"Calling All the Monsters" (CD Single)

 Review

Common Sense Media says

"Thriller" for kids; video might be scary for little ones.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this track is a tween's bubblegum answer to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Disney Channel star China Anne McClain is calling all monsters to dance and scare, but all in good fun. The song is clean and OK for tweens (as long as they know it's not real), though the video has some very realistic-looking creatures and zombies that could frighten younger kids.

  • Meant to entertain, not educate.
  • No real messages, just playful fun about ghouls and ghosts who want to dance.
  • Everyone, even monsters, needs to have a little fun.
  • The video shows some pretty ghoulish creatures with distorted features and realistic costumes, but it's obvious (at least to older kids) that it's fake and just for fun.

What's the story?

Disney Channel A.N.T. Farm star China Anne McClain knows that even werewolves, ghosts, and goblins wanna have a little fun in her spooky single, "CALLING ALL THE MONSTERS." Perfect for Halloween, this single is a tween version of the Michael Jackson classic "Thriller" and even has a video full of weird, dancing zombies (but lacks the scary rumblings of Vincent Price).


Is it any good?

 

McClain does a good job channeling the King of Pop in her own version of a dance-off with mummies and zombies, but she does it with a smile and a pink-sequined top. "Calling All the Monsters" is an upbeat, contagious club beat that will have you and your kids ready to kick it on the dance floor on Halloween night. Kids will love it for any night of the year, of course, but it's sure to be a hit when the little vampires and witches come out in October.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about Halloween. What are some things that you and your family do each Halloween? Why is it fun to be scared sometimes?

  • What's the difference between reality and fantasy? How can you tell? Can something still be scary even if you know it's not real?


This review was written by Jessica Dawson
Parent
October 5, 2011
 
garbage
think this was the worst piece i have ever heard of,literally.

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
October 26, 2011
 
Give me a Break
Let me say first that my family personally did not celebrate Halloween when I was growing up. I think this is a cool video and appropriate with the Halloween themes. If you let your kids or you yourself celebrate Halloween, why not let them watch this? She is a good role model and is showing its ok to have fun and not be afraid of things in life that may scare you.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
October 6, 2011
 
A.N.T Farm Talents
This is a fun track with a really cool video

Flag as inappropriate 
Parent
October 12, 2011
 
"Calling All the Monsters" (CD Single) OjO
Kids don't need 2 make friend's with Monsters, Satan or his buddy's. Best your kids have something positive in their lives than something that drags them down. Here's a game, try it & have fun with it. Have your kid stand with ankles lock in together, now tell them 2 hold a negative lyric music CD to their chest & pull them forward & U will C how easy it is to unbalance them of their feet. Now, have them hold and apple the same way and pull them forward & U will C how they hold their balance much better. This is only a game but it will show how a negative unbalances a persons & positive invigorates. Like I said have fun. I love China Anne, but not this song or the Halloween episode of ANT Farm that goes with this episode talks about Satan and going bowling with him. This is not good.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
October 8, 2011
 
no no no
What is this?! It's all about monsters and stuff and not good for kids! And the episode that goes with this talks about Satan and going bowling with him!!!! That's awful!!!! I love China Anne but not this song or the Halloween episode of ANT Farm

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
October 23, 2011
 
Copycat alert!
Good God... This is just awful. She is a copycat and autotuned to death. Thriller much? Please... come up with your own ideas! No people wanna go bowling with Satan, Chyna.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 13 years old
October 27, 2011
 
Best Song Ever!!!
It Does Not matter what/who you are be happy

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 17 years old
October 14, 2011
 
I really like the effects used on her voice in the song!
The lyrics are pretty cheesy, lame, childish, but China is a great singer and so she makes it enjoyable.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 9 years old
October 23, 2011
 
What i think
it is good but also might be scary for 7 and under

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
November 4, 2011
 
a good tween song, a scary kid song
I never knew "Thriller" became kid-oriented! Even when we don't entirely celebrate Halloween, this song did set the tone and was especially scary, so scary (at least from a younger kid's sight) that even China herself said she was a little scared filming the video! Some very scary lyrics like "We're comin' to get ya" and "You hide or you try...kiss tomorrow goodbye". Tweens may think of it as a groove fest, while youngsters might believe of it as a fright fest.

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This review was written by Jessica Dawson
Topics:magic and fantasy
Artist:China Anne McClain
Type:Single
Release date:September 20, 2011
Label:Walt Disney Records
Genre:Pop music for kids
Parental advisory:No
Edited version available:No

This review was written by Jessica Dawson
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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