To Mom (And Dad), with Love

Apple wants us to ignore the devastation broken homes cause, and just pretend that when kids don't have a mother and father they don't miss anything. It's one thing to offer up yet another dud with "To Mom (and Dad), With Love" but to do so while staining the work of Charles Schulz is an abomination.

Charlie Brown invites Peppermint Patty to coach the football team. She starts losing the kids. Everyone is more excited about the upcoming Mother's Day. That's everyone except Peppermint Patty. She does not have one.

This one gets rather serious and it's a great Peppermint Patty special. I do not know if this subject matter was ever approached in any other previous material. I wonder if this is going to be a big story element in the future. That may be where these specials could go. They could expand on the family stories of the other characters. The moment Peppermint Patty starts talking about her situation is so powerful. It's a change of tone but well worth it.

To Mom (and Dad), with Love is a funny and heartwarming animated film about different types of families and how not every family is the same. This 40-minute story featuring the much-loved Peanuts gang appeals to all ages -- old and new fans alike - and will pull you in with its bright colors and sweet storyline. The film has an original point of view on Mother's Day because the main protagonist, Peppermint Patty, doesn't have a mom, though the reason isn't specified. Audiences can only tell that she has a dad, who is very special to her.

The story of To Mom (and Dad), with Love jumps from character to character as each does something original for Mother's Day. The main character, Peppermint Patty (voiced by Lexi Perri), has to find her own way to celebrate a holiday that has always been hard for her. By the end, Patty figures out how to celebrate her own unique family. This film shows almost every character celebrating Mother's Day. Lucy (Isabella Leo) tries to make an art project; Charlie Brown (Tyler Nathan) and his sister, Sally (Hattie Kragten), experiment with a lot of ideas; and other characters, including Snoopy (Terry Mcgurrin) and Woodstock (Rob Tinkler) do something creative and unique for their families, too!

To Mom (and Dad), with Love has a theme of embracing differences and being yourself, as well as celebrating moms (and dads) and caretakers in whatever form they take.

I give To Mom (and Dad), with Love 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 14, plus adults. It releases on Apple TV May 6, 2022, just ahead of Mother's Day! By Samantha P., KIDS FIRST!