A Super-sized Push

Samantha Freeman Alpert and Angela C. Santomero had a successful run producing animated series Blue's Clues for Nickelodeon, so following the 100th episode, when the network didn't need more shows, the pair decided to start their own production company—New York-based Out of the Blue Enterprises. While Freeman and Santomero still produce special Blue's Clues episodes for Nickelodeon—like the new, 10-episode Blue's Room series or the one-off Meet Blue's Baby Brother—this year they have unveiled their inaugural preschool series, Super Why!, which premiered on PBS Kids! in September.

Produced in conjunction with Canada's Decode Entertainment and C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures Inc., the show, targeted towards ages 3 to 6, follows the adventures of 6-year-old Whyatt Beanstalk, the younger brother of Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Whyatt and his fairytale buddies live in Storybrook Village, a 3-D town hidden behind the library bookshelves that's home to classic fairytale characters such as Red of “Little Red Riding Hood,” Littlest Pig from “The Three Little Pigs” and Princess Pea of “The Princess and The Pea.” Each has his or her own Super Reader alter ego that gives the character special powers to jump into other classic kids' tales, such as “Pinocchio” and “The Frog Prince.” PBS has signed on for 65 episodes of the series.

“We designed Super Why! to inspire preschoolers to learn to read and develop a lifelong love of books,” Santomero tells Playthings. “The program effectively connects with young viewers and opens the door for them to discover answers to everyday questions and problems, helping to build self-confidence in their budding reading ability as they go.”

With that goal in mind, the company works with a team of educators to develop its storylines, paying particular attention along the way to edits the different fairytales may need in order to more closely meet today's cultural standards for kids, Freeman Alpert explains.

“If you go back and read some of the [original fairy] tales, they're not always age-appropriate. So we make age-appropriate versions that parents can feel comfortable with,” Freeman Alpert says.

The series was funded, in part, by a Ready To Learn grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the U.S. Department of Education, as part of an initiative focused on increasing literacy skills for children ages 2 to 8, particularly kids from low-income families. As part of that mandate, Out of the Blue and PBS Kids! launched an extensive community outreach program this summer that saw Super Why! Reading Camps bring literacy-based fun and learning to five markets around the country. A broader roll-out of that program will occur in 2008. The series is also being supported by a national educational outreach campaign that features a tailored set of series-inspired learning materials designed for use by parents (and at literacy events) to help caregivers and educators make the most of the program's benefits.

On TV, the freshman series' placement couldn't be more prominent, slotted in the midst of the preschool-oriented PBS Kids! programming block, where it's bracketed by established series like Curious George, Dragon Tales and Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Since Super Why! is primarily concerned with teaching kids to read, its creators will look to stay true to this message when it comes to the categories into which the series is merchandised. This includes publishing, where pop-up books, earlyreaders and electronic learning aids that teach reading skills are high on the list of potential product tie-ins. Toys is another sought-after category for Super Why! licensing. At press time, the company was in talks with Fisher-Price, as well as specialty manufacturers like RC2 and Briarpatch, about possible toy deals. Typical preschool categories such as bedding and apparel are also likely areas for future product expansions. The company's vision is for a limited assortment of licensed merchandise to reach retail in 2008, followed by a full-blown product push in 2009.