Media Matters

This is a Japanese reality TV series in which young Japanese children are sent on their first errand by themselves, and camera crews follow to see how they do. It’s charming and eye opening to see their fledgling competency and delight in being helpful to their families. This is a show all ages could enjoy together.

 Book by Kenneth Oppel I listened to the full cast audiobook and thought it was great fun. It’s a rarity these days to find a book in the swashbuckling adventure genre, and as an added bonus is enjoyable (and appropriate) for all ages to listen to together on a long road-trip. This is the first in a series, but I liked that it succeeds as a standalone.  Note: younger listeners might be disturbed by a brief scene where a predatory animal eats a bad guy. 

 Nonfiction book by Steve Sheinkin. Audiobook read by Mark Bramhall. This was a fantastic audiobook! It tackles tough issues like racism against native Americans and the faulty reasoning behind Indian boarding schools, while also entertaining football fans with a fascinating history of the evolution of the sport. Inspiring and a great conversation starter. Note: I would recommend for ages 12-adult. No objectionable material other than an occasional mention of someone getting drunk.

 Picture book by JoAnn Deak. This isn’t necessarily the kind of book you would read over and over again, but it is perfect for introducing the idea of having a growth mindset! It is non-fiction picture book about how the brain works, and it emphasizes the importance of trying new things and making mistakes. Parents and teachers will definitely want to discuss this book with their kids.

 This is a Disney sports drama, based on the true story of a college football player who becomes the legal guardian of his little brother, and struggles to balance school, football, and parenting. It is a fantastic movie with messages about the importance of family, education, hard work, and community.

 Animated Christmas movie. This is a charming Santa origin story that teaches the moral: One small act of selflessness sparks another. Note: It has slightly older humor and a couple of slightly scary moments.

This animated movie is full of color, music, and fun, while also delving into themes of belonging, gifts, family, community, service, pressure to be perfect, miracles, and love. It’s the type of movie you could watch multiple times at different stages of life and get something different out of it each time. Suitable for all ages. Note: one of the characters has the gift of seeing the future, and it is portrayed in a dramatic fashion with sand, glowing green eyes, etc. I would discuss with children that his gift is a real gift of the Spirit: the gift of prophecy and revelation. But obviously the real gift looks much different.