Puffin Rock and the New Friends
By Tom Cassidy,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Sweet Irish animation has teamwork, empathy, migrant theme.
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Puffin Rock and the New Friends
Community Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Not bad.
Lacks some of the charm of the original TV show. Focuses more on secondary, new characters rather than Oona and Baba. The animation is beautiful, but the message about disappearing habitat is confusing. Much of the tension comes from Isabelle’s parents dropping her off and leaving her on Puffin Rock to go back and help other puffins, which seems odd. The little otter character seems strangely less anthropomorphic than other characters. Which isn’t too unusual for Puffin Rock - red crabs don’t talk, for instance, while hermit crabs do - but Marvin talks baby talk (“dig-diggy”?) and it’s not clear why. Not a tight production, but enjoyable for littles who have missed new content about Oona and Baba.
What's the Story?
In PUFFIN ROCK AND THE NEW FRIENDS, the population of Puffin Rock grows when puffins from elsewhere need to find a new place to live. The puffins are welcomed, but a misunderstanding occurs when new arrival Isabelle (voiced by Eva Whittaker) tries to help protect an egg but makes a mistake, and the young otter Marvin (Aaron MacGregor) gets the blame.
Is It Any Good?
This movie version of the popular preschool Irish animated TV show is charming, educational, fun, and bursting with positivity. From enthusiastically announcing at the start of Puffin Rock and the New Friends that it's "Another glorious day in Puffin Rock" to encouraging characters to make good choices and sharing facts with the viewer, actor Chris O'Dowd brings the story and its world to life with his lively narration. It looks great, too. The animation has a picture book quality that makes it calm and engrossing. Add to this the huge list of positive messages and gentle treatment of big subjects, and Puffin Rock and the New Friends delivers a thoughtful, wholesome, and exciting movie with universal appeal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned from Puffin Rock and the New Friends. What was your biggest takeaway from the movie? Has it inspired you to learn more about it?
Could this trouble have been avoided if Isabelle had told the truth about the egg? What do you think she should have done differently?
A lot of the characters show great teamwork, empathy, compassion, and courage. Why are these important character strengths? Can you think of a time in your own life when you've shown these traits?
Have you seen the TV show Puffin Rock? How did this movie compare? What was different? What was the same?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 16, 2024
- Cast: Chris O'Dowd , Eva Whittaker , Aaron MacGregor
- Directors: Jeremy Purcell , Lorraine Lordan
- Inclusion Information: Female directors
- Studio: Shout Studios
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Ocean Creatures , Science and Nature , Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Courage , Teamwork
- Run time: 79 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: May 24, 2024
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