Six new children's series based on popular titles from noted authors such
as Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, Don Freeman and William Joyce will be
produced by Toronto-based Nelvana for distribution by the Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS) as a weekend block beginning in fall 2000. The
six book titles upon which the new series will be based are: Maurice
Sendak's SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS, William Joyce's GEORGE SHRINKS, Don
Freeman's CORDUROY BEAR, Rosemary Wells' TIMOTHY GOES TO SCHOOL, Michael
and Betty Paraskevas' JUNIOR KROLL, and Andrea Beck's ELLIOT MOOSE. Maurice
Sendak's picture book, SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS is about kids who are all over
10 feet tall, and each "child" has his or her own special quality (one can
fly, another can twist off his head). Every show features a
different monster who confronts kid-sized concerns and discovers the best
way to cope with each situation. William Joyce's GEORGE SHRINKS is about a
character who is only three inches tall. Rosemary Wells' TIMOTHY GOES TO
SCHOOL is about a bashful five-year-old discovering his place in the world.
Betty and Michael Paraskevas' JUNIOR KROLL AND COMPANY is about a kid who
is sure of himself, and knows what he wants. Through Junior's entertaining
and kid-relatable perspective on our world, the series will help develop
both problem-solving and life skills in young viewers. Andrea Beck's ELLIOT
MOOSE combines animation and live-action in a series about a group of
stuffed animals that live in "The Big House" and call the playroom home. A
dog flap in the kitchen allows the toys easy access to the outside world,
where their adventures are limited only by the children's imagination. Don
Freeman's CORDUROY BEAR looks at the world from the point of view of an
urban child.