Apps That Put Girls Center Stage: Magic Belles, Sleeping Beauty, Thumbelina, and Disney Fairies Fly

Your kids will love these four fun, creative, and inspiring apps. While these apps aren’t just for girls, they star female characters and have an overall feminine quality that leans toward the female side of the equation. There’s something for every age group here, from preschool to preteen. Each has an aura of specialness that makes it a perfect holiday gift. And speaking of gifts, we're giving away three copies of Magic Belles AND three copies of Thumbelina. Just leave a comment to this story with a way to reach you (email preferred) by 5pm EST on Monday, November 19th, 2012. And good luck!

I Want to Move to “Magic Town”

Websites We Love
A new children’s website from Mindshapes Ltd. delivers a virtual world based on picture books and stories. Magic Town is designed for kids born in 1999 or later. And it really does feel like a town, a magical landscape populated with a collection of fanciful houses. Each time a new story is added to your personal Magic Town, another house appears. Think of it as a kinder, gentler Sims.

Remembering Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet"

One of the more amazing aspects of Elizabeth Taylor’s story is just how long a career she enjoyed. She began making movies at age ten in 1942 and by 1944 starred as plucky Velvet Brown in Clarence Brown’s National Velvet. This picture has a lot to offer today’s young viewer. Velvet is a hard-working, horse-loving gal. And after she’s dealt the ruling that—as a female—she could not jockey her horse in the Grand National Steeplechase, she lops off her hair and rides as a boy. Velvet ultimately gives up a chance at fame for herself and her beloved horse, The Pie, because—you heard me right—it wouldn’t be so great for the horse. Velvet was strong, thoughtful, and kind; she had character. And any parent of any era would be proud of such a daughter. The movie gives surprisingly modern messages to girls: the sky’s the limit; and barriers are there to be busted wide open.


National Velvet also resonates in the depiction of a refreshing and unusual mother-daughter relationship. Anne Revere as Velvet’s mother is a strong, centered, calm woman who speaks to Velvet with so much respect, it’s almost jarring. She’s not a touch-feely, cover-you-in-kisses screen mom, but a compelling mentor to a young girl on the verge of becoming a woman. Mrs. Brown never talks down to Velvet or pulls her punches; and she never loses her temper. She’s the picture of the wise center that holds the family together. I always loved the fact that her character was a famous channel swimmer in her day, but doesn’t live in the shadow of her former glory. And young Liz holds her own in her scenes with Revere, a character just as strong as mom. As Velvet, the bright-eyed, vibrant Elizabeth Taylor is the promise of the grand star she was to become.


On a side note, Hitchcock favorite Farley Granger just passed away. Granger had a wonderful turn as Niels, the tempestuous ballet master in Charles Vidor’s 1952 film, Hans Christian Andersen. It’s an adorable, singable musical that puts children at its center in a not-at-all accurate but entertaining bio-pic. The film can be seen in its entirety at Fancast.com.