Kidsday: 'Newsies the Musical'

We went to a preview of the Broadway show "Newsies the Musical." It is a story about a group of orphan boys who call themselves Newsies. They live in New York City in the early part of the 20th century and they sell newspapers, which they call paps. When newspaper owners Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the newspapers' prices at the newsboys' expense, the boys revolt. The Newsies form a union so they can go on strike. A reporter named Katherine Plumber (Kara Lindsay) helps put their story in the newspaper, explaining their side. Will the boys keep having to pay high prices for their newspapers or will they win the strike?

There were many enjoyable moments in "Newsies." The absolute best part was the dancing. Keep an eye on Oscar Delancey (dance captain Brendon Stimson). He does the best leaps and turns. Another thing that was absolutely fabulous was the singing. Jeremy Jordan, who stars as Jack Kelly, and Kara have spectacular solos that you don't want to miss. The last thing we loved about this show was the set. Many of the scenes were meant to look like fire escapes. We also thought it was interesting to see how they move everything all around the stage.

Many aspects were wonderful, but others were not as great. We think the show is best for kids 10 and older because some of the scenes were a little intense for younger kids. We also thought the plot was a little hard to understand and there was a little foul language. Other than that, we thought it was spectacular. The show runs through Aug. 19.

RATING: 4 of 5

Nederlander Theatre, 208 W. 41st St., Manhattan. Call 866-870-2717, or visit newsiesthemusical.com

'Mason Dixon: Pet Disasters'

I read "Mason Dixon: Pet Disasters" by Claudia Mills (Knopf). Mason is an only child and his parents think that he needs a pet. Mason doesn't want a pet because he doesn't have good luck with them. He does have his best friend, Brody, and he is happy with that. Mason's parents get him a goldfish but he gives him too much food and it dies. They buy him a hamster and it runs away. The cat Mason gets makes him sick so it must go back. Next, Mason gets a disabled dog. This is when the real journey begins. I recommend this book to all dog lovers. It shows you how a dog can be your best friend. I love dogs and this book.

RATING: 5 of 5

--Kidsday Reporter Casey Gagliardo