PBS | Mommy Ramblings

One of my favorite books as a girl was Little Women. I have a feeling, I am not the only one who lists it among their favorite books. I remember the March sisters fondly, and that is why I am so excited to let you know that PBS Distribution is releasing MASTERPIECE: LITTLE WOMEN on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD.

Set against the backdrop of a country divided, the story follows the four March sisters on their journey from childhood to adulthood while their father is away at war.

Under the guidance of their mother Marmee, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from gender roles to sibling rivalry, first love, loss and marriage. Accompanied by the charming boy next door Laurie Laurence, their cantankerous wealthy Aunt March and benevolent neighbor Mr. Laurence, Little Women is a coming-of-age story that is as relevant and engaging today as it was on its original publication in 1868.

“MASTERPIECE: LITTLE WOMEN” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray May 22, 2018. The run time of the program is approximately 180 minutes. The program will also be available for digital download.

“Little Women is one of the most-loved novels in the English language, and with good reason,” says writer and executive producer Heidi Thomas. “Its humanity, humor, and tenderness never date, and as a study of love, grief, and growing up it has no equal. There could be no better time to revisit the story of a family striving for happiness in an uncertain world.”

Heading the cast are Academy Award® nominee Emily Watson (The Theory of Everything, Hilary and Jackie) as Marmee, the devoted mother of the four adolescent March girls; Michael Gambon (Churchill’s Secret, Page Eight) as Mr. Laurence; and Academy Award® winner Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote, The Manchurian Candidate) as the March family matriarch, Aunt March.

Click Here to View a Preview of the Program

The March sisters—the “little women” of the title—feature newcomer Maya Hawke as the willful and adventurous Jo; Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series) as the eldest and most virtuous, Meg; Annes Elwy (King Arthur: Excalibur Rising) as the shy sister, Beth; and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) as Amy, the youngest of the family.

Also appearing are Jonah Hauer-King (Howards End) as Laurie, the loveable boy next door; Dylan Baker (The Good Wife) as Mr. March, who is serving as a chaplain with the Union Army; Julian Morris (Mark Felt) as John Brooke, Laurie’s cultured and handsome tutor; and Mark Stanley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) as the charming Professor Bhaer.

A celebration of family as much as it is a recognition of the challenges of growing up and forging an individual identity, the program remains relevant due to the universal themes at its core. Backed by a nearly all-female creative team, Thomas’ adaptation doesn’t shy away from tackling the darker, more complex emotions the March family experiences. Drawing from a novel that was well ahead of its time the show speaks to current issues as much as it does to the issues women faced at the turn of the 20th century.

Devotees of the original novel will relish the book’s indelible scenes in this MASTERPIECE production: the cruel fate of Jo’s manuscript, Amy’s accident on the ice, Meg’s first ball, Beth and the forbidden piano, the pickled limes affair, and many other cherished episodes in a journey to a bygone time.

Although modern society would be disorienting in the extreme to the March sisters, Thomas notes that even today “girls are still confused about their desires and their desirability, and the passage from innocence to experience is more turbulent than ever.”

“We need hope, and we need empathy,” she adds. “We need laughter, and we need catharsis, we need joy and inspiration. LITTLE WOMEN gives us all of these things.”

Giveaway:

PBS Distribution is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! 5 Lucky Blog Readers will each win their own Masterpiece: Little Women DVD! Thank you to PBS Distribution for the review copy and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

Masterpiece: Little Women DVD Giveaway for 5 Winners on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power DVD

Description

WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power, also includes A World Without WordGirl

WordGirl and her sidekick Captain Huggy Face fight the good fight against dastardly villains and bad vocabulary in this thrilling collection!WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power – There’s a new super hero in town! Miss Power has come to the city along with her sidekick, Colonel Giggle Cheeks. But is Miss Power really a super hero–or a super villain? She uses mean words against others and is a certified bully! Will WordGirl be able to defeat Miss Power without sinking to her level and save the city?A World Without WordGirl – When Becky’s most amazing birthday party ever gets interrupted one too many times, she wishes for a WordGirl-free world. But then, she realizes her wish has come true. What has she done–!
Learning Elements… This DVD introduces 16 new vocabulary words and reinforces their meanings in a variety of fun and interesting contexts. Words featured include obligation, enchanted, unusual, ploy and more! WordGirl enriches vocabulary skills, fosters better reading comprehension and instills a love of language in all children.

Special Features include…
– Interactive Games
– Video Shorts
– Coloring Pages

This DVD features subtitles in English (SDH)

PBS Kids is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own copy of WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power DVD. Thank you PBS Kids for the review DVD and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.