Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters
By Ashley Moulton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Super Monsters celebrate Día de los Muertos in cute special.
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Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters
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Based on 1 parent review
What's the Story?
In this SUPER MONSTERS DIA DE LOS MONSTERS special episode, Vida takes several of her monster classmates on a field trip back to her hometown to celebrate the holiday. They are preparing for a special performance in the Día de los Muertos parade. Albert is trying to perfect their dance moves when he gets inspiration from a mysterious magical creature. When this creature disappears, Albert follows her sparkles into the desert and meets Vida's magical animal friends Nacho the bear, Pepita the flying donkey, Fuego the eagle, and Jackie the Jackalope. Vida's old friends and new friends work as a team to get ready for their big performance. The new friends perform a song about honoring your family and spending time together, and they return back to Pitchfork Pines to share their dance with the rest of the monster class.
Is It Any Good?
This Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters special is an adorable celebration of the Day of the Dead. Kids will love the visually stunning scenery and new characters that emulate the colorful and vibrant holiday. Vida's friends are really fun new characters, and seeing Vida's joy over her new friends meeting her old friends is super sweet. Kids will also enjoy the musical montages throughout the episode, culminating in the monsters' special performance at the Día de los Muertos parade. The song in the big finale captures the meaning of the holiday when the characters sing "We honor all the monsters that came before, it's good to see you again."
While the episode does talk about some elements of the Día de los Muertos holiday, like how sugar skulls and marigolds are important, it mostly focuses on the monsters' preparation for their performance in the big parade. So, it misses an opportunity to help kids learn about the cultural traditions and meaning behind the holiday (though the series' other related special Vida's First Halloween already covered a lot of this territory). Also, there is a bit of Spanish dialogue. The on-screen subtitles are not helpful for pre-readers, and these words aren't really explained. Overall, this special is great, but it focuses more on fun and friendships rather than learning about Mexican culture.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the monsters celebrated Día de los Muertos. What are some important parts of the holiday? Does your family have any traditions you like to celebrate?
Did you know anything about Dia de los Muertos before watching this special? What makes this holiday unique?
Vida's old friends met her new friends in this show. Do you have any different groups of friends from different places (like school, neighborhood friends, or cousins)?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 9, 2020
- Cast: Alessandro Juliani , Gigi Saul Guerrero , Erin Matthews
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 24 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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