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I am so excited! Liberty’s Kids is finally coming out on DVD - at a price all families can afford! Before this, PBS sold it exclusively at the exorbitant cost of $500. For years I've been hoping for the price to come down. The complete series (all 40 episodes) of Liberty's Kids will be released with a wealth of bonus features on October 14, 2008 for only $44.99. I can't wait! These DVDs are ideal for homeschool families, as the series is an excellent introduction to the birth of America that will get kids interested in the study of history.
Celebrate the History of The United States with this 6-DVD Set! A must-have educational series! If you are not familiar with the show, please read my review below.
Liberty's Kids
Liberty's Kids is a revolutionary new television series for children that is both educational and entertaining. A sophisticated animated drama, it's rare to see such a quality children's program as this, so Liberty's Kids is one of my favorite shows of all time! [A total of 40 episodes were shown on PBS from 2002-2004 but alas, it was cancelled. If you're lucky, you may be able to find it in syndication on an independent station.] The story of the American Revolution and the birth of our nation is told through the eyes of two teenagers - a girl from England who is visiting America, and a boy who is an apprentice at Benjamin Franklin's print shop - along with Henri, their young French friend, and Moses, a former slave who is now a free man. The characters of Sarah, a headstrong British loyalist, and James, a cocky young colonist, give us both sides of the story. Liberty's Kids is an exciting adventure in which today's kids can discover the real heroes and events that gave birth to the United States of America. The kids meet soldiers, spies, Indians, Torries, traitors, Hessians, statesmen, farmers and townsfolk in the midst of one of the most dramatic times in America's history. In doing so, they gain insight into the complex ideas, perspectives, and motivations for the American Revolution. Andy Heyward, Chairman of DIC Entertainment, the creators of Liberty's Kids, said: "We are proud to bring the important stories of our nation to the consciousness of our youth and integrate its value into children's everyday lives." This upbeat series is aimed at a 7 to 12-year-old audience - the ages of my two older boys, but even my 2-year-old likes it - and the show is so fascinating that I always enjoy watching it with them! While based on historical events, Liberty's Kids touches on issues that are still current in modern America - taxation, freedom of the press, race relations, the role of government, and gun control. (The British demand the colonists to "Surrender your weapons!" but the Patriots refuse.) With all of the politically correct textbooks and liberal-minded programs being produced these days, it's refreshing to see that this show did not rewrite history, but portrays it accurately and patriotically. George Washington is presented as a noble, larger-than-life hero to look up to. He orders his troops to study Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet "as you would learn your Bible." Patrick Henry recites his famous speech, and I was impressed that the scriptwriters didn't edit out his references to God. The phrase "God be with you!" is also clearly stated by Nathan Hale, and several other episodes contain biblical references as well. This informative, entertaining series is composed of colorful, high quality animation with beautifully detailed backgrounds. The hip opening music sequence (performed by Aaron Carter) isn't true to the historical period, but it's a good attention-getting device that gets kids interested in watching the show. Along with the main plot that continues from day to day, the series features segments with guessing games; riddles and sayings spoken by Ben Franklin (voiced by Walter Cronkite); a comparison of everyday life today to the way things were back then; and each episode includes interesting or little-known facts. In addition, kids are introduced to the field of journalism and the power of words. Famous revolutionary characters and founding fathers come and go throughout Liberty's Kids, played by an all-star cast of actors. (See if you can recognize the voices of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Neeson, Michael York, Whoopi Goldberg, and more.) All of the above is covered in a fast-paced half hour that leaves you wanting to find out what happens next. The Liberty's Kids series began on Labor Day and continued up to the point when France and America became allies, then it started over again from the beginning. I hope they are working on creating more episodes! [P.S. They are! Each time they re-run it, a few new episodes are added at the end, and the show is scheduled to run for a total of two years, covering the period from 1773 to 1789 including key events leading up to the Revolutionary War, the war itself, and its aftermath.] Whether you jump into the middle of Liberty's Kids or have already been watching regularly, you are sure to enjoy the adventure while learning something along the way. Hopefully this kids history series will prove to be popular and result in more "you are there" types of programs for other historical periods. SEE ALSO: www.libertyskids.com (Official Liberty's Kids website.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty's_Kids (Liberty's Kids entry in Wikipedia.) www.imdb.com/title/tt0337550 (Liberty's Kids listing from the Internet Movie Database.) http://epguides.com/LibertysKids/ (Liberty's Kids episode guide.) P.S. If you like Liberty's Kids, you will also like The American Adventure series!
Frequently Asked Questions about Liberty's Kids Dear Miss Teri, Well, the reason I am righting to you because I love the show Liberty Kids. It's full of adventure and fun. But, the problem is that I can't find the show anymore. Can you please write me back and tell me. Thank-you! Your Fan, Marilu' Like you, I love Liberty’s Kids and my family misses being able to watch it on TV. Liberty’s Kids is not shown on PBS anymore. It can be seen on KASW channel 61 (Phoenix) from 12:30-1:30 pm on Sundays, KTLA (Los Angeles) on Saturday afternoons, and WPIX (New York) on Saturday and Sunday mornings. All of these are Warner Brothers affiliates, so check your local listings to see if there are any WB-TV stations in your area. Teachers and schools can purchase a boxed set of the complete series as shown on PBS…for a cost of $500! (http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1986750) In 2005, a few individual Liberty’s Kids DVDs were available for a limited time, but a bunch of the episodes were missing and they never released the rest. You can rent all of the Liberty’s Kids videos online at www.actadvantage.org. The ACT Advantage annual membership fee is $25 per year, you can rent up to 3 items at one time, and the average rental price is $5 each. They send them in the mail and you can enjoy them for up to 15 days. Beware, though, that the videos are listed in alphabetical order, not the order in which the events happened. To see a Liberty’s Kids Episode Guide with all of the shows listed in the correct chronological order, click here: http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/D/DiC_Entertainment/Liberty_s_Kids/"> If you like computer games, The Learning Company has produced a Liberty's Kids CD-ROM for ages 7-12. You can watch mini-movies from the TV show, interview historical characters, play puzzles and games, create and print a newspaper, and more. Have you seen the official Liberty’s Kids website? Check it out at www.libertyskids.com. It contains lots of information and activities related to the show. Select episodes of Liberty's Kids are also available for viewing direct from DIC Entertainment’s First Kids’ Online Cartoon Channel. Go to www.kewlcartoons.com - 15 episodes are currently available in streaming video for viewing online! Hope this helps! Sincerely, Teri
If you are a fan of Liberty's Kids and would like to see the show back on the air, now is your chance! I’m pleased to report that beginning on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, The History Channel will air episodes of Liberty's Kids on Monday - Friday from 7:00 am to 7:30 am and Saturday from 7:00 am to 8:00 am. IMPORTANT! This is only a test marketing of the show. The History Channel needs to know it’s the kind of programming that we as parents want for our children. So tune in and watch, then contact The History Channel via www.history.com/global/feedback/index.jsp?NetwCode=THC and tell them how much you and/or your children enjoy the program. If the show does well, the producers are prepared to create more programs highlighting other historical eras in American History. Imagine how much fun it would be to watch the same type of educational animated series about other periods of our nation’s history like the Civil War or the Oregon Trail. Please pass this information along and check back here for updates!
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