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Fans of all things fey will enjoy Winx Club, a TV series about a flight of stylish teenage fairies with an updated look and an array of magical abilities. In addition to dolls, dress-up accessories, and video games, the franchise also includes fun, fast-moving chapter books and graphic novels based on the TV show.
“How to Rock,” a comedy series based on Meg Haston’s novel, “How to Rock Braces and Glasses,” premiered on Teen Nick in February. Pitched toward the “Drake & Josh” crowd, the show combines storylines centered around school and friendship issues with pop/hip-hop music performances and an upbeat be-yourself message.
Perfectly pitched to fans of TV’s Glee and reality competition shows such as American Idol, The Voice, and X Factor, this musical comedy from Universal Studios opens nationally on October 5. Set in the fascinating—and surprisingly bodacious—world of collegiate a cappella singing, Pitch Perfect (PG-13) harmonizes crowd-pleasing acoustic production numbers with plenty of sassy and brassy girl-power attitude and ribald humor (hence the tagline—“Get Pitch Slapped”). The film is inspired by Mickey Rapkin’s nonfiction title, Pitch Perfect (Gotham, 2008; Gr 10 Up), which has been re-issued with an eye-catching movie-poster cover.
First introduced in 1993 with Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, this iconic live-action TV series starring a group of teens able to transform into a team of color-coded costumed superheroes is still going strong. Power Rangers: Samurai, the show’s l8th iteration, premiered in 2011 on Nickelodeon, followed by 2012’s Power Rangers: Super Samurai (TVY7), a second set of episodes featuring the same characters.
Two new animated offerings—Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania—pay homage to classic Hollywood monsters with fresh interpretations and plenty of panache—just in time for Halloween.
Fans of the The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence will be flocking to see her newest, The House at the End of the Street, opening September 21. Suggest these gripping tales as read-alikes, or consider making them part of a Halloween display or booktalk.
Since its publication in 1999, Stephen Chbosky’s epistolary novel (Pocket Books) has become a much passed around favorite among teens and a hot item for discussion groups (it has also appeared on ALA’s top 10 challenged books list five times in the last 10 years. Now, Charlie’s compelling account of his coming-of-age trials and tribulations has been re-envisioned for the big screen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (PG-13), adapted into screenplay format and directed by Chbosky himself, will be released by Summit Entertainment on September 21.
With an “Ahoy, mateys!” and a warm smile, the leader of a crew of pint-size pirates welcomes viewers to each episode of Jake and the Never Land Pirates (TV Y). Airing mornings on Disney Junior, this popular animated TV series for preschoolers is now in its second season (a third debuts in 2013) and continues to rack up the ratings.
Who will make the cut? The hit reality TV series that provides aspiring fashion designers with a chance to strut their stuff—and compete for the opportunity to show their own collection at New York Fashion Week—has just launched its 10th season, airing Thursday evenings on Lifetime. Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, Project Runway dares competitors to design and sew their most wow-inspiring garments while working under strict limitations and tough time constraints. Capitalize on fashion-fever with this collection of titles.
The charismatic clown fish swims back into theaters—and the hearts of youngsters—on September 14 with the re-release of the animated classic newly converted to Disney Digital 3D. First presented by Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures in 2003, Finding Nemo (G) garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike, earned status as the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and sailed away with numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
The ultimate blend of high-tech machinery and good old-fashioned teamwork, Voltron—a flying robot formed by the linking together of five lion-styled vehicles and their pilots—is a formidable force for good. Sound familiar?
Despite the awful tragedy that occurred in Aurora, CO on the movie’s opening night, fans continue to flock to theaters to see The Dark Knight Rises. Suggest these tantalizing titles to YA lovers of Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking film trilogy.
Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell, ParaNorman (PG) combines quirky humor, spine-tingling adventure, and delightfully creepy supernatural elements. This stop-motion animated 3-D feature film from LAIKA, the studio that produced the critically acclaimed Coraline (2009), premieres in theaters on August 17.
Greg Heffley, the socially beleaguered but much-beloved star of Jeff Kinney’s reader-favorite book series (Amulet), returns to the big screen in a third live-action motion picture from 20th Century Fox. Perfectly timed to stave off those summer time doldrums, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (PG) premieres in theaters on August 3.
Christian Bale once again dons the legendary cape and cowl for the lead role in The Dark Knight Rises (PG-13), scheduled for release by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 20 in traditional and IMAX theaters. Following on the heels of Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), the movie marks the much-anticipated conclusion to director Christopher Nolan’s renowned film trilogy, which features a darkly realistic and emotionally nuanced incarnation of the iconic DC Comics character originally created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939. When Gotham is terrorized by a new menace, a formidable villain named Bane (Tom Hardy), Batman must return to protect the city he loves.
Featuring four young ninja warriors engaged in a classic good-versus-evil battle, this popular LEGO franchise includes building sets and toys, an animated TV show, a video game, accessories and apparel, and more.
Fans of the Caped Crusader are breathlessly awaiting the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises (PG-13), scheduled for release by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 20, in traditional and IMAX formats. A sequel to the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight(2008), the movie is the final installment in director Christopher Nolan’s masterfully envisioned film trilogy based on the iconic DC Comics character.
Manny the woolly mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) return in the fourth installment of a series of computer-animated comedies from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. Ice Age: Continental Drift(PG) premieres in theaters on July 13, in 3D, 2D, and IMAX 3D formats. Scrat (Chris Wedge), that ever-determined but hapless prehistoric squirrel, is still in hot pursuit of the tantalizing acorn that continues to remain beyond his reach, but this time his seemingly small actions have cataclysmic results, causing continents to crack apart and shift.
Is your spider-sense tingling? The Amazing Spider-Man (PG-13) blasts back onto the big screen on July 3, in a new 3D adventure from Marvel Entertainment and Columbia Pictures. This latest release isn’t a continuation of Sam Raimi’s blockbuster trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, but a reboot of the film franchise that presents a new installment in the Spider-Man cinematic opus. Andrew Garfield assumes the red-and-blue, be-webbed mantel in the new motion picture, which is directed by Marc Webb with a screenplay based on Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s classic Marvel comic book.
Snow White and the Huntsman (PG-13), starring The Twilight Saga’s Kristen Stewart, was released earlier this month by Universal Pictures. Not for the faint of heart, this visually stunning re-invention of the traditional Brothers Grimm fairy tale emphasizes the story’s darker themes, glories in good-versus-evil conflicts and epic-scale battles, and portrays a Snow White who is transformed from a naïve victim to a stouthearted sword-wielding hero.
