September 10th, 2020 
Jackson Murphy 
It’s premiere week of the new PBS Kids animated series Elinor Wonders Why. The show, which was developed for children ages 3-5 (but is fun for those even older), is about a group of animal friends who enrich their curiosity about the wonders of life. Creators Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson are excited for families to be entertained and inspired by Elinor, which airs weekdays at 10:30am and again at 1:30pm. (This interview was conducted as an email Q&A.)
Jackson Murphy: Jorge, how much of your daughter Elinor is in the sweet Elinor character?
Jorge Cham: A good bit. We were both inspired by our kids in coming up with the show, but for Elinor Rabbit I was really inspired by my daughter’s energy, her persistent curiosity, and her joyful enthusiasm. All kids are curious, of course, but maybe not all of them know how to express it, so our hope is that kids see Elinor and her friends’ curiosity and think, “hey, I’m curious about that, too!” and get inspired to follow their own curiosity in their lives.
JM: What was the process in choosing child actors who could voice the characters well AND sing?
Daniel Whiteson: We were looking for a diverse group of actors whose voices expressed that earnest curiosity that children have about the world. We were lucky to find actors who can convey that and who can sing with sincere joy and relatability so that kids at home feel comfortable singing along.
JM: The songs are descriptive without being challenging for kids to follow. How were you able to find that balance?
JC: The songs are a great way to engage kids and also drive home the main lesson of each episode, so we try to keep them focused on just one idea and use simple and direct language. Then we let our awesome composers (Asher Lenz and Stephen Skratt) turn them into catchy songs. Usually the songs come at the moment of discovery, so they naturally help to recap the lesson.
JM: My grandma’s favorite animal was an owl. She collected figurines of them. What was the inspiration behind choosing an owl for the Costume Day episode?
DW: Owls are amazing! It’s easy to get kids interested in them because they live an upside-down life by sleeping during the day, so they very naturally spark curiosity. Featuring an owl was a great way for Elinor to learn about nocturnal animals and to discover how the forest comes alive at night.
JM: Having interstitials is something we don’t see a lot in animation today. What value do you see in these?
JC: Interstitials are great because they give the half hour a nice breather in the middle, and they also let us go a little deeper into one the topics of the episodes. Sometimes they’ll add a bit of context, or give further examples related to one of the lessons.
DW: We have two types of interstitials, each of which spotlights one of the fun characters in the kids’ world and let us add different kinds of lessons. Ms. Mole has a short storybook moment, which gives us a way to share amazing science facts. Sr. Tapir sings a song, which lets us tell a story about a real scientist and make the science a bit more personal.
JM: I think children’s picture books with Elinor and her friends are destined to happen. Was that the look you were going for with the animation?
JC: There are definitely plans for picture books, which we are excited about. For the look, we were aiming for something that felt natural and calming, as opposed to overloaded or frenetic. The Nature theme of the show also plays a big role, in that we want Nature to feel beautiful and real and accessible. I have a comic strip background, so for me classics like Pogo and Calvin and Hobbes were definitely an inspiration. It helps to have amazing artists like the ones at Pipeline Studios to make it all come together.
JM: I’m older than the target demographic, but some of the cute, clever dialogue genuinely made me laugh (along with Elinor wearing bunny slippers). How important is it to make sure you’re keeping the adults engaged as well?
DW: It’s very important! We know that parents sometimes watch with their kids, so we wrote lines which were intended as a wink to the experience of parents of curious kids. Our goal is for the show to be an experience that kids and their parents can enjoy together, sparking conversation and curiosity in the whole family!
JM: How does it feel to have this show debut on the coveted PBS Kids lineup during a time when youngsters may be at home most or all of the day?
JC: It’s an incredible honor and a responsibility we always take very seriously.
DW: We know that parents have a lot of trust in PBS Kids to educate and entertain their children, and we want to continue in that tradition and build upon it.
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