Our Trip to the Imagination Station

We met up with some friends that live in Toledo who have kids around the same age as ours to enjoy a day at the city’s science center – the Imagination Station.  What’s great about the place is that you can combine education with entertainment equating to a whole bunch of family fun.  The Imagination Station is full of interactive experiments, science lessons, and play opportunities that make the experience interesting to kids, and kids at heart, of all ages.

As you first enter the building before you even reach the admission counter, guests are greeted by an extraordinary metal structured puzzle where people whiz balls through a maze that resembles a life-sized version of the board game “Mouse Trap”.  Our kids could have spent the whole just playing here without ever entering the science center itself.  After spending about twenty minutes juggling puzzles through this metallic maze, we moved on into the Imagination Station. Admission is affordable with adult entry (ages 13+) $9, children (3-12) $7, babies and toddlers are FREE, and grandparents get a senior discount (65 and older) $8.

The first thing we came upon was a team of wandering “scientists” demonstrating how to make “smoke hoops”.  The machine they were using created these puffs of smoke that turned into round hoops that drifted through the entry hall.  It was a fun welcome that amazed all the kids and gave all the adults in the crowd a chuckle.

The main atrium hosts a number of special exhibits that we all found pretty fun and interesting.  There is the BOYO which allows people to bungee themselves upward into the air when they pull down on the device; a tennis ball shooter where you launch balls high into the air with the hope of having them land in a target; a roller coaster simulation that bounces you around; and LIVE REPORT which allows you to record an ESPN style sportscast in front of a green screen that is displayed on various TV screens for everyone to witness and enjoy.  There is also the HIGH WIRE CYCLE where you ride a bike across a tight rope 20 feet above the floor.  I have to admit I politely declined a ride … sorry I wimped out!

Branching off from the atrium are several themed areas to explore.  Each has a multitude of experiences to investigate and play with.  We went with a group of kids ranging from 3 to 5 and I have to admit some areas are more suited for older ages than others.  For example, there was a really interesting traveling exhibit on display called Mindbender Mansion that was full of challenging puzzles I would have really enjoyed to work out, but which was just too difficult to do with young children.  Also there is a learning area themed for Engineering where people can design and build airplanes, boats, buildings and bridges.  This would be great for tweens and teens but a little advanced for our merry band of mischief makers.

Other areas where more adaptable for enjoyment by families with children of any age.  For example, the MIND ZONE is full of illusions showing how the mind interprets information.  I was amazed by one demonstration where you touch a COLD pipe a get the feeling it is red HOT … wow!  All the kids in our group enjoyed the distorted gravity room where you run through a mock up house that is angled so steep you can hardly keep your balance.  The ENERGY FACTORY has exhibits that use magnetism in a variety of puzzles, games using sunlight to accomplish tasks, and robotic arms you can tinker around with. You may want to bring a change of clothes for WATER WORLD because our kids got soaked!  This area includes a water vortex table (watch out for the bowling ball!), play tables where kids can divert water flow,  learn about erosion and race toy sail boats, and a chamber where you can experience standing in hurricane force winds.

Our kids favorite area was the LITTLE KIDSPACE which is a play area for children kindergarten age and younger.  This is where we spent the bulk of our time at the Imagination Station.  My son loved the fire truck with working siren and lights.  My daughter’s focus was racing around the tree house themed playscape.  Both of them enjoyed shopping at the pretend grocery store and being doctors at the miniature hospital located in this play area.  If you have children in preschool or kindergarten, going just to play at the LITTLE KIDSPACE would be a worthwhile trip in itself.  If you live in the Toledo area, an annual family membership is $70 and would be a good investment if you want to bring your little tots more than once to enjoy the LITTLE KIDSPACE.

We had lunch at their  cafeteria, the ATOMIC CAFÉ, which had a very kid-friendly menu and also a Panini menu for adult tastes.  I was impressed that the menu was priced at about the same rate as going to a fast food restaurant versus the high-prices you often see when eating at a museum, theme park, or movie theater.  That was a very nice surprise for this budget conscious dad!

We arrived right when the science center opened 10 am on a Saturday morning and were pleased that it wasn’t very crowded and we could really enjoy all the displays. Unfortunately, it became very crowded in the afternoon and larger crowds at this facility can really damper the experience.  I highly recommend a morning trip where you plan on wrapping up your stay by around 1 pm.  Parking is also an issue with no nearby parking and you’re being required to find a deck, lot, or street parking a few blocks away.  We were easily able to find street parking nearby but found that several of the parking decks and lots were closed on the weekend when we went.  Also if you go on a weekday you will have to deal with all the people who work downtown when finding a spot.  The Imagination Station does offer valet parking for $7 and that actually probably is a very good deal that you may want to take up if you make a trip to downtown Toledo.

As a geek dad who enjoys having fun with science, constantly learning new things, and combing education with entertainment, I highly recommend a trip to the Imagination Station if you have the opportunity.  Hey, if you go on Father’s Day, the geek dad in your house gets in FREE with a paid child’s admission.  Not to forget the geek moms out there – moms get in FREE on Mother’s Day with a paid child’s admission too!

For more information on the IMAGINATION STATION, visit www.imaginationstation.org





Who Is John Carter?

2012 has witnessed one of the worst busts in movie history with Disney’s release of “JOHN CARTER” which has resulted in a predicted $200 million loss to the studio and the resignation of its Chairman Rich Ross. (BBC: Disney film bossRich Ross resigns after John Carter flop).  This year also marks the 100^th anniversary of writer Edgar Rice Burroughs most acclaimed works, TARZAN and PRINCESS OF MARS which were both originally published in 1912.  John Carter is the hero in PRINCESS OF MARSand the ten books that follow in Burroughs’ series of Mars adventurestories.  I wonder how the “JOHN CARTER” movie would have fared at the box office if Disney had marketed it as “a science fiction classic from the writer of Tarzan.”  That would have caught my interest?  Instead I remember seeing trailers for this movie that I thought looked like a rehash of scenes from Star Wars, Flash Gordon,Buck Rodgers, and Dune.  I hate to admit but I saw these trailers and didn’t know who John Carter was until I did a little looking into it. Well in reality, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ PRINCESS OF MARSand its sequels were some of the earliest science fiction that inspired people like Philip Nowlan, Alex Raymond, Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, James Cameronand Stephen Spielberg.

Some Edgar Rice Burroughs fans created this trailer that gives a more interesting portrayal of the movie than the Disney trailers:

In PRINCESS OF MARS, John Carter is a Confederate veteran who goes prospecting in Arizona after the conclusion of the Civil War.  While searching for gold, he has a conflict with the local Apaches and ends up hiding in a sacred cave while the tribe searches for him.  While in the cave, Carter stumbles across an ancient artifact that mysteriously transports him to the planet Mars.  On Mars, he finds himself with superhuman strength and agility due to the lesser gravity of the red planet.  From there the adventures begin and continue through ten more novels:  The Gods of Mars (1918), The Warlord of Mars (1919), Thuvia – Maid of Mars (1920), The Chessmen of Mars (1922), The Master Mind of Mars (1928), Fighting Man of Mars(1931), Sword of Mars (1936), Synthetic Men of Mars (1940), Llana of Gathol (1940), and John Carter of Mars (1964).  If you would like to enjoy reading these novels, Amazon.com has them available for FREE to download to a kindle or kindle app for iPad/iPhone.  CLICK HERE to download these free e-books.

I’ve never thought much about the marketing of a movie figuring that if it was good people would hear from word-of-mouth or critic reviews and go see it.  Disney’s JOHN CARTER fiasco shows that the value of having a good advertising/marketing/public relations plan and team in place to ensure the profitability of a production. If Disney had marketed the movie more on its sci-fi history it probably would have done much better at the box office.  I haven’t seen JOHN CARTER yet (probably will add it to my Netflix list when it comes out on DVD) but I have friends who have seen the move and said it was pretty good.  In fact, it has received some good reviews from critics too with Bonnie Fuller of HollywoodLife writing “if you want to escape and be totally entertained by a far better sci-fi action film than Captain America orThor —definitely get your 3D glasses on and get to John Carter!” and RogerEbert giving it a positive thumbs up as well in his review for the Chicago Sun-Times noting that the John Carter stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs played a part in inspiring him to be a writer and critic himself. 

Now that we know who John Carter is, this flick definitely is worth checking out.  Interestingly, Disney spent more money to film/produce JOHN CARTER than James Cameron spent creating the blockbuster hit AVATAR; yet Cameron said in an interview with the NEW YORKER magazine in 2009 “With Avatar I thought, do something in the Edgar Rice Burroughs mould, like John Carter of Mars.” Oh the irony!

For more on Edgar Rice Burroughs visit his official website: www.edgarriceburroughs.com 

LUKE - I AM YOUR FATHER!

I’m a huge fan of “The Far Side” comics by Gary Larson and have to admit there is still a little bit of a void in my life since he stopped publishing new material in 1995.  Larson’s work is a hilarious  anthropomorphic portrayal of our world featuring improbable events and logical fallacies.  Yes, friends and family often provide me with gifts of new books and calendars featuring his comics but these are all rehashes of his previous work being republished in new compilations.  So I became really excited when some publicity for a new novel that reminds me somewhat of Larson’s work caught my eye … and to make it even better these comics’ content focus on the Star Wars universe and the adventures involved with being a Dad; which I can really relate to at this stage in my life.

Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown has created a fun book full of illustrations portraying Darth Vader as a doting dad in CHRONICLE BOOKS “Darth Vader & Son.”  Brown looks at the special bond between father and son through a humorous perspective and fresh take on the Dark Lord of the Sith.  This book features 64 pages of artwork with a fresh mind’s eye of a galaxy far, far away.  Readers can get a laugh at the joys of parenting through Brown’s full color sketches on topics such as Light Saber Batting Practice, Space Ship Rides, Trick-or-Treating, Take Your Child to Work Day, and A Visit to the Zoo.

In an interview with GMA NEWS, Brown says of the book "it was fun to have Darth Vader as a powerful man who is powerless against a four-year-old." He notes that the project was initially created for use as Google Doodles on the search engine for a Fathers Day promotion but that panned out and the opportunity for this book emerged with CHRONICLE BOOKS. To read the full GMA NEWS article, click here.

Father’s Day is coming up in a few weeks and this would be an awesome gift for the Geek Daddy in your house.  I’ve only seen the preview cartoons online so far (HINT, HINT to my wife and kids) but from what I’ve seen so far this looks like a must have for any Dad who is a Star Wars’ fan.

CLICK HERE for more information or to order “Darth Vader & Son” from CHRONICLE BOOKS

Dorothy & Toto return to the Silver Screen

It was the summer of 1977 and my parents decided I was old enough to start taking to the movie theater.  I don't remember much from being 4 years old, but oddly enough I do have strong fond memories of going with my mom and dad to see three movies that summer: Star Wars, TheRescuers,  andRaggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure.  This was a time when all we had was grainy tv broadcasts with five channels to watch - a much different era compared to what our kids have today with the home theaters, Netflix, high tech video games and more cable channels than you can count.  Getting out of the house to go to the movies back than was a unique experience and as a child I relished these magical adventures.  It's interesting how much these three movies impacted my future interests!  My wife describes me to people as a Star Wars Geek and tell them living with me is like being in an episode of the Big BangTheory.  Like many boys of my generation, Star Wars really established my interest and enjoyment of science fiction and technology.  The Rescuers and Raggedy Ann & Andy though also instilled in me a love for cartoons, animation, artistic drawing and comics, and adventurous stories that is still very active today.  I'm approaching 40 years old now and I still love reading comic books and watching cartoons with my kids!

My own kids are now just approaching the age where we are beginning to take them to the movies and 2012 may be to them what 1977 was for me.  We took them to see their first movie a few weeks ago, The Lorax, which as an animated thrill-ride of a musical based on the classic Dr. Seuss tale.  I'm very excited about another animated musical that is coming out this summer, DOROTHY OF OZ.  I am definitely going to take my kids to see this movie which takes off where the classic 1939 Wizard of Ozmovie featuring Judy Garland left off.  DOROTHY OF OZ will feature the voices of some pretty well known actors including Martin Short (currently the voice of PBS "Cat in the Hat") as the new villain The Jester, James Belushi as the Lion, Dan Aykroyd as the Scarecrow, Kelsey Grammer as the Tin Man and GLEE's Lea Michele as Dorothy.  The movie will also feature the talents of one of my favorite actors, Patrick Stewart from Star Trek as a new character, a talking boat named Tugg.

In DOROTHYOF OZ, Dorothy Gail has returned to her hometown in Kansas and is helping her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and their neighbors repair the damage from the tornado that destroyed their community.  While she and Toto are back in the great plains of Kansas, a new villain called The Jester has emerged and stolen the now-dead evil Witch of the West's magic wand which he is now using to turn the inhabitants of OZ into "puppets" that he can control.  The Scare Crow, Tin Man, and Lion summon Dorothy and Toto back to OZ and the old gang reunites for a new adventure to take on and stop The Jester's evil ways.  The movie is based on a book of the same name by Roger Stanton Baum who is the great grandson of L. Frank Baum, who wrote the original Wonderful Wizard of Ozbook. CLICK HERE for more information about Stanton Baum and his OZ themed books: www.tototooinc.com 

To kick-off publicity for this new movie, IDW PUBLISHING is publishing a four-part DOROTHY OF OZ PREQUEL comic book that introduces the new character The Jester and serves as a preclude between the Wizard of Oz and the new movie.  Dorothy of Oz Prequel #1 went on sale this week (March 28) and all four comics will be bundled together as a hard cover book this fall. It is available at local comic book stores or you can buy a digital version online.  This movie originally caught my eye when I was provided with a publicity comic that contained a few pages of advance artwork design samples to promote this upcoming DOROTHY OF OZ PREQUEL series from IDW PUBLISHING to give my twin 3 year olds and they have been awe-struck by the stunning graphics. 

If you are looking for a comic book with great eye-popping art and a family-friendly story and content, I highly recommend you check out IDW Publishing's DOROTHY OF OZ PREQUEL comics.  Promoting comic prequels seems for new movies, tv shows, and video games as I've recently seen it done for Avengers, Falling Skies, & Dragon Age but hopefully in addition to doing a prequel promo IDW will consider also doing a comic version of the movie like the ones I collected as a kid for the  Star Wars & Indiana Jones trilogies.  Our family would definitely buy it and I  will also be picking up their DOROTHY OF OZPREQUEL series for my kids.

CLICK HERE for a preview of DOROTHY OF OZ PREQUEL #1 comic

For more information about this upcoming movie, visit the official website www.dorothyofoz.com , their facebook page www.facebook.com/dorothyofozthemovie or twitter @DorothyOfOzFilm

[DISCLAIMER: I was provided with a free 8 page comic of sample art for the Dorothy of Oz Prequel comic book series by IDW PUBLISHING.  The opinions and views posted in this blog are my own honest opinons]

Hey Dads : Knowing About "Mom-2-Mom Sales" Can Mean Extra Bucks For The Whole Family

I have to admit that my eyes got a little moist when I loaded up the car with the bouncing cow and rocking horsemy kids had spent a lot of time playing with over the last few years.  They had grown too big for these toys now though and like in Toy Story 3 it was time for new children to enjoy them in a new home.  My wife had bought a table at a local Mom-2-Mom Sale this last weekend and I was transporting them along with a lot of heavy boxes filled with clothes, baby equipment and toys that our kids are now too old to benefit from anymore to the sale site so we could get set-up for the Saturday sale.

Despite the name Mom-2-Mom Sale, Friday was "Daddy's Night" as us guys were all trotted out to help set-up for the next day's event moving heavy boxes, setting up tables, and carting a variety of things around the elementary school where the sale was taking place.  I stayed home the next day as my wife worked our table selling our items and buying a few new treasures to bring back to our home for our children.  Essentially, the premise is pretty clear cut from the name "Mom-2-Mom Sale" which  is like a large garage sale at a central location with mommies selling items their kids no longer need to other families who are in need of those items.  Instead of spending a weekend trolling various garage sales looking for kiddie stuff or paying markup at resale shops, someone can go to one of these sales knowing the focus will be on children's items and most items will likely be sold at bargain prices.

I had never heard of these sales until becoming a Dad, but now I see advertising for them all the time.  In most cases a community group, like a PTA, non-profit service club, youth sports league, or church will host one of these Mom-2-Mom Sales as a fundraiser.  They may charge $10 for a table to sell items, or if you have large items that won't fit on your table like a pack-n-play they put them in a designated large item room and you pay $2 or $3 dollars per item to have them sold in that area.  People who come to shop than are charged anywhere from $1 to $5 dollars to enter the Sale as an admission price depending on the popularity of the event in the community and number of tables they have selling stuff.  This obviously can become a lucrative fundraiser so that may be contributing to the increasing number of Mom-2-Mom Sales popping up in the community as well.

At this recent sale we attended, my wife spent $10 for a table and $4 dollars to sell two items in the "big item" room.  I spent a Friday evening moving all the stuff we were going to sell to location and my wife spent a Saturday working our table.  For an investment of a few hours plus $14 dollars we brought home about $400 dollars...it would have been a few more but my wife also brought home some dresses and shoes for my daughter that she said were GREAT deals.  Hey, if you are making some money off things that you may have thrown or given away I'm all for that and picking up some nice things for your kids that might be 100% more expensive bought retail is a nice bonus.  So now when I hear or see something promoting a Mom-2-Mom Sales I envision one of my favorite colors: GREEN.  On a serious note, if you are a parent and haven't checked out one of these events do it!  From a sellers perspective you can make a nice return for a minimal amount of effort or investment by essentially have your own garage sale without marketing it or worrying about people traipsing around your yard.  From a buyers perspective you can often find a lot of really good bargains that while being used are mostly in good shape and also you never know what unique items or treasures you might stumble upon that you may not come across at a retail store.

Here are a few tips from my lovely wife:

•  Know What Sells:  People want NEW things for BABIES so best sellers are toddler clothes 2T - 4T and children's sizes.  Make sure you don't sell stained or worn out items at your table, if a shopper sees one item that looks dirty they aren't going to go through the rest of your stuff! Also people look for things that are needed by their children NOW not for later in the year so don't sell snow suits in March or or swim suits in November.  You may want to participate in two or three Mom-2-Mom Sales throughout the year if you have a lot of stuff to get rid of so you can get rid of seasonal items.
• Check Out Sales:  go to websites like MOM2MOMSALESMICHIGAN, MOM2MOMLIST & METROPARENT (most areas will have local sites promoting local sales - google your city or state followed by "Mom to Mom"), look for information on blogs like THE NEST or THE BUMP, or by asking other moms around town.  Look for sales that have been conducted for multiple years and inquire who is running them? Check to see that sales are run by reputable businesses or community groups.  Ask how many tables they are selling...the more tables normally the larger the crowds who attend because people want to go to shows that have the most to offer.  Look for sales that have 50 to 100 tables.
• Price it Right:  Remember this stuff is used and people are shopping for a bargain so don't overprice.  A lot of stuff we sell is marked at .50 cents to $5 dollars.  If you overcharge it is likely that you are going to be hauling stuff home.  On the other hand, don't let people haggle you so that you are giving your stuff away for free...set a price and stick with it.  A good way to price items is to go to some Mom-2-Mom sales as a shopper before becoming a seller to get a feel for what other people are asking. 
• Layout Matters:   How you have your items layed out makes a big difference.  Having everything marked with stickers clearly identifying prices, signs that clearly steer people to different categories of items (clothes, shoes, toys, bath accessories, etc.), clear bins people can see through and clothes racks are great items at Mom-2-Mom Sales.  Anything you can do so that people don't have to dig around to see what you have and that keeps your items and space looking clean will help you get extra sales!
• Keep Dads @ Home:  It's great to have husbands help with setting up before hand and clearing out afterward but like the name implies most of the shoppers are moms and having a mom work your table makes them feel more comfortable stopping by your table to chat and hopefully make a purchase.  Marketing is important and mommies just are better at closing the sale at these events.

The Loss of a SciFi Visionary

I remember as a kid spending hours scouring through art books my aunt had given me featuring scenes from the Star Wars movies by Ralph McQuarrie and tearing out my favorite images to decorate the walls of my bedroom.  These fantastic images transported me to other worlds and helped develop my sense of curiosity, expanded my imagination, and enhanced my interest in comics and science fiction.  As an adult I continue to be a big fan of science fiction and still keep a copy of Ralph McQuarrie's "The Illustrated Star Wars Universe" on my bookshelf.  So I was extremely saddened to hear of McQuarrie passing away on Sunday, March 4, 2012. He was 82 years old.

Ralph McQuarrie was an Oscar-winning concept art designer who created the look of many of the Star Wars movie characters including Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, C-3PO, and R2-D2.  George Lucas released a statement about McQuarrie’s death, saying:

“Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars. His genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Warstrilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph’s fabulous illustrations and say,  ‘Do it like this.’ ”

McQuarrie started his career as a technical illustrator for Boeing and also did freelance work on the side designing movie posters.  This side gig led to an assignment doing artwork to promote CBS' coverage of NASA's Apollo space program.  McQuarrie's NASA artwork caught the attention of George Lucas who recruited him to design some of the characters for the original Star Wars movie.  He went on to provide concept artwork for characters and set designs for all three of the original Star Wars movies: A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi.

In addition to working on the Star Wars franchise, McQuarrie provided artwork on several other notable Hollywood SciFi productions.  He won an Oscar in 1986 for best visual effects in the movie Cocoon.  McQuarrie also drew the bible artwork displayed within the film Indiana Jones & the Lost Ark illustrating the ark of the covenant; designed the spaceship in E.T.with a Dr. Seussical inspiration and also the mother ship in Close Encounters of the Third Kind; and provided concept designs for a never-released Star Trekmovie and TV series which this artwork was later used for inspiration in developing Star Trek the Motion Picture and the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series.  CLICK HERE to visit the official Ralph McQuarrie website which features many images of his artwork and stories from his amazing life.  He also has a Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/RalphMcQuarrie  

McQuarrie also worked on another one of my favorite Science Fiction franchises: Battle Star Galactica.  He provided concept sketches for the design of ships and aliens on Battlestar Galactica in 1978.  He was also asked to paint 24 color images to be used to help sell the first script for the show's pilot "Saga of a Star World" to television network executives.  CLICK HERE  to view a gallery of these exciting images which feature colonial vipers, cylon raiders, and views of a battlestar warship.

Ralph McQuarrie may be gone but will not be forgotten as his artwork lives on for the appreciation of future generations.  Thank you Ralph for being such an inspiration to so many of us geek daddies in the world.  Your vision and talent is appreciated and will continue to be!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Today is the birthday of renowned children's author Dr. Seuss.  Theodor Seuss Geisel was a writer, poet, and cartoonist who is known for his use ofimaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of trisyllabic meter in the 46 books he published.  I remember my parents and teachers reading his stories to me as a child and we've made them a big part of my kids learning experiences.  Dr. Seuss passed away in 1991 and would have been 108 years old today, but he is still alive in the hearts of every child and parent who continues to enjoy his work.  Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

When my children were younger I used to read them Dr. Seuss's "ABCs" book every day.  We still read that and his other books such as "The Cat in the Hat" , "The Lorax" & "Green Eggs & Ham" to our kids regularly. As our twins have gotten older though, we've begun letting them use our PC and iPad to play with and learn from educational apps.  Oceanhouse Media has done a nice job of publishing Dr. Seuss' works as interactive storybook apps  for mobile IOS, Android, and Nook devices.  We have several of  these that we enjoy loaded on both my iPad and iPhone.  In recognition of Dr. Seuss birthday (March 2), Oceanhouse Media is having a special sale on select storybook apps.  They are also giving away TODAY for FREE two of their Dr. Seuss games, Dr. Seuss Band & Lorax Garden.  CLICK HERE for more information.

Dr. Seuss Band allows you to create some really unique interests and play Seussian melodies.  According to Oceanhouse Media features of the game include:

• 2 Ways to Play - Go for high scores in the Music Game or use Free Play to compose your own tunes.
• 10 Original Songs - Play along with the soundtrack from The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss's ABC, Hop on Pop and more!
• 5 Unique Horn Instruments - Play Seussian versions of the Trumpet, French Horn, Clarinet, Trombone and Flute
• 10 Crazy Horn Effects - Customize the sound of your horn by adding fun effects like a Fish Bowl, Train Whistle, Reverb and more!
• Mix and Match Horns - Swap parts of the horn while playing to create over 120 Horn Combinations
• 3 Difficulty Levels - Choose Easy for beginners, Medium for experienced players and Hard for experts.
• 26 Unlockables - Achieve high scores to unlock Songs, Horns and Effects.

In the Lorax Garden game your mission is to regrow the world's lost Truffula tree forests! Oceanhouse Media lists the features of the game as:

• Design your Truffula tree – Choose the color, leaf shape, trunk shape, and trunk pattern for each tree in your forest.
• Grow your tree – Water the trees in your nursery and watch them grow before your eyes!
• Grow flowers - Watch your flowers bloom as you give them water, pull weeds, and shoo harmful insects away.
• Share your creations – Email beautiful postcards of the trees and flowers you grew to friends & family.
• Numerous challenges – Each forest has different needs which become more challenging as the game progresses.
• View your progress – The world map shows how many forests you've regrown and how many still need your help!

Also in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday the new movie based upon his book "The Lorax" begins showing at movie theaters across the country.   This 3-D animated movie from the producers of Despicable Me features the voices of Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift and Betty White.  My wife and I are really looking forward to taking our kids to see this as the "The Lorax" with its message of environmental stewardship and community responsibility is one of our all-time favorite books. If you have an iPhone or iPad also check out the movie's FREE game:  Truffula Shuffula which is like Tetris with truffula trees.

On a side note, Despicable Me is also a family favorite for us and we are really excited that a sequel is coming to theaters next year.  Looking forward to Steve Carell and his minions in Despicable Me 2!

Additionally for all things Dr. Seuss make sure you visit the official website www.seussville.com which is full of interactive features and learning features, plus fun and educational activities, crafts, and learning tools for your kids.