Wishbone

Classic literature comes to life in this delightful public television series through an adventurous Jack Russell terrier named Wishbone. Our diminutive protagonist assumes characters ranging from Shakespeare’s King Hal to a member of a 17th century Plymouth plantation, and relates these historic tales to his real-life relationship with his owner, Joe. A solid ensemble cast and outstanding direction from executive producer Rick Duffield and producer Betty Buckley help transform a winsome canine into a time-travelling guide to the classics. Bert Guthrie (also director of photography) and Steven Kavner provide expert assistance as the show’s co-producers. Special mention is also made of a cast of talented writers and researchers, who help children understand the often complex corpus of historic literature. Motivating children to read, generating enthusiasm about the printed word and helping children develop a lifetime reading habit, are the primary objectives of Wishbone. Clearly, that objective is met in the charming television program and its corresponding book series. For providing an innovative and insightful look into literary classics, which invites both children and adults to discover the joys, adventures and surprises of reading, a Peabody statuette—and a wag of the tail—to Wishbone.