PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch
Encyclopedia
PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch was a three-hour block of shows on PBS
, produced by Canada's Nelvana
animation studio.
The block was typically shown on Saturday or Sunday mornings, depending on local station preference and scheduling. The various shows in Bookworm Bunch are based on then-popular children's books. The initial shows were Corduroy
, Elliot Moose
, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
, George Shrinks
, Seven Little Monsters
, and Timothy Goes to School
. The block premiered on September 30, 2000.
On September 29, 2001, the block was lowered to two hours, erasing Corduroy and Elliot Moose.
At the end of the 2001-2002 season, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse and Timothy Goes to School ended production, but reruns still aired until the block's cancellation.
In 2003, PBS scheduled a weekday version of the block, which included The Berenstain Bears
and new episodes of both Seven Little Monsters and George Shrinks. Berenstain Bears and Seven Little Monsters shared the same half-hour time-slot. Adventures from the Book of Virtues
also aired between the block.
In 2003, PBS launched the "Share a Story" ad campaign that aired between George Shrinks, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, The Berenstain Bears and Seven Little Monsters. The song used in the campaign was sung by popular American rock band They Might Be Giants
.
The block was cancelled in 2004, and was replaced by regular PBS Kids shows like Thomas and Friends and ZOOM
. The final airing was Labor Day Weekend of 2004.
After cancellation of the Bookworm Bunch block, a few of the shows continued to air as stand-alone programs, most notably The Berenstain Bears. As of 2009, the non-cable qubo
channel has been airing Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse and Elliot Moose as part of their daily programming. Cable channel Discovery Kids
also aired reruns of Timothy Goes to School from 2004 until 2006.
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, produced by Canada's Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
animation studio.
The block was typically shown on Saturday or Sunday mornings, depending on local station preference and scheduling. The various shows in Bookworm Bunch are based on then-popular children's books. The initial shows were Corduroy
Corduroy (TV series)
Corduroy is a 1997 animated TV series based on Don Freeman's 1968 children's book Corduroy. The show was shown on PBS Kids' Bookworm Bunch until it was cancelled along with Elliot Moose. The show was set in New York City. It was directed by Louis Piche and Larry Jacobs...
, Elliot Moose
Elliot Moose
Elliot Moose is a Canadian children's live-action and animated series which was aired on TVOntario in Canada and PBS in the United States as part of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch until it was cancelled....
, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
Marvin The Tap-Dancing Horse is a Canadian animated television show produced by Nelvana. It tells the stories of a young horse named Marvin who is part of a carnival. Among the Executive Producers are Michael Paraskevas and Betty Paraskevas, creators of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast who also...
, George Shrinks
George Shrinks
George Shrinks is a Canadian animated television series. It is based on the children's book by William Joyce, produced in China by Jade Animation and in Canada by Nelvana, in association with Public Broadcasting Service . It tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named George who, for unexplained...
, Seven Little Monsters
Seven Little Monsters
Seven Little Monsters is a children's television program produced by Suzhou Hong Yang Cartoon Co. Ltd. for Nelvana, and is about a family of seven monsters and their mother. The series is created by Maurice Sendak, and directed by Neil Affleck, Lynn Reist, and Glen Sylvester. Each monster is named...
, and Timothy Goes to School
Timothy Goes to School
Timothy Goes to School is a cartoon series based on the books by Rosemary Wells.It features a young raccoon, Timothy, who attends a fictional primary school kindergarten. The series aired on PBS Kids as part of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch from 2000 until 2004. It was later broadcast on Discovery...
. The block premiered on September 30, 2000.
On September 29, 2001, the block was lowered to two hours, erasing Corduroy and Elliot Moose.
At the end of the 2001-2002 season, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse and Timothy Goes to School ended production, but reruns still aired until the block's cancellation.
In 2003, PBS scheduled a weekday version of the block, which included The Berenstain Bears
The Berenstain Bears (2003 TV series)
The Berenstain Bears is a 2003 animated television series based on Stan and Jan Berenstain's children's book series of the same name. Although most of the earlier episodes in the series were based on the book series, later episodes were not based on any of the books.-Sypnosis:The series follows...
and new episodes of both Seven Little Monsters and George Shrinks. Berenstain Bears and Seven Little Monsters shared the same half-hour time-slot. Adventures from the Book of Virtues
Adventures from the Book of Virtues
Adventures from the Book of Virtues is an animated television series which originally aired on PBS Kids in the United States for three seasons, beginning in 1996 and ending in 2000. There was a two-year gap in between the second and third seasons. In 2008 the series aired twice daily on qubo...
also aired between the block.
In 2003, PBS launched the "Share a Story" ad campaign that aired between George Shrinks, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, The Berenstain Bears and Seven Little Monsters. The song used in the campaign was sung by popular American rock band They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
.
The block was cancelled in 2004, and was replaced by regular PBS Kids shows like Thomas and Friends and ZOOM
Zoom (1999 TV series)
ZOOM is an American educational television series, created almost entirely by children, which aired on Public Broadcasting Service originally from January 4, 1999 to June 24, 2005. It was a remake of a 1972 TV series by the same name. Both versions were produced by WGBH-TV in Boston...
. The final airing was Labor Day Weekend of 2004.
After cancellation of the Bookworm Bunch block, a few of the shows continued to air as stand-alone programs, most notably The Berenstain Bears. As of 2009, the non-cable qubo
Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
channel has been airing Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse and Elliot Moose as part of their daily programming. Cable channel Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids is an American website owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. created for children. Until October 10, 2010, it was an American digital cable specialty channel, owned by Discovery Communications with television programming for education of children. It was launched in October 1996...
also aired reruns of Timothy Goes to School from 2004 until 2006.
Programming
- Adventures from the Book of VirtuesAdventures from the Book of VirtuesAdventures from the Book of Virtues is an animated television series which originally aired on PBS Kids in the United States for three seasons, beginning in 1996 and ending in 2000. There was a two-year gap in between the second and third seasons. In 2008 the series aired twice daily on qubo...
- The Berenstain BearsThe Berenstain Bears (2003 TV series)The Berenstain Bears is a 2003 animated television series based on Stan and Jan Berenstain's children's book series of the same name. Although most of the earlier episodes in the series were based on the book series, later episodes were not based on any of the books.-Sypnosis:The series follows...
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- CorduroyCorduroy (TV series)Corduroy is a 1997 animated TV series based on Don Freeman's 1968 children's book Corduroy. The show was shown on PBS Kids' Bookworm Bunch until it was cancelled along with Elliot Moose. The show was set in New York City. It was directed by Louis Piche and Larry Jacobs...
- Elliot MooseElliot Moose (TV series)Elliot Moose is a Canadian children's live-action and animated series which was aired on TVOntario in Canada and PBS in the United States as part of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch until it was cancelled....
- George ShrinksGeorge ShrinksGeorge Shrinks is a Canadian animated television series. It is based on the children's book by William Joyce, produced in China by Jade Animation and in Canada by Nelvana, in association with Public Broadcasting Service . It tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named George who, for unexplained...
- Marvin the Tap-Dancing HorseMarvin the Tap-Dancing HorseMarvin The Tap-Dancing Horse is a Canadian animated television show produced by Nelvana. It tells the stories of a young horse named Marvin who is part of a carnival. Among the Executive Producers are Michael Paraskevas and Betty Paraskevas, creators of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast who also...
- Seven Little MonstersSeven Little MonstersSeven Little Monsters is a children's television program produced by Suzhou Hong Yang Cartoon Co. Ltd. for Nelvana, and is about a family of seven monsters and their mother. The series is created by Maurice Sendak, and directed by Neil Affleck, Lynn Reist, and Glen Sylvester. Each monster is named...
- Timothy Goes to SchoolTimothy Goes to SchoolTimothy Goes to School is a cartoon series based on the books by Rosemary Wells.It features a young raccoon, Timothy, who attends a fictional primary school kindergarten. The series aired on PBS Kids as part of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch from 2000 until 2004. It was later broadcast on Discovery...