MPT Helps Develop PBS Kids Animated Series With Autistic Main Character

Move over, “Bluey” and “Paw Patrol”—there’s a new lovable animated animal in town, and this one’s breaking barriers on children’s TV. Created by author and illustrator Zachariah OHora for PBS KIDS, “Carl the Collector” features a neurodiverse cast, with the titular Carl being the network’s first autistic main character.

Maryland Public Television (MPT) has played a key role in the development of this show, aiming to introduce it to classrooms and give parents resources to talk about autism with their children. The show is available to DMV residents through MPT and WETA.

“It’s not a show about autism, or only for kids with autism. It’s a show for everyone,” says Krista Respass, senior managing director of early childhood education at MPT. Respass was responsible for guiding the development of “Carl the Collector” -based resources for parents and teachers, which are now used across the country.

We spoke with Respass to learn about the collaboration between MPT and PBS Kids and how “Carl the Collector” encourages autism acceptance.

How did the collaboration between PBS KIDS and MPT come about? What made MPT want to support the show?

When we were approached for this, we were so excited that it wasn’t even a question if we would or not. The show is so meaningful and important. The producers talked to a lot of local stations around the country, and our colleagues at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, who we’ve worked with in the past, made a recommendation for them to talk to us. We really hit it off, and had such a clear, shared passion and vision for supporting kids and families with this show. It’s been such a great partnership.

What is the difference between autism awareness and autism acceptance?

You might be more familiar with the term “Autism Awareness Month,” which was used for a very long time, but there’s been a shift more towards thinking about autism rather than just building awareness. It’s grown so prevalently in so many families, so we’re really trying to move more towards acceptance. It’s more likely than not that we all know someone in our lives who has been impacted by autism, and accepting people as they are is really the theme of “Carl the Collector,” differences and all. It’s about being inclusive, as opposed to just being aware.

How does “Carl the Collector” promote autism acceptance?

What I think is really so important about the show, and what makes it resonate so well with families, is that it’s very authentic. The show is created with writers, animators, staff members and even child voice actors who are on the spectrum. People who authentically live this life are involved with creating the show and its stories. But the show isn’t about having autism, it’s about friendship, kindness, inclusivity and empathy. It’s all the qualities we want to foster and support in young children.

How might kids with autism see themselves in Carl?

PBS Kids did a series of screenings for parents and their children, and we did a few here locally. We produced some videos of parents of neurodivergent and neurotypical children, as well as those children and their siblings. They really connected with some of the stories. There’s an episode where Carl decides he has to tell his friends he has autism, and he’s very nervous about it. The children we talked to who have autism really connected to that, and so did the parents, because they’re trying to guide their children on how to do that.

When you’re a parent watching, and you know the behavior typically seen in autism, parents are picking up on that right away. And their kids are seeing their behavior reflected in a character, which is really important.

Could you tell me about the activities that have been created for parents and teachers as part of this collaboration?

We have worked with an expert team of advisors to look at all of the episodes, identify different social and emotional subjects across different categories. We create activities for educators to use in the classroom, where they can show clips of the show to their class to discuss. With each lesson, we include a letter that goes home with each student to let their family know what they learned today, and additional resources. There are several articles the advisors have written for parents which are on the PBS Parents website, so parents can continue the learning at home.

What has the response to the show been like?

The show has been so incredibly well-received, and it’s been embraced by both kids and families. Carl is a very lovable character, and these are situations that really resonate with a lot of families. Having this representation is also an important aspect of our work in media literacy overall. Media literacy in early childhood is a lot of different things, like developing healthy habits, but it’s also about having parents think about the quality of content they’re introducing, and the values of it. Is it providing representation for kids and families who want to see themselves, but also ways for kids to see and understand people who are different?

Carl the Collector parents page

Carl the Collector resources for teachers

PBS KIDS and the PBS KIDS Logo are trademarks owned by PBS. Used with permission. CARL THE COLLECTOR: ©2024 Fuzzytown Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Carl the Collector is produced by Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures.