BOSTON, April 4, 2024 – GBH Kids today announced that ARTHUR, the iconic Peabody and Emmy Award-winning® PBS KIDS series, will launch a video short featuring Mychal Threets, the TikTok famous, award-winning librarian with a mission to spread the joy of public libraries. The short, “Arthur Meets Mychal the Librarian,” will be released on April 6th in celebration of National Library Day and ahead of National Library Week beginning April 7th.
“As a library kid, I’d always enjoyed Arthur Read books by Marc Brown and watching Arthur on PBS KIDS as the characters always felt like my friends,” said Mychal Threets. “Getting to work with the GBH Kids team was a dream come true and a phenomenal experience as I have a chance to speak directly to a character that has meant so much to me and help spread library joy.”
In the video short, Arthur misplaces his library card and worries that he won’t be able to check out any more books. Luckily, Elwood City’s substitute librarian, Mychal Threets, is here to help Arthur work through his stress and find his library card. It will be available to stream on PBS KIDS, pbskids.org, PBS KIDS YouTube, and Arthur Read YouTube. The short is produced by GBH Kids and their animation partner Hero4Hire Creative.
“Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card” has been a familiar catch phrase for Arthur fans since it debuted as part of a musical episode in 1998 and it has also been at the heart of Arthur’s mission to inspire kids to read and to go to the library. “We love Mychal’s message about spreading the joy and hope that can be found in public libraries and we were thrilled to partner with him on this short,” said Carol Greenwald, Senior Executive Producer, GBH Kids.
In 2020, GBH Kids created the ARTHUR digital short video series to give parents and families tools to talk about current events and other important themes for today's kids. With 10 video shorts part of this growing digital library, topics range from standing up for what’s right to the importance of voting to finding a trusted adult when having feelings of anxiety. Over the next several years, GBH Kids will produce additional new shorts to address timely topics families will be facing as well as everyday Elwood City adventures.
ARTHUR content is available to fans with more than 250 episodes, digital video shorts, and movie specials available in rotation streaming free on PBS KIDS (no subscription required), PBS KIDS Video app, with games available on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Game app, as well as “The Arthur Podcast” available on PBS KIDS, PBS KIDS YouTube, Arthur Read YouTube and all major podcast streaming platforms.
About ARTHUR
ARTHUR, based on the best-selling books by Marc Brown, is television’s longest- running children’s animated series. For 25 seasons, ARTHUR has remained one of the most popular and beloved weekday children’s series on PBS. Easily recognized by its timeless and joyful theme song, the iconic, award winning PBS Kids series has touched audiences around the world with its heartfelt and humorous stories about family, friends, and the challenges of growing up. ARTHUR is produced by GBH Boston. Funding for ARTHUR is provided by public television viewers. Corporate funding is provided by ABCmouse.com and IKEA Retail U.S. For more information, visit pbskids.org/Arthur and follow ARTHUR on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
About GBH Kids
GBH Kids is one of the top producers for public media, creating educational content for kids, parents, caregivers and teachers, including iconic PBS Kids programs such as the award-winning Arthur and Molly of Denali, digital series such as Scribbles and Ink, games, apps and podcasts. GBH Kids, based in Boston, also works closely with PBS LearningMedia, providing digital curricula for more than 2 million teachers across all 50 states. GBH Kids is committed to equity and access to educational media and the healthy development of all children. As the inventor of closed captioning and audio description, GBH is dedicated to making media accessible and inclusive. Find more information at gbh.org/kids.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. As the number one educational media brand for kids, PBS KIDS helps children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Through media and community-based programs, PBS KIDS wants children to see themselves uniquely reflected and celebrated in lovable, diverse characters who serve as positive role models, and to explore their feelings and discover new adventures along the way. Families can stream PBS KIDS for free anytime, no subscription required. A large collection of mobile apps and pbskids.org provide accessible content that spark kids’ curiosity. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn and grow – including their teachers and caregivers, parents, and community – providing resources accessible anytime and anywhere. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
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Media Contacts: GBH | Tara Mayes |
tara_mayes@wgbh.org | 617-372-4419
