WILBUR THE CALF AND HIS BARNYARD BUDDIES GO BACK TO THE BASICS IN HELPING PRESCHOOLERS DISCOVER THAT BOOKS ARE "MOOOOVELOUS!"
-- New Discovery Kids Series is Inspired by Three Moms Who Saw a Need to Prepare Young Children for Reading --
Books are fun. books are empowering. and according to Wilbur, an enthusiastic young calf who stars in Discovery Kids' new preschool series WILBUR, "Books are MOOVELOUS!" With a nostalgic red barn as a backdrop, a loveable crew of barnyard animals and cutting-edge puppetry techniques, Discovery Kids gets a jump-start on teaching early literacy skills to preschoolers with this captivating new series designed to nurture a love of books and reading. Kids who watch WILBUR will be treated to two original storybooks in each episode along with "moooo"sic that will give kids the building blocks for early literacy development. WILBUR debuts April 16, from 11-11:30 AM (ET) as part of Discovery Kids Channel's READY SET LEARN!, an award-winning, commercial-free programming block for preschoolers. Beginning April 23, the series also will air at 7:30 AM on TLC.
WILBUR was conceived by Jill Luedtke, Kim Anton and Tracey Hornbuckle, three moms who saw a need to enhance early literacy skills among very young children. The moms were inspired by a visit to a Utah farm where they met an adorable little calf named "Wilbur." They wanted to help lay a foundation for reading with young children and felt that a "back-to-the-basics barnyard" was the perfect setting. "Our goal with WILBUR is to help kids realize the books are fun!" said mom creators Jill Luedtke, Kim Anton and Tracey Hornbuckle. "We want kids to associate reading with pleasure which we know is a powerful motivating factor as they learn to read."
WILBUR uses the patented Shadowmation technique, as seen in shows such as It's a Big Big World and Bear in the Big Blue House, which uniquely allows the viewer to see full-bodied real puppets move seamlessly in an engaging three-dimensional virtual world.
In each episode, Wilbur and his barnyard buddies Dasha, an inquisitive duck; Ray, a flashy and opinionated rooster; and Libby, a sweet two-year-old lamb, find themselves in a new situation or dilemma. Wilbur knows that books are full of ideas and that they can help the barnyard buddies solve the problem. Wilbur then takes kids through the process of reading an actual storybook. From the moment his hoof scans the words, "Once upon a time.", the story literally comes to life, transporting viewers into an animated world. As Wilbur continues to narrate and turn each page, kids follow along as the storybook characters face a dilemma similar to the one back in the barnyard. For example, when Wilbur can't catch his friends while playing Blind Man's Bluff, a book helps him learn to use his other senses. And, when Dasha has trouble trying to make a pizza, a book about a hungry troll shows Dasha that all she needs is a recipe. When the barnyard friends don't solve the problem at first, Wilbur enlists the help of the kids saying, "Moo, Moo Moo! Is the answer in the book?" and the story is retold. This time, real kids retell the story in their own words and help Wilbur and his friends find the answer.
WILBUR was created in consultation with early childhood experts with the goals of helping young children increase their print recognition, oral vocabulary and listening comprehension. The series will help children develop the patterns, flow and nature of written language. The technique of seeing actual storybook text helps kids learn that the print on a page symbolizes words, that the words tell a story and that the pictures help represent what the words are saying. Kids will learn that books are read from left to right, top to bottom, and that if they want to find out what comes next, all they have to do is turn the page. Retelling each story also helps develop the early literacy skills of sequencing, story structure, identifying concepts and making inferences. And, finally, WILBUR helps reinforce that books are loaded with information that can help solve problems and shed new light on everyday situations.
WILBUR is a production of Mercury Filmworks, in association with Chilco Productions, EKA Distribution, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Discovery Kids. For Discovery Kids, Amy Sprecher, who brought WILBUR into the network, and Erin Wanner are executive producers. Marjorie Kaplan is the executive in charge of production.
The Discovery Kids Channel lets kids of all ages (from preschoolers to tweens and teens) explore their world from their point of view. This 24-hour digital cable channel, reaching more than 50 million households throughout the U.S., provides entertaining, engaging and high-quality real-world programming that kids enjoy and parents trust. Every day, kids can learn about science, adventure, exploration and natural history through documentaries, reality shows, scripted dramas and animated stories. With multiple Emmys as well as awards for quality children's television, Discovery Kids is committed to satisfying kids' natural curiosity about. well. everything.
