Miranda Cosgrove

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/magazine/mag-27cosgrove-t.html

*This post existed, with an appropriate picture and awesome, thoughtful, witty text. But Blogger ate it. However, were the text here at this very moment, you'd be impressed. 

On this post I discussed the tween queen industries, the pressure Miranda must feel, and how we may be setting ourselves up for constant disappointment by idolizing young girls before they grow up and then casting them aside when they finally start dating and smoking salvia in no particular order.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato: I Have Bipolar Disorder

Cotliar, Sharon. Demi Lovato: I Have Bipolar Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20483380,00.html

Demi Lovato has recently left a treatment facility, and is now speaking out about her eating disorders and her bipolar disorder. Demi spent three months in a treatment facility, and now explains that she was cutting herself, depressed, and suffering from a variety of eating disorders. Demi was the star of Disney's Sonny with a Chance and also had a very successful vocal career, touring with the Jonas brothers when she abruptly stopped to seek treatment.

I find this story incredibly sad, and though I know it applies to tweens *somehow*, I couldn't exactly figure out what I thought. Is Lovato a bad role model for kids because of all this? Or is Lovato inspiration, humanizing herself and bringing a tween/teen voice to the aforementioned disorders? I'm deciding to go with the positive slant. I think it is sad that she felt such pressure and sadness, possibly a lot of it due to the limelight. However, coming forward and talking about it might help tween/teen girls feeling similar. Lovato was still suffering from her break-up with Joe Jonas, and was crumbling under the pressure to be prettier, successful, etc. While every tween girl may not be dating a JoBro, the feelings are universal. Lovato brings up the point that she needed HELP. Eating disorders, cutting, depression -- these are not normal, acceptable things. If anything, I think her story may inspire young tweens to seek help or help others. Lovato humanizes the 'tween queens'; sometimes this humanizing process is looked down upon or happens in a negative way (a la Miley and salvia), but I feel Lovato's story is real and can be helpful.

Willow Smith "Whip My Hair"

 

Summary:

In the video Willow Smith enters a bland, white, routine school and spices things up. With her colorful appearance and dance moves, Willow begins changing things up immediately. Pretty soon she unleashes her hair, dipped in paint colors, and begins whipping it back and forth (well, I really couldn't think of a better phrase here). She begins literally painting the walls and the people, adding color and personality to an otherwise bland and banal surrounding. On a deeper level, the lyrics in the song profess self-love and rising above conflict. Maybe I'm stretching it, but Willow sings about rising above haters and whippin' yo hair anyways. To me this is about being yourself and doing what makes you happy, no matter what is being said. Fine, I probably am stretching it. But it makes me happy.

Review:

The song is catchy, and young Willow Smith is age appropriate for young tweens. Her lyrics are appropriate, and the subject matter works well with tweens. It really helps that she is tween age herself, as tweens feel comfortable relating to her. Her song is fun and catchy (though I'll admit that it gets a bit annoying). Her video is wholesome and entertaining, and if you're trying really hard to steer your tween away from some of the other questionable music materials out there, I think this is a good, wholesome way to go. Now good luck getting it out of your head.

Age: 8 and up

Similar Artists:

Demi Lovato

Selena Gomez

Taylor Swift

Justin Bieber "Baby"

 

Summary:

What would a tween blog be without the Biebs? Here is Bieber in his popular video for "Baby." The video takes place in a bowling alley. The song is about a young teen experiences heartbreak for the first time. The song even features the rapper Ludacris, giving Biebs some street cred. In the song Bieber is trying to get back his first love, offering her everything, and singing about the pain of losing one's first love. In the video Bieber is chasing the girl around, trying to impress her with his super cool dance moves in the bowling alley. He's like, "baby, baby, baby, ohhhh...." And probably it works.

Review:

I'm not a huge Bieber fan. In my opinion, he looks and sounds a little too much like a teen girl for me to really get it. I mean, if I want to listen to a girl, I will. Bieber just confuses me, really. But tween girls are obsessed with him. The day I mentioned Bieber in a 6th grade classroom, there was standing, screeching, and nearly a riot as girls fought over which one was going to marry him. SERIOUSLY. I learned really quick to not ask a whole lot about Bieber unless you want to hear a WHOLE LOT about Bieber. I guess the song hits home with the age group, as lots are experiencing infatuation and loss for the first time at that age. And for some reason Bieber's non-threatening androgyny is like crack for tween girls. Thus, "Baby" is a HUGE hit.

Ages: 9 and up

Similar Artists:

I think tween students would be pissed if I put anything here, because according to them? NO ONE can compare to the Biebs.

BrainSurge

BrainSurge


About:

BrainSurge is a game show on Teen Nick. The show focuses on memory, asking tweens and teens questions about images they just saw or stories they just heard. If the contestants can recall details and patterns, they will advance. When you lose, you go down the brain drain, a slide filled with slime. In the last level the remaining contestant must recreate a pattern on a giant square of light squares. Of course, winners get lots of cool, age appropriate prizes.

Review:


This is a great, hilarious, entertaining show that is fun for the entire family. The questions are age appropriate, and it is a game that kids can play along at home with. It reminds me a bit of Double Dare from my generation, just with less obstacles and more slime. Or maybe it isn't really a lot like Double Dare at all, except for the slime part. Either way, the questions and stories are usually hilarious, the show is suspenseful, and who doesn't like to watch people slide down a tube of slime or win cool prizes?


Ages:


8 and up



Similar Shows:

I can't really think of any other game show type shows for this age group. I even Googled it. I mean, Jeopardy! does teen week. That's about it.

Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb


About:

Phineas and Ferb is an animated show on Disney XD. Phineas and Ferb are smart little guys, always coming up with insane inventions and creations that would get any other child into trouble. Phineas and Ferb are always getting away with their hijinks because despite the fact that their older sister Candace always catches them in the act, Phineas and Ferb somehow are always able to fix things and clean up before their mom or dad catches them. The show is hilarious, with Phineas and Ferb creating time machines and even monster truck racing tracks in their backyard.

Review:

This is a great, wholesome show for tweens. However, I do see it mainly appealing to younger tweens. The show is actually funny enough to where a parent can watch the show with a tween and not feel like jumping off of a tall building (I write from experience). The content of the show is age appropriate and family friendly, which is my favorite thing about it. I think tweens will enjoy the mischief that Phineas and Ferb get into and out of during the show. I see lots of 5th and 6th graders with Phineas and Ferb backpacks and folders, so I'm pretty sure the show is popular with at least some in the tween age group. Disney XD is really marketed towards the tweens, trying to separate itself from regular Disney (and shows like Handy Manny).

Ages:  I can't really think of an age that the show would be inappropriate for. However, interest and/or understanding would probably start at about 7, and the appeal lasting up until late tweens/early teens (maybe longer).


Similar Shows:
Kick Buttowski
Jimmy Two-Shoes

Big Time Rush

Big Time Rush


About:
This show is about a young boy band trying to make it in the big time. They are being managed by the same guy that allegedly has managed a bunch of other popular boy bands, and they have to live together in a small apartment and follow this guys rules. In many episodes he refers to them as the "dogs" as they are in training. The show pits the boys against the big time music execs, as the boys attempt to be successful in their own way in many episodes. Usually episodes end with BTR coming out on top, even if they accidentally installed a water slide into their apartment. There is occasionally some tension about the 'fame' getting to one of the members, and sometimes the boys lose their heads a bit, but they usually find their way back together and to the ground before the end of the episode.

Review:
This show is *really* corny, sound effects and all. Also, these boys are teengage boys (maybe early twenties) and really hot (can I say that without sounding like a cougar?) That just makes the whole show seem really unrealistic. The humor isn't even that funny, which makes it even worse. These boys may be from Minnesota.. but come on. I just think they look way to old to be selling the image they're selling. But I'm old and jaded, apparently, and young girls are eating this up. BTR is even big with boys in the middle school, they're on the cover of Teen Bop, and Snoop Dogg was in their most recent video. Obviously these guys are the next New Kids or something, and their singing is nice, but the show just seems silly to me. Probably because I'm not a tween girl.


Ages: 11 and up




Similar Shows:
iCarly
Sonny with a Chance
Zeke and Luther