Common Sense Selections

Common Sense recognizes outstanding entertainment with an official seal for quality and impact. Common Sense Selections include age-appropriate media with the potential to spark family conversations, entertain families of all kinds, and have a positive, lasting effect on society.

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Recent Honorees

Stella and Marigold book cover: Smiling older sister in a green and white polka dot shirt carrying her smiling younger sister piggyback
BOOK

Stella & Marigold, Book 1

age 6+

Imagination, illustrations shine in lovely sibling story.

By: Annie Barrows (2024)
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Dream Productions TV: Paula, Janelle and Xeni with their boss, a Unicorn and a dog, in front of the Dream Productions archway.
TV

Dream Productions

age 6+

Engaging series has complex characters, heart, mild peril.

Network: Disney+ (2024)
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Interior Chinatown TV show poster: Willis Wu is shown from below, seemingly shooting sideways from a Chinatown restaurant window
TV

Interior Chinatown

age 14+

Heart, great actors, swearing in weird, witty meta series.

Network: Hulu (2024)
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The Bletchley Riddle book cover: A motorcyclist rides against a sunset background, with code words and planes in the sky.
BOOK

The Bletchley Riddle

age 10+

Dazzling, absorbing WW2 historical novel cracks the code.

By: Ruta Sepetys , Steve Sheinkin (2024)
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The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals book cover: Some Old MacDonald type animals cluster around a townhouse with a perplexed man in a second story window
BOOK

The Man Who Didn't Like Animals

age 4+

Funny, sweet Old MacDonald origin story has great art.

By: Deborah Underwood (2024)
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Star Wars Skeleton Crew TV Show Poster: a collage of characters including Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern, in front of a starry universe
TV

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

age 9+

Frequent sci-fi violence in kid-focused Star Wars saga.

Network: Disney+ (2024)
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Our Oceans TV show poster: two sea mammals, cheek-to-cheek, looking in an underwater camera's lens
TV

Our Oceans

age 7+

Fantastic, entertaining ocean docu; animal peril, threat.

Network: Netflix (2024)
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Out of My Mind movie poster: Phoebe Rae-Taylor in a wheelchair in front of a blue sky.
MOVIE

Out of My Mind

age 10+

Strong emotions, positive messages in book adaptation.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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A Man on the Inside TV show poster: Charles (Ted Danson) speaks into a small recorder
TV

A Man on the Inside

age 13+

Charming comic mystery focuses on aging, community.

Network: Netflix (2024)
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The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland: Santa and others at table
MOVIE

The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland

age 5+

Cartoon falls, crashes in endearing book-based holiday film.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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Santa's First Christmas book cover: Santa and elves standing in his house decorating a giant Christmas tree
BOOK

Santa's First Christmas

age 3+

Warm images and kind elves are a new take on Santa's day.

By: Mac Barnett (2024)
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Spellbound movie poster: Monsters and their daughter.
MOVIE

Spellbound

age 8+

Teen girl faces peril, absent parents in animated tale.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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The Lost Children Movie Poster: children stand in jungle
MOVIE

The Lost Children

age 13+

Docu about kids surviving plane crash in the jungle; peril.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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A Stickler Christmas book cover: Smiling stick wearing a red hat while riding a deer in a snowy field
BOOK

A Stickler Christmas

age 4+

Beautiful images shine in kind story of simple gifts.

By: Lane Smith (2024)
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The Mothers of Penguins TV show poster: Two White women smile together
TV

The Mothers of Penguins

age 13+

Fighter mom and autistic son face life's challenges head-on.

Network: Netflix (2024)
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Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Movie Poster: An artist's portrayal of Christopher Reeve as Superman in close-up
MOVIE

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

age 11+

Moving, inspiring documentary about stardom and disability.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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Carl the Collector TV Series Poster Image: Carl, a cartoon raccoon, sits outside with a few of his collections in jars
TV

Carl the Collector

age 2+

Adorable animal friends and positive autism representation.

Network: PBS Kids (2024)
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An Almost Christmas Story TV: Side profile of white girl with black hair wearing a scarf, she holds a little brown owl. BG of blurred Christmas lights
TV

An Almost Christmas Story

age 5+

Touching Christmas special values friendship and listening.

Network: Disney+ (2024)
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Best Christmas Pageant Ever Movie Poster: The characters stand around a large Christmas tree
MOVIE

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

age 8+

Sweet, funny take on classic holiday book; some smoking.

On DVD/Streaming (Release Year: 2024)
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Jonty the Gentoo Book Cover: A penguin stands on just one of many ice floes in a turquoise blue sea near a ship and three seals
BOOK

Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin

age 4+

Playful tale of zoo gentoo in search of his natural habitat.

By: Julia Donaldson (2024)
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