Bookaboo
Encyclopedia
Bookaboo is a British
children's television series
for young children created and produced by Lucy Goodman of Happy Films, co-directed by Lucy with Ian Emes
and commissioned by Emma Tennant for CITV
. The 26 episode show features puppets, celebrities, picture books, songs and animation. Lucy Goodman created the show after researching the current global decline in parental reading in the home. Bookaboo is carefully crafted to inspire more children and grown ups to have fun sharing books together. Bookaboo is broadcast on Mini CITV in the UK and ABC2
in Australia.
The rest of the band (Growler on Bass Guitar, Paws on Keyboards)find Bookaboo on the Bookabus, ignoring all stage calls and engaged in the most extraodinary stage avoidance schemes (comedy sketches & songs). Despite their best efforts the band fail to persuade the rock pup back to the stadium. Luckily, a celebrity fan arrives with a picture book filled 'Bookabag' and settles down to share it. Bookaboo is mesmerised and enthralled by the story. It appears to cure his little 'problem'. As the book finishes, Bookaboo's gets his rhythm (he calls it his 'Bojo') back. With the celebrity fan cheering him on from the wings, Bookaboo delights the crowds with a stellar canine drum solo.
As the episode draws to an end, a electrified stage sign behind Bookaboo lets the grown up audience know:
Producer, Lucy looks for quality of writing and illustration together with variety across the books featured in the series. Funny books, silly books, slightly scary books, books that rhyme and books that challenge difficult issues. All books selected appeal to boys and girls.
Lucy also looks to offer celebrities books they will enjoy sharing and that they feel some some 'fit' with, for example
Books are available in all good book stores and stickered with Bookaboo's 'Share A Book Today' campaign sticker.
A full list of books featured to date is published below.
), pop stars (Melanie C Alesha Dixon
)and Grime star Lethal Bizzle
. Sportsmen and women have also supported Bookaboo's campaign to get more grown ups sharing books, including ex England goalie(David Seaman
), 4 times gold medal Olympic athlete(Dame Kelly Holmes) and boxing champ Ricky Hatton
. Actors and Actresses (Tamsin Egerton
, Keith Allen) and Presenters (Amanda Holden
, Robson Green
, Lorraine Kelly
, Fern Britton
) and comedians (Al Murray
, Julian Clary
, Omid Djalili
) have all shared a book with Bookaboo. Celebrities are both young and old such as Eastenders
young star Maisie Smith
9yrs old who encourages older siblings and Bernard Cribbens 82 yrs who helps enthuse grandparents to get sharing books with their little ones.
All celebrities become in effect, Storytime Ambassadors for Bookaboo's Share A Book Today campaign and have taken part as a result of their desire to help more children and grown ups share books together.
A full list of celebrities who have taken part to date is published below.
In 2009, Bookaboo partnered with Booktrust
and The Book People
to enable 13,000 books to be distributed to under 6 year old children in care.
In 2011, Bookaboo partnered with The Pre School Learning Alliance and a further 13,000 books are being distributed to nurseries in areas of disadvantage in the UK. Many children attending these nurseries do not have any books in the home and will be able to borrow the donated books as well as enjoying them in the nursery. The books are also to be used in adult literacy classes held in some nurseries, enabling more parents to be able to share books with their children.
1000 books per episode will continue to be donated to children who need them most on behalf of Bookaboo.
A pop-up book complete with sound chip called 'Pup Idol' is published by Walker Books
in the UK and Australia.
This band is permanently on tour. The band don't have homes, the road and the bookabus has become their home and the three pups are friends for life.
Two stories about their life on the road, "Puppies in the Pound" and "Dogs in Disguise" are published by Walker Books
in the UK and Australia together with two activity books.
Four further band members will eventually join the band to be revealed in later series'.
DVD's of the show are available in the UK (Abbey Media) and Australia (Fremantle).
The band constantly feature front page in a number of popular canine music and celebrity magazines such as 'Rolling Bone' 'Gerowl' and 'Woof'. They have also won a number of music awards including the Golden Bone award and the Little Puppy Pound Life Time Achievement award.
Bookaboo was designed by Paul Andrecjo and built by his team at Puppet Heap in Hoboken, New Jersey. Bookaboo is puppeteered by Marcus Clarke.
Growler was introduced in Series 2 UK. He was designed and built by Puppet Heap and is puppeteered by Paul Andrecjo.
Paws was designed and built by Puppet Heap and is puppeteered in the UK by Brian Herring.
Bookaboo's drum solo is performed by Alex Toff who also puppeteered Bookaboo's arms for his drum solo. Alex Toff whilst dressed up in a lycra chromakey green body fitting suit, described the job as 'the weirdest session he'd ever done'.
Songs to date include:
Bookaboo has already sold to ABC2 Australia and is being distributed by Fremantle Media Enterprises.
announced their commission of a part live-action and part animated series to promote child and adult literacy in the UK, in support of the National Year of Reading 2008. Bookaboo was commissioned by Emma Tennant, Controller of CITV and ITV3. The series, created and produced by Lucy Goodman will be directed by Lucy Goodman and Ian Emes
for Happy Films. Tennant also acts as the executive producer for ITV.
The 13 part CITV
series launched on Monday 2 March 2009 on the CITV channel and originally aired three times a day, broadcast every weekday at 12:15, 15:20 and 17:45. The central character is a drum playing rock puppy called Bookaboo, who is inspired by picture books, so much so says "I just can't play without a story a day!".
In each 11 minute episode, one of bookaboo's celebrity fans goes back stage to the rock puppy's tour bus
, the 'bookabus', to see if they can tempt him back to stage by sharing a picture book with him.
In January 2009 ITV announced the list of celebrities who will be sharing a story with bookaboo; the list includes American rock singer Meat Loaf
, British actress Amanda Holden
, footballer David Seaman
, and former Spice Girl Mel C, comedians Al Murray
and Julian Clary
among others.
Alongside the series there will an online Bookaboo Book Club, live events and in store promotions. Marcus Clarke
is the puppeteer. The Bookaboo puppet was designed by Paul Andrejco and was built by Puppet Heap in Hoboken, NJ.
The show won the Preschool Live Action BAFTA for the 2009 British Academy Children's Awards.
A second series began airing from November 1, 2010, airing on both the CITV digital channel and ITV
. It also introduces Bookaboo's bandmates, Growler and Paws.
In 2009, Lucy Goodman and Ian Emes
received an RTS nomination. Bookaboo has since gone onto win the 2010 Broadcast Award for Best Children's Programme and the 2010 International Prix Jeunesse award in Munich.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
for young children created and produced by Lucy Goodman of Happy Films, co-directed by Lucy with Ian Emes
Ian Emes
Ian Ronald Emes is a British animator and film director, from Handsworth, Birmingham, England, known for his work with Pink Floyd, who have used his animated films as back-projections in concert and released them as extras on their DVDs...
and commissioned by Emma Tennant for CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
. The 26 episode show features puppets, celebrities, picture books, songs and animation. Lucy Goodman created the show after researching the current global decline in parental reading in the home. Bookaboo is carefully crafted to inspire more children and grown ups to have fun sharing books together. Bookaboo is broadcast on Mini CITV in the UK and ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
in Australia.
The Show
"A story a day or I just can't play!" says world famous, drum playing rock puppy, Bookaboo as he flounces off stage.The rest of the band (Growler on Bass Guitar, Paws on Keyboards)find Bookaboo on the Bookabus, ignoring all stage calls and engaged in the most extraodinary stage avoidance schemes (comedy sketches & songs). Despite their best efforts the band fail to persuade the rock pup back to the stadium. Luckily, a celebrity fan arrives with a picture book filled 'Bookabag' and settles down to share it. Bookaboo is mesmerised and enthralled by the story. It appears to cure his little 'problem'. As the book finishes, Bookaboo's gets his rhythm (he calls it his 'Bojo') back. With the celebrity fan cheering him on from the wings, Bookaboo delights the crowds with a stellar canine drum solo.
As the episode draws to an end, a electrified stage sign behind Bookaboo lets the grown up audience know:
- "1000 books per episode are donated to children who need them most"
Featured Books
Books featured in the show are carefully selected from approximately 500 that are submitted each series by top publishers across the UK. Selection criteria is simple - books must be truly enjoyable to share aloud for both children and adults.Producer, Lucy looks for quality of writing and illustration together with variety across the books featured in the series. Funny books, silly books, slightly scary books, books that rhyme and books that challenge difficult issues. All books selected appeal to boys and girls.
Lucy also looks to offer celebrities books they will enjoy sharing and that they feel some some 'fit' with, for example
- Meat Loaf shares a truly adventurous book called 'The Lamb Who Came For Dinner'
- Al Murray shares a funny book about farting called 'Pooh! Is that you Bertie?'
- A very pregnant Melanie C shared a beautiful book about unconditional love called 'No Matter What'
Books are available in all good book stores and stickered with Bookaboo's 'Share A Book Today' campaign sticker.
A full list of books featured to date is published below.
Celebrities
A wide variety of celebrities are invited to take part in the show to encourage grown ups from the broadest areas society to share books with children. Celebrities to date have been rock stars (Meat LoafMeat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
), pop stars (Melanie C Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon
Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records...
)and Grime star Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language...
. Sportsmen and women have also supported Bookaboo's campaign to get more grown ups sharing books, including ex England goalie(David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
), 4 times gold medal Olympic athlete(Dame Kelly Holmes) and boxing champ Ricky Hatton
Ricky Hatton
Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
. Actors and Actresses (Tamsin Egerton
Tamsin Egerton
Tamsin Egerton is an English actress best known for her roles as Chelsea Parker in the 2007 film St Trinian's, Holly Goodfellow in Keeping Mum and Guinevere in the 2011 TV series Camelot.-Career:...
, Keith Allen) and Presenters (Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award...
, Robson Green
Robson Green
Robson Green is an English actor, singer–songwriter and presenter.-Biography:Robson Golightly Green was born in Hexham, Northumberland, and baptised in Bethel Chapel, , and named in Northeast tradition as first son after family surnames: Robson is his grandmother's maiden surname, while Golightly...
, Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
, Fern Britton
Fern Britton
Fern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :...
) and comedians (Al Murray
Al Murray
Alastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord, a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy...
, Julian Clary
Julian Clary
Julian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
, Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
) have all shared a book with Bookaboo. Celebrities are both young and old such as Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
young star Maisie Smith
Maisie Smith
Maisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :...
9yrs old who encourages older siblings and Bernard Cribbens 82 yrs who helps enthuse grandparents to get sharing books with their little ones.
All celebrities become in effect, Storytime Ambassadors for Bookaboo's Share A Book Today campaign and have taken part as a result of their desire to help more children and grown ups share books together.
A full list of celebrities who have taken part to date is published below.
Bookaboo Share A Book Today Campaign
26,000 books have been donated to disadvantaged children across the UK to date on behalf of Bookaboo and the publishers and celebrities taking part.In 2009, Bookaboo partnered with Booktrust
Booktrust
Booktrust is an independent British charity dedicated to encouraging people of all ages and cultures to engage with books. Established in 1992, it has received UK government funding since 2004, and inspired similar schemes in over 20 countries. In December 2010 it was announced that the government...
and The Book People
The Book People
The Book People is an independent British-based direct bookseller that reaches customers through a network of distributors, ecommerce websites and mail order catalogues. The company was established in 1988 by Ted Smart and Seni Glaister in Godalming, Surrey and now also has offices in Haydock,...
to enable 13,000 books to be distributed to under 6 year old children in care.
In 2011, Bookaboo partnered with The Pre School Learning Alliance and a further 13,000 books are being distributed to nurseries in areas of disadvantage in the UK. Many children attending these nurseries do not have any books in the home and will be able to borrow the donated books as well as enjoying them in the nursery. The books are also to be used in adult literacy classes held in some nurseries, enabling more parents to be able to share books with their children.
1000 books per episode will continue to be donated to children who need them most on behalf of Bookaboo.
Bookaboo Mission
After conducting considerable research into the benefits of sharing books at home and the cause of the current decline, Lucy Goodman created the following mission and then crafted a show around it.- Use television to promote book sharing at home by grown ups of all ages (grandparents, parents,family friends siblings etc).
- Reverse old fashioned perceptions of women only reading and inspire fathers to share books with their children.
- Reverse non-reading patterns of behaviour in ‘hard to reach’ families (namely C2DE social demographic).
- Remove preconceptions around books being only for bedtime. Books are for anytime!
- Give all grown-ups the confidence to discover how emotionally rewarding sharing a book with young children can be.
The Story behind the band
All current members of Bookaboo's band met in the dog pound as orphaned puppies. Their talent for music was uncovered by the pound owner and as a result they entered and won canine talent contest 'Pup Idol'. The puppy band set out to tour the globe on their tourbus, a converted library truck called the Bookabus and play to packed out stadiums around the world.A pop-up book complete with sound chip called 'Pup Idol' is published by Walker Books
Walker Books
Walker Books is an independent British publisher of children's books, founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker.The success of their Where's Wally? series enabled them to expand into the American market, starting a sister company called Candlewick Press in 1991.Amelia Edwards, co-founder of Walker Books,...
in the UK and Australia.
This band is permanently on tour. The band don't have homes, the road and the bookabus has become their home and the three pups are friends for life.
Two stories about their life on the road, "Puppies in the Pound" and "Dogs in Disguise" are published by Walker Books
Walker Books
Walker Books is an independent British publisher of children's books, founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker.The success of their Where's Wally? series enabled them to expand into the American market, starting a sister company called Candlewick Press in 1991.Amelia Edwards, co-founder of Walker Books,...
in the UK and Australia together with two activity books.
Four further band members will eventually join the band to be revealed in later series'.
DVD's of the show are available in the UK (Abbey Media) and Australia (Fremantle).
The band constantly feature front page in a number of popular canine music and celebrity magazines such as 'Rolling Bone' 'Gerowl' and 'Woof'. They have also won a number of music awards including the Golden Bone award and the Little Puppy Pound Life Time Achievement award.
Bookaboo
Bookaboo is a world famous rock puppy and legendary canine drummer. But Bookaboo has a little problem. Bookaboo looses his 'bojo' (his rhythm) and can not play unless he's been able to share a book with someone, hence his famous line "A Story a day or I just can't play".Bookaboo was designed by Paul Andrecjo and built by his team at Puppet Heap in Hoboken, New Jersey. Bookaboo is puppeteered by Marcus Clarke.
Growler
Growler is an American hound and talented bass guitarist. Whilst cooped up in an English dog pound (there's a backstory to this), he was fed a cumberland sausage and since then can't stop eating them. Growler has a particularly low voice and oddly pitched howl and growl. A backstory to be released reveals why he got called Growler.Growler was introduced in Series 2 UK. He was designed and built by Puppet Heap and is puppeteered by Paul Andrecjo.
Paws
Paws is a talented and extremely dexterous Dachshund keyboard player. To date we have seen Paws play keyboards and get retro with a keytar solo. But Paws can turn his canine digits to a number of instruments has been begging Management to add a saxaphone number to the set list.Paws was designed and built by Puppet Heap and is puppeteered in the UK by Brian Herring.
Music
The titles music, all of the songs and the majority of the incidental music is written, composed and mostly played by Mark Dyson. Mark Dyson and Lucy Goodman met at the age of 17 and have worked together on a variety of children's programmes ever since.Bookaboo's drum solo is performed by Alex Toff who also puppeteered Bookaboo's arms for his drum solo. Alex Toff whilst dressed up in a lycra chromakey green body fitting suit, described the job as 'the weirdest session he'd ever done'.
Songs to date include:
- 'Bookaboos Book Blues' - Bookaboo sings the Blues
- 'Sausages' - Growler rocks about his love of sausages
- 'Hey You Make Some Noise' - Anthem includes the line "if you rock with the pups then you're part of the band"
- 'Life on the Road'- ballard
Bookaboo Goes Global
Bookaboo is available to overseas broadcasters both as an acquisition (26 x 11 mins) and/or as a format enabling each territory to profile their own celebrities, authors and illustrators and help children achieve literacy in their own country.Bookaboo has already sold to ABC2 Australia and is being distributed by Fremantle Media Enterprises.
Background
In 2008 ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
announced their commission of a part live-action and part animated series to promote child and adult literacy in the UK, in support of the National Year of Reading 2008. Bookaboo was commissioned by Emma Tennant, Controller of CITV and ITV3. The series, created and produced by Lucy Goodman will be directed by Lucy Goodman and Ian Emes
Ian Emes
Ian Ronald Emes is a British animator and film director, from Handsworth, Birmingham, England, known for his work with Pink Floyd, who have used his animated films as back-projections in concert and released them as extras on their DVDs...
for Happy Films. Tennant also acts as the executive producer for ITV.
The 13 part CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
series launched on Monday 2 March 2009 on the CITV channel and originally aired three times a day, broadcast every weekday at 12:15, 15:20 and 17:45. The central character is a drum playing rock puppy called Bookaboo, who is inspired by picture books, so much so says "I just can't play without a story a day!".
In each 11 minute episode, one of bookaboo's celebrity fans goes back stage to the rock puppy's tour bus
Tour bus
A tour bus service is a bus service that takes visitors sightseeing, with routes around tourist attractions. Double-decker buses and/or open top buses are commonly used, for their good views....
, the 'bookabus', to see if they can tempt him back to stage by sharing a picture book with him.
In January 2009 ITV announced the list of celebrities who will be sharing a story with bookaboo; the list includes American rock singer Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, British actress Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award...
, footballer David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
, and former Spice Girl Mel C, comedians Al Murray
Al Murray
Alastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord, a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy...
and Julian Clary
Julian Clary
Julian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
among others.
Alongside the series there will an online Bookaboo Book Club, live events and in store promotions. Marcus Clarke
Marcus Clarke (puppeteer)
Marcus Clarke is a puppeteer and voice actor from Nottinghamshire. He is best known as the puppeteer and voice actor behind the BAFTA-winning ITV Kids series Bookaboo and the principle puppeteer of Audrey II in the 1986 version of Little Shop of Horrors. Clarke has worked as a puppeteer in over 60...
is the puppeteer. The Bookaboo puppet was designed by Paul Andrejco and was built by Puppet Heap in Hoboken, NJ.
The show won the Preschool Live Action BAFTA for the 2009 British Academy Children's Awards.
A second series began airing from November 1, 2010, airing on both the CITV digital channel and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. It also introduces Bookaboo's bandmates, Growler and Paws.
Series 1
| Book | Author/Illustrator | Guest | Occupation | Plot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lamb Who Came for Dinner | Steve Smallman and Joelle Dreidemy | Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
Singer | An innocent lamb shows up at the house of a hungry wolf. |
| That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown is a children's picture book written by Cressida Cowell and illustrated by Neal Layton, published in 2006. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Gold Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Booktrust Early Years Awards and longlisted for the Kate Greenaway... |
Cressida Cowell Cressida Cowell Cressida Cowell is an English children's author who wrote the Hiccup series of books.- Personal life :Cowell lives in London with her husband Simon, a former director and interim CEO of the International Save the Children Alliance; daughters Maisie and Clementine; and son Alexander... and Neal Layton |
Amanda Holden Amanda Holden Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award... |
Actress and Britain's Got Talent judge | The Silly Queen wants Emily Brown's toy rabbit whose name is not Bunnywunny, but Stanley. |
| Pooh! Is That You Bertie? | David Roberts David Roberts (illustrator) David Roberts is a British children's illustrator. He has illustrated a large number of books in both black and white and colour. His black and white work mainly features in books for older readers and he has worked with such well-known authors as Philip Ardagh , G.P... |
Al Murray Al Murray Alastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord, a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy... |
Comedian Comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... |
Bertie keeps farting in front of his mother, father, grandma, sister, and in the cafe. |
| No Matter What | Debi Gliori Debi Gliori -Life and career:She grew up as an only child in Glasgow, and when young began drawing and writing stories. She started writing children's books in 1976, and attended art school in Edinburgh from 1979 to 1984... |
Mel C | Singer | Big and Small talk about their love. |
| The Cow That Laid An Egg | Andy Cutbill and illustrated by Russel Ayto | Kym Marsh Kym Marsh Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside... |
Actress, currently in Coronation Street Coronation Street Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960... |
Marjorie lays an egg. The farmer tells the farmer's wife to ring the local press. The other cows say they think that Marjorie didn't lay the egg, the chickens did. |
| More Pants | Giles Andreae Giles Andreae Giles Andreae is a British poet, creator of the personae "Purple Ronnie" and "Edward Monkton". He is an artist and greeting card writer.-Life:... and illustrated by Nick Sharratt Nick Sharratt Nick Sharratt is a British illustrator and author of children's books, and was chosen to be the Official Illustrator for World Book Day 2006... |
Alesha Dixon Alesha Dixon Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records... |
Singer | A rhyming story in which a variety of people and animals show their pants. |
| Splat the Cat Splat the Cat Splat the Cat is a 2008 children's picture book by Rob Scotton.-Plot:Splat is so scared of his first day of Cat School that his tail moves with worry. He needs a friend so he takes his pet, a mouse named Seymour, with him to school. Mrs. Wimpydimple covers lots of topics such as self-esteem and... |
Rob Scotton | Ben Shepherd Ben Shepherd Ben Shepherd is an American musician, two-time Grammy Award Winner best known for playing bass in the grunge band Soundgarden from 1990 until the band's 1997 break-up... |
Musician/song-writer | Splat nervously starts school. |
| A Mummy for Owen | Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by John Butler | Fern Britton Fern Britton Fern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :... |
Presenter Presenter A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show... |
Owen and his family get split up by waves, will they get back together? |
| Norma Snows | Paula Metcalf | Kelly Holmes Kelly Holmes Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens... |
Olympic gold medallist | Norma has just been born and she starts school. |
| The Hairy Toe | Daniel Postgate | Julian Clary Julian Clary Julian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:... |
Comedian Comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... |
Old Woman finds a Hairy Toe which, she later learns, belongs to a monster. |
| Class Two at the Zoo | Julia Jarman Julia Jarman Julia Jarman is a British author of books for children of all reading ages and ability.- Background :Julia Jarman was born Julia Hudspeth in the city of Peterborough, and now lives in Riseley, Bedfordshire. She studied English and Drama at Manchester University and then qualified as a teacher... and illustrated by Lynne Chapman |
Robson Green Robson Green Robson Green is an English actor, singer–songwriter and presenter.-Biography:Robson Golightly Green was born in Hexham, Northumberland, and baptised in Bethel Chapel, , and named in Northeast tradition as first son after family surnames: Robson is his grandmother's maiden surname, while Golightly... |
Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... |
Class 2 see lots of animals at the zoo, but not the anaconda. |
| The Night Pirates | Peter Harris and illustrated by Deborah Allwright | Michael Rosen Michael Rosen Michael Wayne Rosen is a broadcaster, children's novelist and poet and the author of 140 books. He was appointed as the fifth Children's Laureate in June 2007, succeeding Jacqueline Wilson, and held this honour until 2009.... |
Author Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... |
A Boy discovers girl pirates borrowing the front of his house and goes along for an adventure with them. |
| Whatever | William Bee | David Seaman David Seaman David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury... |
Footballer | A boy is shown exciting things but always replies "...whatever". |
Series 2
| Book | Author/Illustrator | Guest | Occupation | Plot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burger Boy | Alan Durant and Mei Matsuoka Mei Matsuoka Mei Matsuoka is a Japanese-English children's illustrator and author.-Biography:Born in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan, Matsuoka spent the early part of her childhood there before moving to England at the age of 11, settling in the Cotswolds.... |
Johnny Vegas Johnny Vegas Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence... |
Comedian Comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... |
Boy turns into burger after a burger overdose. |
| Don't Wake The Bear, Hare! | Steve Smallman and Caroline Pedler | Myleene Klass Myleene Klass Myleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:... |
Singer, Model Model (person) A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art.... and Actress |
Animals try to throw a party without waking a bear. |
| Wolf's Magnificent Master Plan | Melanie Williamson | Adam Garcia Adam Garcia Adam Garcia is an Australian actor and tap dancer of partial Colombian descent .-Career:... |
Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... and Dancer |
Toothless Wolf tricks lambs into helping with moneymaking scheme to get replacement teeth, allowing the wolf to eat the lambs. |
| A Visitor For Bear | Bonny Becker and Kady Macdonald Denton Kady MacDonald Denton Kady MacDonald Denton is a Canadian writer and illustrator of children's books.Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was raised in Toronto... |
Samia Smith Samia Smith Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:... |
Actress | Bear doesn't allow visitors in his place, until some time after a mouse stops by. |
| The Wolf's Story - What Really Happened To Little Red Riding Hood | Toby Forward and Izhar Cohe | Keith Allen | Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... |
The Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood explains the events of the classic story from how he saw it all. |
| Grill Pan Eddy | Jeanne Willis Jeanne Willis Jeanne Willis is an author of several children's books, including The Monster Bed , the Dr. Xargle's Book of... series , and Shamanka... and Tony Ross Tony Ross Tony Ross is a British illustrator and author for children.He is most noted for his work with Francesca Simon on the Horrid Henry books, and has also illustrated the Harry The Poisonous Centipede and Dr. Xargle series of books... |
Lethal Bizzle Lethal Bizzle Lethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language... |
Rap artist | Mouse causes trouble for family. Family try to stop him, but end up adopting him as a pet. |
| Mom And Dad Glue | Kes Gray and Lee Wildsmith | Lorraine Kelly Lorraine Kelly Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:... |
Television Presenter | Boy's parents are breaking up, so boy tries to get some parent glue to resolve the issue. |
| The Bears In The Bed & The Great Big Storm | Paul Bright and Jane Chapman | Bernard Cribbins Bernard Cribbins Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active... |
Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... |
Bears have trouble sleeping on a stormy night due to presence of what is thought to be a monster. |
| Dogs Don't Do Ballet | Anna Kemp and Sara Oglivie | Tamsin Egerton Tamsin Egerton Tamsin Egerton is an English actress best known for her roles as Chelsea Parker in the 2007 film St Trinian's, Holly Goodfellow in Keeping Mum and Guinevere in the 2011 TV series Camelot.-Career:... |
Actress | Girl's pet dog is a talented ballerina, but everyone other than the girl doubts about dogs doing ballet. |
| The Spider and The Fly The Spider and the Fly The Spider and the Fly is a 1949 film directed by Robert Hamer. An unusual love triangle develops between two criminals and a policeman on the eve of World War I.-Plot:... |
Tony DiTerlizzi Tony DiTerlizzi Tony M. DiTerlizzi is an American fantasy artist, children's book creator, and motion picture producer.DiTerlizzi created The Spiderwick Chronicles series with Holly Black, and was an executive producer on the 2008 film adaptation of the series. He won a Caldecott Honor Medal for his adaptation of... |
Emilia Fox Emilia Fox Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox is an award-winning English actress, known for her role as Dr. Nikki Alexander on BBC crime drama Silent Witness, having joined the cast in 2004 following the departure of Amanda Burton. She also appears as Morgause in the BBC's Merlin beginning in the programme's second... |
Actress | Fly visits Spider's place, yet resists Spider's temptations, until eventually... |
| Kisses Are Yuk! | Julia Jarman Julia Jarman Julia Jarman is a British author of books for children of all reading ages and ability.- Background :Julia Jarman was born Julia Hudspeth in the city of Peterborough, and now lives in Riseley, Bedfordshire. She studied English and Drama at Manchester University and then qualified as a teacher... and E. Waters |
Omid Djalili Omid Djalili Omid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself... |
Comedian Comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... and Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... |
Boy expresses his disdain for kisses. |
| Stinky!: Or How the Beautiful Smelly Warthog Found a Friend | Ian Whybrow Ian Whybrow Ian Whybrow is a prolific writer of children’s books since his first was published in 1989. He has written over 100 books for children, has been translated into 27 languages and is published in 28 countries. When interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford on 24 March 2009 he stated that he had written 110... and Lynne Chapman |
Maisie Smith Maisie Smith Maisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :... |
Actress | Smelly Warthog has trouble making friends due to his foul odor. |
| Tortoise vs Hare: The Rematch | Preston Rutt and Ben Redlich | Ricky Hatton Ricky Hatton Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter.... |
Boxer Boxing Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds... |
The Tortoise and The Hare have another race as a rematch from the one before. |
Awards
The first series won the Children's BAFTA Award for 'Best Pre-School Live Action' programme in 2009. The second series received the same award title in 2011.In 2009, Lucy Goodman and Ian Emes
Ian Emes
Ian Ronald Emes is a British animator and film director, from Handsworth, Birmingham, England, known for his work with Pink Floyd, who have used his animated films as back-projections in concert and released them as extras on their DVDs...
received an RTS nomination. Bookaboo has since gone onto win the 2010 Broadcast Award for Best Children's Programme and the 2010 International Prix Jeunesse award in Munich.
External links
- Official Website
- Bookaboo at itv.com/citvItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...
- Bookashop - Featuring books featured in the series