Olive, Elinor and Ari in Animal Town
Pipeline Studios, SHOE Ink
Multiplatform Show Inspires Preschoolers and Parents to Ask Questions and Experience the Joys of Nature and Curiosity Together
Arlington, VA, July 30, 2020 - Preschoolers and their families from coast-to-coast will take a trip to Animal Town this Labor Day with the premiere of the newest PBS KIDS series, ELINOR WONDERS WHY. The animated show encourages children to follow their curiosity, ask questions, figure out the answers, and learn about the natural world around them using their science inquiry skills. The multiplatform series, created by celebrated cartoonist and robotics engineer, Jorge Cham, and physicist and educator, Daniel Whiteson, produced in partnership with Pipeline Studios, will debut nationwide on PBS stations, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and PBS KIDS digital platforms Monday, September 7, 2020, with a special one-hour premiere that kicks off a week of new episodes.
In the upcoming premiere, Elinor, the most curious and observant bunny rabbit in Animal Town, plays hide-and-go-seek with her friends and finds out how animals hide in nature; investigates a strange nighttime sound made by an owl and realizes many fascinating creatures are doing interesting things at night; makes Backyard Soup with vegetables from her family's garden; and sells lots of cupcakes by learning how flowers attract bees, through color and smell, and applying those concepts to baking.
We're so excited to invite audiences nationwide into the fascinating world of Animal Town and introduce them to Elinor and her friends as they ask questions and explore the remarkable ways that our everyday lives are connected to nature, said Linda Simensky, Head of PBS KIDS Content, PBS. Kids learn best when their parents and caretakers are engaged in their learning. ELINOR WONDERS WHY will spark preschoolers' curiosity with an innovative science inquiry curriculum and will encourage the adults in children's lives to help them answer their questions by exploring together.
ELINOR WONDERS WHY helps give parents the confidence to say, I don't know the answer. Let's explore it together,' said Whiteson. Asking questions and investigating the answer are at the core of scientific discovery, and we designed the series to model and encourage children, parents and educators to do just that together.
Much like my own daughter, Elinor, who inspired the series' main character, kids everywhere love to wonder about things around them and find out the answers, said Cham. Our hope is that the show will help foster the natural curiosity of young children and make them want to explore and learn, just like Elinor and her friends do in these stories.
Developed for children ages 3-5, ELINOR WONDERS WHY centers on the adventures of Elinor and her pals, Ari, a funny and imaginative bat; and Olive, a perceptive and warm elephant. As young viewers explore Animal Town along with Elinor, Ari and Olive, they will meet all kinds of interesting, funny, and quirky characters, each with a lesson to share about respecting others, the importance of diversity, caring for the environment and working together to solve problems. Elinor models the foundational practices of science inquiry and engineering design in each episode, using her amazing powers of observation and willingness to ask questions. When she encounters something she doesn't understand, like why birds have feathers or how tiny ants build massive anthills, she perseveres until she figures it out. In discovering the answers, Elinor often learns something about nature's ingenious inventions and how they can relate to aspects of our designed world, as well as what it takes to live in a community.
The one-hour premiere on September 7 includes these four stories:
Hiding in Plain Sight
Elinor and her friends are playing Hide-And-Go-Seek at recess, but no matter where they hide, the Goat twins always seem to find them. The kids decide they need a to find a better way to hide, so they observe some animals who are camouflaged, prompting Elinor to realize that she, Olive and Ari can use their shapes, colors and patterns to hide themselves in plain sight, so that the Goat Twins cant spot them.
Owl Girl
Elinor isnt sure what shes going to be for Costume Day, but it has to be something INTERESTING. That night, Elinor is awakened by a strange Whooo! sound coming from outside, so she and her mom go out to investigate. While looking for the source of the strange sound, Elinor is surprised at how many things are happening outside at night while she sleeps. Suddenly, they hear the sound again and look up to see an owl soaring in the sky, which inspires Elinor to figure out exactly what she wants to be for the costume parade.
Backyard Soup
Elinor loves making Backyard Soup, because all the ingredients come from their backyard garden. She's eager to try the same recipe when she visits her grandma and grandpa, but their backyard is a lot different than Elinors, because they live in the desert. Elinor learns that different plants grow in different environments as she makes a whole different Backyard Soup with her grandparents, where the main ingredient is cactus!
Colorful and Tasty
Elinor and her friends are selling lots of yummy cupcakes, but the problem is no one is buying any. The kids dont understand whats wrong, because everyone loves cupcakes. After observing how flowers attract bees through color and smell, they go back to their bake sale and decorate the table with fantastic colors, and use a fan to spread the aroma of the cupcakes. Before they know it, the place is buzzing and they sell every cupcake!
The new series comes to PBS KIDS from co-creators Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson. Cham is the cartoonist behind the popular online comic Piled Higher and Deep
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Olive, Elinor and Ari in Animal Town
