AR Readers host the Macy's

Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Jonathon did you know Shrek made his grand debut flying high 2 years ago in the 81st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

That's true Nathan. Today he must be taking a break from his beloved swamp. He is literally larger-than-life.

Yes Jonathan...he looks spectacular.

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Angel, there's Hello Kitty. She is so cute!

She's not only cute, Laurelin, she's rich. She sells more than 1 billion dollars of merchandise a year! She also has her own theme park. It is an indoor theme park called Samrio Puroland located in Tokyo, Japan.

 

Wow, it's Billy Blaze..Super Hero. Isn't he awesome Patrick.

Yes, Troy. I think he is my favorite Super Hero. Did you know he is dressed like the New York City fire fighters? I think all fire fighters are heroes. They risk their lives to save others.

Hannah, here comes Dora and right behind her is Mr. Potato Head!

Oh, who doesn't love Mr. Potato Head, Mikayla.

I used to play with him all of the time. Ms. Sizemore says when she was little..they didn't have the plastic potato..she had to use a real potato.

Things certainly change over time.

 

Scooby, Scooby Doo..where are you? Jenna we don't have to ask that right now. Here he is!

 

That's right Joseph and if anyone has a mystery to be solved...I am sure Scooby Doo will be glad to help solve it!

 

 

 

Isn't this a great parade Mason?

 

Yes it is, Grace. It is hard to decide which float is my favorite.

I really like the Disney float behind us. I see Jasmine up there. I wonder if she has a magic carpet and we can go for a ride.

 

 

Catherine, I love Care Bears! Look there's Funshine Bear and Wish Bear.

 

Polly, the Care Bears were first introduced to the world by the American Greeting company in 1991. American Greetings makes all kinds of cards...birthday cards, get well cards, Christmas cards, etc.

The Care Bears were put on some of these cards. It wasn't until later they were made into stuffed toys and turned into a television show.

Children still love Care Bears today.

McKenzie, look at the Smurf. He is so cute and so big.

All of these floats look so big Ally. Did you know the Smurfs were created by a Belgium cartoonist named Peyo? They were in a series of Belgium comic strips back in 1958. But we know about the Smurfs because of an animated television series produced by Hanna Barbara in the 1980's.

The original Smurfs (1958) lived in a part of the world called "le Pays maudit" (French for "the Cursed Land"). To reach it required magic or traveling through dense forests, deep marshes, a scorching desert and a high mountain range. They lived in mushroom shaped houses. They traveled long distances by riding a stork.

The Smurfs' community is a cooperative, sharing and kind environment based on the principle that each Smurf has something he or she is good at.

McKenzie...that sounds like a place where I sure would want to live...except riding a stork long distance.....I would have to think about that one. Although I am sure it is cheaper than flying Delta.

In the nick of time, a hero arose
A funny-looking dog with a big black nose
He flew into the sky to seek revenge
But the Baron shot him down - "Curses, foiled again!"

Mikayla, this song was written by the Royal Guardsmen about Snoopy and his daydream of being a flying ace in WW I. It is called Snoopy vs the Red Baron.

Angelika, here's Snoopy now wearing his flying ace outfit.

What a dog!

 

 

Look who's behind us Jadie.

It's Grover! He isn't in the parade , but he is having fun watching it.

 

Yes, Katelyn, I think he is waving to his Sesame Street friends.

I like Grover because he's tough, but he also gets emotional. He tries very hard to help people, and do things right.

 

Jadie, I think we can all learn something from Grover.