Read any MG/YA novel.
Watch, too, any film/serial adaptation of a MG/YA novel (theatrical release and/or streaming). Or, indeed, any film or show ostensibly directed at younger audiences. For instance, watch Sabrina or Stranger Things or Shadow and Bone or Gravity Falls, post 250 words about it below, and get extra credit. It's that easy!
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Having watched the Percy Jackson adaptation on Disney+ recently, I'm sharing my thoughts on the show. The series was incredibly polarizing, with some people loving it and others hating it. I have mixed feelings about it, and given that it's been a few months since I watched it, I may misremember certain aspects. Unlike the widely hated movie (which 100% does not exist), the show didn't get instantly discarded.
In general, the show didn't feel entirely faithful to the source material. The main plot deviated from the original book in some odd ways, such as altering the timeline to be past the initial deadline of the quest and completely changing the casino scene (which many fans of the book had issues with). While the chemistry between the actors improved as the show progressed, the characters initially felt stiff and didn't work well together, likely due to the actors' youth. The pacing was also a significant issue, making each episode feel too dense and slow, with long stretches of uneventful scenes.
Despite my critiques, I recognize that I may not be the target audience for this adaptation. I had hoped it would be everything the original movies weren't, and while it was an improvement, it didn't entirely meet my expectations. However, based on reviews from IMDB and Reddit, the people who truly enjoyed the show without any complaints were largely couples with young children. The show was designed to be an enjoyable, lighthearted experience for families, and it succeeded in that regard. A new generation gets to grow up with the same (or mostly similar) characters that I grew up with, which is wonderful. Although the show has been renewed for a second season, I may not watch it, but I'm certain many, especially children and families, will continue to enjoy it.
"Wonder," adapted from R.J. Palacio's heartwarming novel of the same name, is a touching exploration of kindness, empathy, and the power of acceptance. The film follows the journey of Auggie Pullman, a young boy with facial differences, as he navigates the challenges of starting fifth grade at a mainstream school after being homeschooled for years.
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in its portrayal of Auggie's experiences. Through Auggie's eyes, we witness the stares, whispers, and bullying he faces on a daily basis, but we also see the unwavering support of his family and the friendships he forms along the way. Jacob Tremblay delivers a remarkable performance as Auggie, capturing both his vulnerability and resilience with depth and authenticity.
The film also delves into the perspectives of other characters, including Auggie's sister Via, his new friend Jack, and Via's estranged friend Miranda. Each character grapples with their own insecurities and struggles, highlighting the universal nature of acceptance and the importance of looking beyond appearances.
"Wonder" is a visually stunning film, with vibrant cinematography that brings the story to life. From the halls of Beecher Prep to Auggie's vivid imagination, every scene is filled with warmth and charm.
At its core, "Wonder" is a story about the power of kindness to change lives. It reminds us that true beauty lies not in outward appearances, but in the courage to be ourselves and the compassion we show others.
One childhood show that I have watched since kindergarten that has stuck with me to this day is My Little Pony. Although the title can seem childish or "too girly," the show has been my favorite since I first watched it and is a show that I can still enjoy watching to this day. MLP has had a reputation of being aimed to little girls but surprisingly being enjoyed by a lot of adults, which makes sense. Even though the show was aimed towards younger audiences, you can tell that effort went into the show to make it objectively good. One thing I really love about MLP is how well it handles having a primarily female cast. I like that there are male characters yet they are only sometimes put in the spotlight since it allows female characters to shine the way male characters always have. I can only think of a few shows that could be a better influence for girls since it validates all types of women, whether they are smart, tomboyish, into fashion, loud, quiet, etc. It doesn't pit women against each other and instead shows how they can all get along. I also like how all of the characters have their own strengths and flaws and that the world and its characters are so full of life that they feel real. Although the show has its flaws, I feel that it was one of the most impactful kids shows of the time, especially for girls. It shows that not everything aimed towards young girls is automatically bad as some may believe. Its messages on friendship really stuck with me as a kid and I love how the show is both entertaining and educational in that way.
One show made for kids that I still love is The Owl House. It's an animated Disney show following Luz the human and her adventures on The Boiling Isles. It features a lot of nods to fandom and fandom culture, and inverts several fantasy tropes. Luz struggles to connect with her peers, and often escapes into fantasy because of it. In the Boiling Isles, however, she makes friends, she learns magic and she loves it, she fits better there. She's not popular but she makes herself a family. And unlike a lot of portal fantasy, she's free to leave anytime she wants for the whole of the first season. Even when she's desperate to find a way back home, she doesn't actually want to leave, she just misses her mom.
Unlike a lot of portal fantasy, Luz is not forced to choose between her life on the Isles and her life on Earth. Luz's mom and parts of her Earth culture are so important to her, but so is the family she's made on the Isle's. Raine refers to Luz and King as Eda's kids, which she tries to deny, because they aren't really hers, but it quickly gets refuted. King is adopted, and Luz still has her mother out there, but that doesn't stop them from being family. King outright refers to Luz as his big sister, and Lilith (Eda's sister) is an aunt to both of them. There's a lot of different types of families in the show, and they cover so many different kinds of relationships as all equally normal and valid. Luz and Amity have a wonderfully developed relationship with a reasonable amount of dedicated screen time, some realistic problems, and some really sweet moments. One thing the owl house does really well in my opinion is writing Luz and Amity's relationship without letting her other friendships fall to the back burner like some romance plots seem to do. I could probably do another three blog posts on just the friendship, family, and relationship dynamics.
I'm still on The Owl House, it's just split in half because I wrote just over two full pages on it, and apparently there's a character limit on this thing.
Another big theme the show covers on is forgiveness, and I love it so much because it walks the fine line between the kids cartoon and more adult works. It is shown time and time again in the show that if you give people a second chance, if you reach out and are kind, that people can and will change for the better. Amity, Hunter, the Collector, and Lilith are all main character's who used to be antagonists in various shapes or forms. But the show doesn't just redeem them with the power of friendship. Amity has to figure out how to properly apologize, and she doesn't quite know how to have friends that aren't just there for power. Hunter has his whole world fall apart when he realizes his Uncle was lying to him. Lilith's wake up call is almost losing her sister, and she has to put work into repairing that relationship. None of them are irredeemable, and they have reasons they acted the way they did.
But just as important of a lesson is that not everyone deserves your forgiveness, especially if they won't put in the work. In particular, Amity cuts off her mother, who has been controlling and cold to her for years. Even Amity's father sides with the kids, when he realizes the damage she'd been doing (selling weapons to the emperor). Amity is a kid, and she does not owe it to her mother to forgive her. A lot of shows will play the "but she's family" card, but Amity cutting her mom off is seen as a victory to her character. Similarly, Emperor Belos, the main antagonist of the show, does not get a redemption arc. He has his reasons, his trauma's, and he certainly thinks he's in the right. But his actions are fueled by hatred, and he's hurt too many people, proven too many times he can't be reasoned with. There's actually a really touching moment where The Collector, having been offered a second chance themself, tries to get through to Belos, and it gets Luz almost killed. She tells him, "you did good collector, but this is a little more complicated." Not everyone is willing to change. The show ends with Belos being straight up killed on screen (in a wicked-witch melting kind of scene).
And I love the ending so much because despite everything, Luz still believes in being kind. She still tries to reach others when they're hurting. But that doesn't mean she has to let that kindness be taken advantage of, and it doesn't mean she has to forgive everyone. A lot of kids' media I've seen falls into the "everyone can be saved" category or the "cartoon evil" category. I love that the owl house balances the two. It says kindness is not a weakness or childish, it's hard, sometimes it takes courage, but it's worth it.
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