Arthur (season 4) facts for kids

D.W. really wants a book from the library. To get it, she needs her own library card, which means she has to learn how to write her name. Once she finally gets the card, the book she wants is already checked out! D.W. finds it very hard to wait for it to come back.

Arthur gets very angry with D.W. when she breaks his model airplane. He hits her, but no one seems to understand why he was so upset. To make things worse, the Tough Customers hear about it. They dare Binky to hit Arthur the next time he sees him.

Arthur and his friends find a snake in the woods. They secretly bring it into Arthur's room in a shoebox. But the snake escapes into Arthur's house! Arthur learns he can't keep snakes inside. The kids also can't remember if it's a dangerous coral snake or a harmless kingsnake. They try to find the snake without Arthur's family noticing.

Muffy and Francine are best friends, but they have different hobbies. Muffy doesn't like soccer, and Francine doesn't like shopping. When Francine and Jenna discover they both love soccer, Muffy starts looking for a new best friend. She wants someone who likes all the same things as her, but no one seems to be a perfect match.

D.W. gets poison ivy while playing with Arthur and Buster. She worries her classmates will tease her. Buster tells a story about how he found out he had asthma. When Buster learned about his asthma, his friends started treating him differently. Arthur was scared of dust, and Francine thought it was contagious. Buster explains he taught his friends about asthma with a science project, which makes D.W. feel better.

Muffy and Francine play tricks on Arthur, Buster, Binky, and Brain. They then invite them to a costume party at a haunted house. The boys try to get back at the girls with their own pranks. But their plans are accidentally messed up by real ghosts!

Arthur and his friends enter a contest to write a story for a TV show called Andy and Company. Each of them writes their own story, sure that theirs will win. Five years later, the results are in. The gang is surprised to find out that a girl named Holly Holland from Canadian, Oklahoma has won.

Note: This episode was based on a real contest. Viewers could send in ideas for an episode. Holly Holland, who is mentioned in the show, was the actual winner of that contest.

D.W. wants to show Arthur how smart she is. She hangs out with Brain, watching Nova with him. Then she starts her own science fair, full of facts that aren't true. Arthur can't prove her wrong, even with Brain's help. As a last idea, Arthur takes D.W. and Brain to a science museum. He wants to show her how things really work. D.W. then tells Arthur that this was her plan all along!

A big snowstorm hits Elwood City, and the power goes out for most people. Everyone has to stay at the Read family's house, which is the only one with power. But soon, the Reads lose their power too. Each family brings their own food and supplies. They all work together to get through the storm. Meanwhile, Francine has to write a three-page school report about pioneers. She can't figure out what to write. Then she realizes what the townspeople are going through is very similar to the struggles of pioneers.

Mr. Ratburn's roof gets damaged by snow, so he stays at Arthur's house. Arthur is worried it will be nothing but homework and lessons. But he finds out Mr. Ratburn is much more fun outside of school than he thought! When Arthur's friends tease him for being a "teacher's pet," Mr. Ratburn says he plans to stay at Arthur's friends' homes too, until his roof is fixed.

D.W. wants to show Arthur that she can tell a really good story. After getting some advice from Grandma Thora, she retells the famous story of the Odyssey in her own unique way.

Prunella gets two dolls for her birthday. She doesn't think much of the second one, which is from Francine. Later, Prunella thinks Francine ruined the party by not joining in the fun. That night, Prunella has a dream. The Ghost of Presents Past takes her through time to help her understand. It shows her how much effort Francine put into getting the doll. Prunella then realizes Francine was upset because Prunella didn't appreciate the gift.

Binky is working on a school project about butterflies. He becomes obsessed with catching a rare blue butterfly. But then Sue Ellen shows him that butterflies are often killed and pinned in museums. Binky decides to let his butterflies go free into the wild instead.

Francine enters a talent show. Her friends try to tell her that she sounds terrible when she sings and plays the drums at the same time. Even though she's a good drummer, her singing isn't great. After she hears a recording of herself, she realizes her friends are right. At the talent show, she surprises everyone by singing very well without her drum set.

The Father's Day picnic in Elwood City is coming up. Arthur and his friends try to find a substitute father for Buster because his own dad is away. At the picnic, Buster surprises everyone by arriving with his father in a hot air balloon!

Prunella really wants "flash pants." Her sister, Rubella, predicts she's getting them for her birthday. But Prunella is disappointed when she gets a watch instead. Prunella doesn't want to be seen without flash pants, especially since she told Muffy she was getting them. Meanwhile, Arthur is afraid of being teased for wearing his dad's old jacket, as he's outgrown his own winter coat. Together, Prunella and Arthur learn that they don't have to hide because of what they wear.

Arthur and his friends each find the same metal bobbin, but they don't know what it's for. Still, it helps them in different ways. Muffy uses it to get her toy from a sewer. Francine uses it to help her cat Nemo get over his fear of water. Brain uses it as a wheel for his model plane. Buster even gets an idea for a story for his favorite TV show. They argue over it, then find out it's Mr. Ratburn's bobbin. They learn what it does at his puppet show.

Buster is usually very funny, but he wants to be good at something else. Arthur, on the other hand, wants to be funny like Buster. This leads to them acting like each other! Francine, Muffy, and Brain try to get them back to their normal selves.

The Elwood City Library needs a musician for their children's show. Francine's father suggests hiring Joshua Redman, who is Francine's uncle and can play anything. Grandma Thora takes D.W. to a concert, and D.W. wants Yo-Yo Ma to play. This causes a disagreement about music styles. But both musicians show that all kinds of music are great!

Guest stars: Yo-Yo Ma and Joshua Redman appear as themselves.

Arthur enjoys a TV show that's meant for kids younger than him. His friends tease him for being a "baby" because of it. Arthur convinces them to watch the show too. In the end, they all admit that they actually like it!