Tag: Lego Friends

LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia Review

Lego Friends Character Encyclopedia ReviewDK was kind enough to send me a review copy of the LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia for review.

This volume is the latest addition to the LEGO Character Encyclopedia series which includes Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia, Ninjago Character Encyclopedia and Harry Potter Characters Of the Magical World.

Each of these volumes is a small hardcover, slightly smaller than the big DK Lego books but still larger than a paperback novel. Each volume also comes with a mini figure, often exclusive to the book.

In the case of the LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia the free mini figure is Naya and she comes with a small bag and phone. Naya has appeared in the set Heartlake Juice Bar, but of course this exclusive figure is slightly unique. She still sports a purple skirt and white shirt but on close observation the pattern on the shirt and the colour of her shoes are different.

In truth the figure is not terribly exciting and if you already have the Juice Bar set, the slight variation in her outfit is not a reason to buy the book. But rest assured the content of the Encyclopedia more than makes up for the figure’s shortcomings.

LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia Review

The book comes with 170 pages of photos and content about the Lego Friends series, up to the releases of early 2014. Chapter sections include the Characters, Animals, Hobbies, Locations and Vehicles of Heartlake City, the home of the friends.

It is a thick book and each unique element warrants its own page which includes captioned photos, anecdotes about the characters/sets and little facts that will add to fans’ understanding of the Friends’ interests and skills. A handy index in the back of the book makes the content easy to navigate.

My daughter picked the book up and was engrossed for at least an hour. I would recommend the book as a resource for fans, no matter the age. Younger children can flip through the book for the images and hopefully use it as a stepping stone to reading while older fans will revel in the details.

Thanks to DK for the review copy.

LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia

Take a trip to Heartlake City and join in on the fun with the LEGO® Friends in the new LEGO® Friends Character Encyclopedia from DK.

Meet Mia, Stephanie, Andrea, Olivia, and Emma-and all the LEGO Friends characters! Find out about their pets, hobbies, vehicles, and favorite places to just hang out. Learn about their likes and dislikes, their cool outfits, and even discover their top secrets!

Featuring tons of images and fascinating facts about the popular LEGO Friends sets and mini-dolls, LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia also comes with a mini-doll in a new and exclusive outfit and two cool accessories!

LEGO Friends Character Encyclopedia Images

 

 

Lego Friends Movie Review – “New Girl In Town” DVD

Lego Friends New Girl In Town MovieThe Lego Friends Movie – New Girl In Town is now available on DVD in Australia and I was able to pick one up at my local Coles Supermarket. There were only a few in stock but it is widely available at online retailers (Fishpond.com.au).

Keenly aware of the ruckus caused by the new Friends minifigures and sets earlier this year I was curious to know what the movie would be like.

As a mother with two children (boy and girl) who both like Lego including the Friends sets, would I feel comfortable showing this to my kids or would I cringe at the film’s attempt to make it “suitable for girls”?

The verdict?

I was mostly impressed though there were a few scenes that, as expected, made me flinch.

Lego Friends New Girl In Town

Looking around on YouTube, it seems like the movie has already been released in Europe as a TV/online series of short videos, but there are no English language versions.

The accents in the DVD version I have are American so I expect a US release can’t be too far away.

It is interesting that Disney now have Lego Friends videos up on their website under the title of Friends Of Heartlake City, and it seems to be the same content (though being outside the US I can’t see it), so Lego might be releasing this movie though another format.

New Girl In Town runs for 21 minutes and essentially tells the story of how the Friends (Olivia, Mia, Stephanie, Andrea and Emma) meet each other and form a friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances.

Here is the Official Synopsis:

Lego Friends New Girl In Town

Lego Friends New Girl In TownOlivia is new in town, and she can’t wait to make new friends. So she volunteers to help out at the pet adoption booth at the Heartlake City World Petacular.

But when one of the puppies escapes, it destroys all the hard work that Andrea, Emma, Mia, and Stephanie have put into the Petacular! So much for making friends . . . in just a few minutes, Olivia’s made four brand-new enemies.

There’s only one way to repair the damage – teamwork! Can Olivia, Andrea, Emma, Mia, and Stephanie work together to put things right in time for the Petacular?

Lego Friends Movie Review

Lego Friends DVD

The film is kind of cute – colorful and fun, nothing overtly offensive.

Given the film centers around five girls I was relieved to see how well they dealt with interpersonal relationships between friends, particularly girls.

When the girls meet, there is a genuine effort to get along and not create drama, which as a mother of a young girl I appreciated – Knowing how “drama” can be incendiary when girls get together, I try to avoid media where it is played up for sensation.

There was no overt flouncing which I appreciated and, overall, co-operation was emphasised.

The girls’ personalities are unique, spirited and quite talented in their respective interests.

“Talent” seems to be a common theme with young girls’ media these days and Friends taps into that. 

In one segment the girls get together to fix (like…with a hammer!) a stadium that falls down. Can you point out another “girls” TV series where girls fix stuff other than their hair?

And then, there’s this…

Downsides are the requisite presence of a “bitchy” girl who competes with Mia in a horse riding event (though she comes good in the end) and Olivia’s continued interest in a boy (though she flirts with him by fixing his model plane).

This “flirting” storyline irked me as it was unnecessary and I would have much preferred the girls stand on their own without having to be interested in boys yet.

Media aimed at young girls emphasises an interest in boys too often, too young.
Please Lego, just let them be girls!

Also…Andrea’s singing voice sounds like she is 30 years old!?

Presentation

Lego Friends DVD Sticker SheetThe packaging was highly appealing and DVD extras include three games that are already available online or in app form but are handy to have . The games are passable…just (I’m being nice here).

Personally I am waiting for the Lego Friends Inventor’s Workshop Game or the Lego Friends Small Business Management Game.

But until then, the included games are:

  • Lego Friends Beauty Salon Game
  • Lego Friends Dress-Up Game
  • Lego Friends Cafe Game

There was also a small sheet of stickers included that had previously been distributed with the Lego Club Magazine. We enjoyed having another set as the first disappeared into various locations around the house very quickly.

Overall I can recommend the New Girl In Town movie as long as you don’t expect it to break new ground for girls/women.

But in all honesty it’s probably better than 90% of other media aimed at girls these days and will help young Lego Friends fans form stories around their Lego sets.

Lego Friends New Girl In Town Video