Molly of Denali facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Molly of Denali
Genre	Children's television series Animated sitcom
Created by	Dorothea Gillim Kathy Waugh
Directed by	Uwe Rafael Braun Amanda Strong
Voices of	Sovereign Bill Sequoia Janvier Zane Jasper Vienna Leacock Jules Arita Koostachin Ronnie Dean Harris Lorne Cardinal Adeline Potts Nash Weekusk
Composer(s)	Steve D'Angelo Terry Tompkins Lorenzo Castelli Adam Damelin Rocco Gagliese David Conlon Joseph Coupal
Country of origin	Canada United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	79
Production
Executive producer(s)	Dorothea Gillim Trevor Bentley
Producer(s)	Olubunmi Mia Olufemi Elizabeth Thorsen Anthony Bostler Rayna Helgens
Running time	23–25 minutes
Production company(s)	Atomic Cartoons GBH Kids
Release
Original network	PBS Kids (United States) CBC Kids and TVOKids (Canada)
Original release	July 15, 2019 (2019-07-15) – present

Molly of Denali is a fun animated TV show for kids. It's made by GBH Kids and Atomic Cartoons. The show was created by Dorothea Gillim and Kathy Waugh. It first aired on July 15, 2019, on PBS Kids in the United States and CBC Kids in Canada. This show is special because it's the first national children's show in America to have an Alaska Native girl as the main character!

Each episode is about 23-25 minutes long. It often includes a short live-action part filmed in Alaska. This part shows real kids and families living in Alaska.

The show has been very successful. It won a Peabody Award in 2020. It also won an Emmy Award for its writing in 2023 and 2024 for the episode "Not a Mascot." Many people praise the show for showing Alaska Native culture in a great way.

The show has had four seasons so far. Season 2 started on November 1, 2021, and Season 3 on November 7, 2022. Season 4 premiered on March 25, 2024. The creators announced on May 9, 2025, that the show's production would end after its fifth and final season.

What the Show is About

The series follows a girl named Molly Shahnyaa Mabray. She is an Alaska Native and lives in a made-up village called Qyah. You'll meet her family, her friends Tooey Ookami and Trini Mumford, and her Malamute dog, Suki. Molly's family runs a store called the Denali Trading Post. The show also helps kids learn reading and communication skills by showing how Molly and her friends use different kinds of information.

Meet the Characters

Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in Molly of Denali:

• Sovereign Bill as Molly Mabray: She's the main character! Molly is from different Athabascan groups. She has a blog where she shares about life in Alaska. Her Native name, Shahnyaa, means "one who informs us." She also has a loyal sled dog named Suki.
• Sequoia Janvier (season 1), Zane Jasper (seasons 2–3), and Nash Weekusk (season 4) as Tokone "Tooey" Ookami: Tooey is Molly's best friend. He is part Yupik, Koyukon, and Japanese. His last name means "wolf" in Japanese!
• Vienna Leacock as Trini Mumford: Trini is Molly's other best friend. She moved to Qyah all the way from Texas.
• Jules Arita Koostachin as Layla Mabray: Molly's mom.
• Ronnie Dean Harris as Walter Mabray: Molly's dad.
• Lorne Cardinal as Grandpa Nat: Molly's wise and fun grandpa.
• Adeline Potts as Auntie Midge: Another important family member in Qyah.
• Nyla Carpentier as Atsaq: Tooey's mother.
• Taran Kootenhayoo as Randall: Molly's cousin.

Episodes and Adventures

Molly of Denali has many exciting episodes! Each one takes Molly and her friends on new adventures while teaching about life in Alaska and the importance of reading and understanding information. The show has aired in a different order in Canada and the United States. Here's a quick look at the seasons:

Series overview

Behind the Scenes: How the Show is Made

The catchy theme song for Molly of Denali is sung by Phillip Blanchett and Karina Moeller from the band Pamyua. You can also hear a fiddle and drum played by Brennan Firth in the music. A special part of the show is that some of the talking is in the Gwichʼin language. This helps share the culture of the Alaska Native people.

Many talented people helped create Molly of Denali. At least 88 different Indigenous contributors worked on the show. This ensures the stories and culture are shown accurately and respectfully.

Where to Watch and Listen

Molly of Denali first aired in Canada on CBC Kids on September 2, 2019. In the United States, it premiered on July 15, 2019, on KM TV.

There's also a podcast series that came out after the show started. The podcast tells stories that happened before the TV series. Season 2 of the podcast came out in September 2020, and Season 3 premiered on March 3, 2021.