ATLAS OF OCEAN ADVENTURES

A Geek Daddy received a free book to review

Now this is a whale of a book! Author Emily Hawkins and illustrator Lucy Letherland take young readers on a guided tour of the world's five oceans with their new children's book ATLAS OF OCEAN ADVENTURES. Explore coral reefs, kelp forests, mangrove shorelines and deep undersea trenches delving through pages filled with colorful illustrations depicting ocean environments spread out across the globe.

This hardcover book features thirty-two 2-page spreads that each highlight unique geographic locations and creatures within the Earth's five oceans (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific &Southern). Learn about the Bobbit Worms of Bali, Colossal Squid of the Ross Sea, Flying Fish of Trinidad, and Sea Horses of Madagascar among numerous other sea creatures highlighted within the ATLAS OF OCEAN ADVENTURES. Each of these spreads is full of eye-catching illustrations showing details about these habitats and the wildlife that lives there as well as includes 10 captions with facts about these destinations.

Additionally there are special boxes within spreads that focus in on details about a specific animal, bird or fish that lives within a specific habitat. Take a closer look at Clown Fish, Sea Dragons, Man-O-War, and Great White Sharks. Learn about some of the special traits of these creatures that make them stand out from other inhabitants in their environment.

Available from Quarto Knows, Hawkins and Letherland's ATLAS OF OCEAN ADVENTURES is an educational book that is fun to read. Examining all the details of Letherland's illustrations while learning interesting tidbits of ocean trivia from Hawkins' makes this a captivating book for young readers. Utilizing a light caption format rather than a paragraph intensive layout compliments the book's wonderful drawings and encourages kids to dive into its pages.

In addition to its featured spreads, the book also includes maps of the oceans, a scavenger hunt game to look for different images hidden within its pages, and an informational guide about the dangers threatening our planet's oceans. All together there are 96 pages in this book recommended for ages 7+.  Because this dad blogger's son and daughter found Quarto Kids ATLAS OF OCEAN ADVENTURES to be both educational and entertaining to read, it gets gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval. Plunge into the depths of the ocean and discover wonderful sea creatures, incredible habitats and unmissable underwater events by reading this book.

ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2

A Geek Daddy received the featured product for FREE from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

A little birdie just chirped in my ear that THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 is now available to add to your home entertainment video library. The flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level in this sequel to 2016's The Angry Birds Movie which you can enjoy for a family movie night on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), Josh Gad (Frozen II), Bill Hader (Inside Out), Danny McBride (TV’s “The Righteous Gemstones”), and Peter Dinklage (TV’s “Game of Thrones”) reprise their roles voicing characters in this second Angry Birds animated movie and are joined by Leslie Jones (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”), Rachel Bloom (TV’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians), Sterling K. Brown (TV’s “This Is Us”), and Eugenio Derbez (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) in this new family comedy based upon the popular video games from Rovio Entertainment.

When a new threat emerges that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger, Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad), Bomb (Danny McBride), and Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage) recruit Chuck’s sister Silver (Rachel Bloom) and team up with pigs Leonard (Bill Hader), his assistant, Courtney (Awkwafina), and techpig, Garry (Sterling K. Brown), to forge an unsteady truce and form an unlikely super team to save their homes. New adversaries from an island covered in ice are planning to use an elaborate weapon to destroy the fowl and swine way of life. After picking their best and brightest, the birds and pigs join together coming up with a scheme to infiltrate the icy island and deactivate the device in order to save their respective paradises.



THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 has a runtime of approximately 97 minutes and is rated PG for rude humor and action. Of course with home video releases you can count on bonus features to be included along with the movie and THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 doesn't disappoint with plenty of extra content. Bundled along with THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 are an all - new mini movie “Live Stream” and six adorable Hatchling shorts, three Family Fun DIY activities inspired by the film, a collection of behind - the - scenes featurettes with cast and crew, an exciting visit to the LA Zoo to meet some amazing feathered friends, a holiday themed sing along and much more! Plus if you pick up The IMAX® Enhanced 4K Ultra HD edition it features digitally remastered content presented with High Dynamic Range and DTS:X® audio for a more immersive at-home entertainment experience.

Fly over to Best Buy to get THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, or DVD. If you purchase the movie by using the links above, this dad blogger receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support of ageekdaddy.com blog!

DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD

SPONSORED BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Dora the Explorer's adventures in her animated television show on Nickelodeon have educated and entertained preschoolers for nearly twenty years.  Now she's grown up from being a venturous child in cartoons to be portrayed as a modern day teenager in the live action movie DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD from Paramount Pictures. This is a fun flick for a family movie night which will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on November 19, 2019.

DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD isn't a movie for the preschool audiences that are delighted by the Nickelodeon cartoons; but rather is aimed to entertain children like my own who loved the animated series but have outgrown it. Spoofing the cartoons without disparaging them, DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD is an adventurous comedy that this dad blogger felt made the movie seem like a 21st Century mashup of two of my favorite family friendly movies from my youth that I like to watch now as a parent along with my kids: The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) and The Goonies (1985). While this live action movie is suitable for all ages, it probably will play best with the 7 - 13 year old demographic that watched Dora the Explorer as preschoolers.

When the movie first came out last summer, my 10 year old twins were apprehensive about going to see it. Though Dora the Explorer was a favorite show of theirs at one point, they thought this movie would be too "babyish" for them to enjoy. We were invited by Paramount Pictures to review the movie for ageekdaddy.com so I dragged them to go see it.

The movie actually turned out to be perfectly suited for kids their age and I noticed them both smiling throughout it. They both admitted afterward that they enjoyed the movie! In fact our whole family has been looking forward to seeing it again when it becomes available to add to our home entertainment video library.

GIVEAWAY

To share my family's enthusiasm for the release of DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD, ageekdaddy.com has partnered with Paramount Pictures for a special giveaway.  One lucky winner will receive a Dora Adventure Kit worth more than $50.  Of course every explorer needs a backpack! So inside a specially themed backpack will be a DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD Blu-ray/DVD/Digital movie bundle. Also packed inside will be goodies any explorer will appreciate including a Maglite flashlight, binoculars, compass, magnifying glass, and whistle among other things.

One winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. To toss your name in the hat for a chance to win follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet this original contest giveaway announcement and/or complete the rafflecopter entries below.  Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to participate. Must submit entries before 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, November 24, 2019. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle, nothing could prepare Dora for her most dangerous adventure yet -- high school in the big city.  When her parents mysteriously disappear while on an archeological expedition, Dora finds herself transported back to the wilderness accompanied by a ragtag group of teens and her pet monkey Boots. They must now solve the seemingly impossible mystery behind a lost Incan civilization if any of them ever want to see their families again.



DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for action and some impolite humor. Go to dora.movie for more information about this film and to play some free video games inspired by the film.

For a list of other great giveaways, head over to bloggiveawaydirectory.com

JURASSIC WORLD LIVE TOUR DETROIT

A Geek Daddy received complimentary tickets for promotional consideration from Feld Entertainment

Something BIG is coming to Detroit! Feld Entertainment is bringing the dinosaurs of Jurassic World to the city for a live stage show at Little Caesars Arena. The Jurassic World Live Tour will be having performances in Detroit November 14-17, 2019.

I was so geeked to have a chance to meet some of the cast of the show, including a baby stegosaurus, in advance of the Jurassic World Live Tour coming to town and my whole family is excited to go see Feld Entertainment bring these dinosaurs to life at Little Caesars Arena. This isn't one of those animatronic displays that tours the country which you will often see exhibited at museums and zoos, but rather a performance of an original Jurassic World story featuring actors and puppeteers utilizing elaborate costumes. Combining lifelike dinosaurs with pyrotechnics, special effects and vehicular stunts creates an extraordinary experience making audiences feel as if they are immersed within a Jurassic World adventure taking part right in front of them.

Getting a close up look at one of the dinosaurs from Jurassic World Live Tour, I have to say these outfits are spectacular! Mixing together traditional puppetry with high tech features, it really seemed as if I was interacting with a dinosaur. Isn't amazing the fantasy worlds we can be transported to thanks to today's technology.

These dinosaur suits are a marvel and have to give kudos to the performers who bring these creatures to life during Jurassic World Live Tour performances. With these dinosaur outfits weighting up to 120 pounds this is a physically taxing effort on these puppeteers. It also takes a tremendous amount of skill and practice to make these dinosaurs movements appear fluid and realistic while the creatures are running and jumping around a stage. They have to get choreography down as well as handling the physical and electronic controls that operate the dinosaur's movements ranging from blinking eyes to waving tails. From the advance preview of the stegosaurus this dad blogger had a chance to meet up close, I was really impressed.



Tickets are for sale now to see Jurassic World Live Tour for its upcoming stop in Detroit. I will be going to a show with my family courtesy of Feld Entertainment. My kids have been getting really excited about this night out every time they see one of the ads promoting these shows pop up on TV. It is sure to be a fun night!

If you want to join us in going to see Jurassic World Live Tour at Little Caesars Arena, Feld Entertainment has provided me with a special discount code to share with my ageekdaddy.com audience. Get great seats for just $20! Don't wait to use it though because not only are these shows coming up soon but this deal expires on November 13.

Great seats for only $20* 
Use code JWL20 (last character is a zero) 
Offer expires 11/13

Purchase tickets here

*Additional fees and restrictions apply. Limit 8 tickets per order. Save on processing fees by purchasing at the Box Office directly. Not valid on Opening Night- these tickets are already discounted to $15!



For more information about the show, go to jurassicworldlivetour.com

40 YEARS OF HAPPY MEALS

A Geek Daddy received the featured products for promotional consideration

Who doesn't love a Happy Meal?! This year marks the 40th anniversary of the debut of Happy Meals at McDonalds. To celebrate the occasion, beginning November 7, 2019 while supplies last you can get limited-edition Surprise Happy Meals featuring fan-favorite throwback toys from the past four decades at restaurants worldwide. Don't miss out on picking up some of these classic Happy Meal toys because one they are gone … they're gone! Thanks McDonalds for sending us a box of these Surprise Happy Meal toys for this dad blogger to unbox.

The very first edition of the these children's meals was called the Circus Wagon Happy Meal which became available nationally in the United States in 1979. Happy Meals in their first years featured decorative boxes with a variety of themes and included prizes such as a spinning top or an eraser in the image of a McDonaldland character. These eventually evolved into the iconic red boxes with golden arches for a handle that contains a collectible toy that we are all familiar with now.

Over the years Happy Meal toys have been associated with promoting movies, toy lines, and McDonalds' mascots. My favorite toys have to have been the Looney Tunes character action figures dressed up as DC Comics super heroes that were a promotion in the mid-90s. I still have one of these, the Tasmanian Devil dressed up as The Flash, which stays on my office desk as a cherished keepsake. Do you have a favorite McDonalds Happy Meal toy?

From November 7 - 11, McDonalds Happy Meals will each have a blind bag in them which will contain one of 15 throwback toys from the past forty years inside. It will be a surprise which toy is inside until its package is ripped open. These toys are being randomly distributed so there is an equal chance of getting any of these toys from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

The toys which can be discovered in these Limited Edition Surprise Happy Meals include:

· Cowboy McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988
· Fireman McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988
· Mail Carrier McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988
· Hamburger Changeable (McDonald’s): 1989
 · Grimace (McDonald’s): 1990
· Dino Happy Meal Box Changeable (McDonald’s): 1991
 · McDonald’s Hot Wheels Thunderbird (Mattel): 1993
· Hamburglar (McDonald’s): 1995
 · Power Rangers (Hasbro): 1995
· Space Jam Bugs Bunny (Warner Brothers): 1996
 · Patti the Platypus (Ty Beanie Baby): 1997
· Tamagotchi (Bandai): 1998
· My Little Pony (Hasbro): 1998
· Furby (Hasbro): 1999
· Hello Kitty (Sanrio): 2013

ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

A Geek Daddy received a free Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment

Someone is looking forward to a family movie night watching THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. While you may think it is our puppy because the star of the show is a dog, my wife is probably the most eager to see the movie because its leading man is Milo Ventimiglia. This actor has been in her two favorite television shows, Gilmore Girls and This Is Us. That is ok if he has peeked her interest in seeing THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN because she teases me about having a crush on Kate Beckinsale.

Based upon the best selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartwarming tale narrated by a witty and philosophical canine named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through this dog's unique insights, Enzo (named after the founder of  the Ferrari automobile brand) helps steer his owners -- racecar driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia). his wife Eve (Amanda Seyfried), and daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong / Lily Dodsworth-Evans) through obstacles in life with a perspective about friendship, family and unconditional love from the point of view of man's best friend. From 20th Century Fox Studios, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. It is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for thematic material.



My dog loves to be a co-pilot when I go for a drive! This movie shares the story of how a dog serves as a family's co-pilot through life. Plus Enzo loves to be a co-pilot in Denny's racecar too! A heartwarming story of a dog who dreams of his good deeds leading him to be reincarnated as a human himself someday. It shows how dogs can be wonderful companions during both the ups and downs of people's lives.

The author of the novel this film is based on was a racecar driver himself. Garth Stein won the points championship racing in the Northwest region Spec Miata class in 2003 and actually left racing after crashing while racing in the rain. The title of the book and movie is based upon that crash as well as the family troubles another race car driver Stein knew during his professional driving career dealt with are experiences that are incorporated into the story providing a sense of realism to tale told by a dog. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a refreshing drama for families to enjoy together for something to break away from the adventure flicks and comedies that so many of us tend to gravitate to viewing for a movie night at home.

Pick up the movie from Best Buy using these links for buying a Blu-ray or DVD and a geek daddy will receive a small commission from your purchase at no additional charge to you. The affiliate link helps this dad blogger keep ageekdaddy.com up and running. Your support of the blog is appreciated! For more information about the movie go to foxmovies.com/movies/the-art-of-racing-in-the-rain

DJI GLOBAL MAVIC MINI

SPONSORED BY BEST BUY

With Halloween in the rear view mirror, it is full speed ahead to the holiday gift giving season. Time to start thinking about presents! Don't be that person who is stressed out and rushing to find the perfect gift for someone at the last minute. That is absolutely no fun when you could be having a festive good time instead. Get your shopping done now.

For the tech loving person on your holiday gift list, take a look at the DJI GLOBAL MAVIC MINI available from Best Buy.  Not only can you have fun flying this compact, lightweight quadcopter drone all over the place because of its super portability, but it can provide great travel mementos with the imagery from its super photography features.



Know someone who is spending too much time inside playing video games? Encourage them to go on some outdoor adventures using the MAVIC MINI. Instead of steering digital vehicles through virtual realities in video games, enjoy the excitement of navigating this drone through real life landscapes and obstacles. It provides a real-time, first-person view of flights from its camera straight to a phone or tablet via free iOS and Android apps which provides an exciting experience. Get off the couch and get outside for some high flying action with a MAVIC MINI.

Flying this quadcopter drone though is just half the fun as you can get great aerial shots from its cameras as well.  When traveling get some great pictures of where you are visiting with some views from off the ground with the camera drone. MAVIC MINI supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K Quad HD videos.  Its 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability to ensure clear, ultra-smooth footage.

For those more interested in artistic endeavors than adventurous activities, the MAVIC MINI is a great fit too. It provides amateur as well as professional photographers with a cinematic edge.  Here are two great features that make this quadcopter drone stand out whether it is being used for work or play:

QuickShots -- Creating videos that look like they came from a Hollywood film set are as easy as tapping a button to start one of the MAVIC MINI QuickShot modes (Dronie, Circle, Helix, and Rocket). Quickshot modes put the drone on autopilot to execute an elaborate preset motion in the sky while recording. While in flight it automatically generates a short video that can be instantly shared with friends on social media.

CineSmooth Mode -- Set the motion of a MAVIC MINI so it is optimized for obtaining compositions that wow from its cameras while flying around. Slowing down its flight speed and movements provide an added layer of precision and stability. This especially comes in handy when flying in narrow spaces of locations with lots of obstacles to avoid.

Whether you are using a MAVIC MINI simply for the fun of flying it or to take advantage of its aerial photography and video capabilities as a camera drone, its overall functions are important to keep in mind as well. The MAVIC MINI has a number of important features to keep in mind. It excels when it comes to ease of use, durability and safety. Here are a few examples:

Ultralight Construction --With a weight under 8.82 oz., MAVIC MINI is almost as light as the average smartphone. Not only does that make it exceptionally portable but it also places MAVIC MINI in the low and safe weight class of drones.

Extended Flight Time -- The weight of a MAVIC MINI allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer FlyCam drones on the market. Get up to 30 minutes in the air with a fully-charged battery.

Safe Flight Technology -- MAVIC MINI can hover precisely both indoors and outdoors thanks to its downward-vision-sensing system and GPS.

Propeller Guards -- Provide for reduced risks of harm or damage to people or objects from accidental collisions with the MAVIC MINI.

DJI  Fly App -- gives users integrated access to SkyPixel, a social media platform for users to share their aerial photos and videos. Browse, share your own, and discover popular aerial photography spots.

This extremely portable camera drone is great for taking on the go. That makes it in this dad blogger's opinion well worth getting a DJI GLOBAL MAVIC MINI. Its small size doesn't diminish the quality of its flight and photography abilities so its transportability is a big perk. Not only is it a blast to play with but it has a lot of practical capabilities to make it very useful as well. Head over to Best Buy to check it out! Beat the holiday shopping rush and buy yours now.