Did you know how nectar becomes honey? I didn't yesterday; however, thanks to The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, I do now. Dr. Seuss favorite, the Cat in the Hat made its PBS Kids debut yesterday, and after two episodes, I'm optimistic about its staying power.
The show's synopsis is simple: Sally and Nick mull over how the world works and the knowledgeable cat takes them on crazy adventures to find the answers to their questions. In today's episode, the group, along with Thing 1, Thing 2, and the skeptical Fish - all favorites from the book - shrink themselves to find out what goes on in an ant colony. They also build a bird's nest after they accidentally sit on one. They chat with the ants and birds to find out about their worlds and stay as true as possible to nature, attempting to build the nest exactly the way that a bird would.
I appreciated the accuracy. The show is silly but educational, and in a television world full of shows about friendship and social skills, this one is a much needed addition, teaching kids about science and nature. This one could be a keeper.
While PBS Kids already has Sid the Science Kid, The Cat in the Hat is a different audience. Sid is aimed at a pre-school audience; it's extremely primary, although perfect for its young viewers. The Cat in the Hat goes in-depth, learning specifics about how the world works. For example, where Sid would teach that different animals have different jobs, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That would explain how specific animals do them.
A bonus over the original Cat in the Hat book (if it's possible to improve upon Dr. Seuss) is that when the Cat quips "your mother will not mind at all if I do," this time the kids immediately ask permission from their mother. I will admit that has always bothered me when reading the Cat in the Hat that the kids let a stranger into their house and then try to hide the fact that they did so from their mother. I always just closed the book believing that Sally and Nick told their mother everything the second she walked in the door in order to pacify my concern. However, in this Seuss spin-off, the kids do nothing without their Mom's permission. If one has to mess with a classic, this was the best way they could have done it.
It's sweet and charming and excellent for its audience. I learned things in a half hour that I don't recall ever being taught in high school biology.
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That airs at 7 a.m. (CT) on weekdays. Central Texas residents can find it on KNCT. Or check out the PBS Kids The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That website.
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