#sponsor #partner
I’m so excited to tell you that there is a fun new addition to the world of faith-based, quality children’s entertainment. It’s called The Garden, created and written by Butch Hartman. I was given the opportunity to watch The Garden‘s brand-new Christmas episode, “The Greatest Gift,” and I believe that both parents and littles will love this!
About The Garden
Here’s a bit from the producer:
The Garden is a Christ-centered children’s cartoon series aimed at teaching your kids the Gospel in a way they can understand. It features LENNY THE LION and LUCY THE LAMB—two best friends who work inside a magical garden where ANYTHING can grow! Each story revolves around them having to accomplish their goals by learning a Bible story or an original song. “The Garden” will take your kids right along on these adventures, too!
The Garden can be streamed now on both Pure Flix and Yippee TV. And soon, a Garden App will be available! 40 episodes of The Garden are being made.
The purpose of The Garden is to entertain kiddos while also teaching them God’s Word. Episodes include original songs, Bible verses (as well as their addresses or locations in the Bible). Best friends Lenny and Lucy play, sing, work, and worship together–as well as listen to God’s voice and direction to resolve the challenge or issue in each episode.
The show’s creator/writer and actors
So–before I tell you about them, I have to tell you a bit about why I’m so excited about them. I spent a delightful number of years with my family as our child began to explore the amazing world of animation. And it IS amazing. I found that once I began to watch with our son, I started to notice repeated names in the writers, directors, and voice actors–overlapping in different series and even different networks. Just so you know, the people involved in The Garden have worked on incredible high-quality programs. Friends, these people are basically animation, writing, and voice acting royalty! (Now, of course, I have to tell you who they are!)
Butch Hartman is the creator and writer, who also worked on Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Odd-Parents, Danny Phantom, Bunsen is a Beast, and Tuff Puppy. The incredible voice cast includes James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Leonardo in TMNT, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and more), Cristina Milizia (Poison Ivy in Batman, Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern, various voices in The Casagrandes and Monster High), and Brian Stivale (voice actor in an enormous number of video games, including Marvel Avengers Academy and Beats by Dre).
I love that these creative people came together to make something so colorful, fun, and faith-building!
My thoughts & impressions
The Garden‘s episode “The Greatest Gift” was fun, charming, and made me really focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas: because of Jesus’s birth, God’s greatest gift to all mankind. I found much to love, in this darling video. Lenny and Lucy are best friends (they’re a lion and a lamb–get it?). They joyfully make Christmas cookies together, and do a little tree decorating. Then, they get an assignment.
They’re to go decorate the concert hall for the upcoming Christmas event. And on the way, they have to pass the grumpiest, meanest person in town. Who scares them! But all that is the preparation for the cool things that God is going to do–through His people.
I don’t want to tell you any more, because I want you to have the joy of watching this, not knowing what is coming. But I do want to tell you some things I loved about “The Greatest Gift.”
- The sweet, clear way that Scripture is woven into the dialogue and the show
- Conversation with God (the Boss) is natural and normal for these characters
- The music! There is a wonderful combination of original music, with styles including pop, jazz, and even, if I’m not mistaken, big band!
- God’s very good purposes in what He asks Lucy and Lenny to do
- The fun animation! Its style (though not its content) is very reminiscent to me of 2D cartoons I grew up with.
Here’s a fun video from Butch & Julieann Hartman
Here’s where you can purchase The Garden’s episode “The Greatest Gift” — and more!
You can purchase this sweet Christmas episode now–for only $1.99! With your purchase, you’ll receive a quality curriculum based on the episode! Just follow these instructions:
- Go to this purchase link for “The Greatest Gift”
- Click on “The Greatest Gift”
- That will take you to a new page. Click on “Add to cart”
- Purchase the episode
- Download PDF
- Open Christmas streaming page with password
- Download free curriculum
And enjoy!
Now, you can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
In celebration of The Garden and its new Christmas episode, The Greatest Gift, you can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card! To enter, simply click on the link below that says “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entries only; must be 18 and older to win. Giveaway closes 12/29/22. Giveaway winners will received their gift card after the new year. Best wishes!
Enjoy! –Wren
Disclosure:
Many thanks to Garden Productions for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
finchnwren 