Parents' Guide to

Llama Llama

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Beloved books inspire charming, family-friendly series.

TV Netflix Kids' Animation 2018
Llama Llama Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 3+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Jindo30
Jindo30 Adult
November 21, 2019
age 3+
The people whining about the lack of a daddy llama or who think it "sends the wrong message" need tofl get over themselves. I guess none of you let your kid's watch Disney movies either because most of the princesses don't have a mother. There is no explicit mention reguarding the fact that llama llama doesn't have a dad and most kid's watching the show aren't going to pick up on it. The woman saying it "promots divorce" how so? There are MANY reasons for not having a parent. My Father died when I was 7. Something that was no one's fault. My children's father also passed away due to an unknown health condition when I was pregnant with my second child. Or perhaps daddy llama is in the military and that's why he's not around. Instead of complaining about it, maybe use it to discuss different family dynamics for a deeper learning opportunity. My daughter is obsessed with llamas and loves the book's. We also love the lessons in the series and personally, I love that single mom's are being represented in a posative light.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
3 people found this helpful.
Monica1234
Monica1234 Adult
September 17, 2019
age 2+

The dumbest parents ever

This show annoys the living daylights out of me. My daughter loves it so I let her watch it when I have other things to do. The parents in this show don’t listen to their kids and expect them to behave like adults. How is it that a buggy rolls away from the parents with a baby still inside and they don’t move a muscle to go after it? And the lessons aren’t always great either- the fit in the grocery store was clearly due to over stimulation which is a valid feeling and needs to be addressed and instead mama llama ignores her son and keeps him in an environment where he feels overwhelmed.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Anna Dewdney's beloved book characters arrive on the small screen in the animated series LLAMA LLAMA. Starring Jennifer Garner as the voice of Mama Llama, Llama Llama tells the story of adventurous young Llama (voiced by Shayle Simons) and his best friends Nelly Gnu (Islie Hirvonen), Luna Giraffe (Vania Gill), and Euclid Sheep (Brenden Sunderland). Stories generally center on Llama coping with a challenge of some kind, from fretting over a change to dealing with a meanie at school. When he turns to Mama Llama for help, the two talk about his feelings and devise a constructive way of handling the situation.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21 ):
Kids say (5 ):

This sweet series is every bit as relatable and affirming as the books that introduced these delightful characters to millions of grateful fans. As in Dewdney's picture books, simplicity is key to Llama Llama's success. Everything from the classic animation style to the gentle dialogue serves to focus viewers' attention on the stories and their solid themes of friendship, family, kindness, self-expression, and self-control. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles here, but that's by design, and it works beautifully for the show's purpose.

Even without knowing the books, viewers will quickly fall in love with plucky Llama Llama, stalwart Mama Llama, and the assortment of other animal characters who populate these endearing stories. Happily, the tales lean heavily on the books' content for inspiration, so the episodes will look and sound familiar to fans who have read (or listened to) them, even if the conversational dialogue takes some getting used to after Dewdney's trademark rhyming verse. Perhaps best of all, such strong crossover between written word and screen entertainment is an excellent opportunity for parents to enjoy the heartwarming Llama Llama stories in both forms with their kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Llama Llama's relationships with his friends. How does he respond when he's upset by something someone else has done? How does it help for them to share their feelings with each other? Why is it important to consider other people's feelings?

  • Do Llama Llama and his friends always enjoy trying new things? Can doing so be scary? Exciting? Why is it important to be open to change? How can experiencing something new change you?

  • In what ways is Mama Llama a good role model for Llama Llama? What positive character traits do you see in her -- for example, empathy? How does she encourage Llama Llama to make good choices? Does he always like the advice and guidance she offers?

TV Details

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