings always strive to put their best toe forward!
Some sparkling performances are coming to Camembert Academy on the ice and on the dance floor! Angelina, Alice and all of their mouseling friends know the importance of practice for the big show. But when Angelina’s skates go missing, will she find them in time for her ice skating solo? And will AZ ever learn how to do the “Cheese Roll” like his Granddad taught him? With help from her friends and some creativity, Angelina discovers the magic of working together in this very special treat!

Episodes include:
“Angelina’s Lost Ice Skates”
“Angelina and Alice’s Big Night”
“Angelina’s Cheese Roll”
“Angelina’s Lunch Table”
“Angelina and Gracie’s Creative Day”

This DVD presentation is by far one of my daughter’s favorite Angelina collections! It’s nice to see Angelina doing ice skating, too. Though she’s best known for ballet, she’s not bad on skates, either! Angelina Ballerina: Dancing on Ice is available from Amazon as well as other retailers nationwide.

{Both the DVD and the gift set are brought to the screen thanks to Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.}

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received the above products from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment via Andrea Blain PR at no cost per my review….but my review is honest and my opinions are my own. I did not receive any other monetary or product compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”