Readalong facts for kids
Readalong was a popular Canadian TV show. It helped young children learn to read. The show started in 1975 on TVOntario. It had 90 episodes, each about 10 minutes long. The first episodes taught simple words. Later ones helped with harder reading skills. The last episodes focused on reading full sentences. Many kids in Canada and the United States watched Readalong. It aired through the 1980s and early 1990s.
Contents
What Was Readalong About?
This show taught reading basics. It used real kids, puppets, and cartoons. A friendly talking boot named Boot hosted the show. Jack Duffy was the voice of Boot. Another main puppet was a funny grandmother character named Granny. Max Ferguson voiced Granny.
Meet the Characters
More puppets joined the show later. One was a pink shoe named Miss Pretty. Julie Amato voiced Miss Pretty. Other puppets included Mister Bones, the Explorer, House, and the Thing. Max Ferguson and Jack Duffy voiced all these characters. Julie Amato also voiced a racing boot named Dynamite Donna.
Behind the Scenes
Readalong was a big success for TVOntario. It was sold to many countries around the world. The show's characters were created by Ken Sobol. He also wrote all the scripts for the series. The music for the show was made by Eric Robertson. Noreen Young designed the puppets for Readalong. She also created puppets for other TV shows.
Who Helped Make the Show?
Many talented people worked on Readalong. Here are some of them:
- Children actors: Reena Schellenberg, Moira Knott, Bobby Prochaska, Eric Braslis, Adrian Rajaram
- Puppeteers: Noreen Young, Bob Dermer, Nina Keogh
- Voices: Max Ferguson, Jack Duffy, Julie Amato
- Music: Eric Robertson
- Writer: Ken Sobol
Where Are the Puppets Now?
The original Granny, Boot, and Miss Pretty puppets are now kept at the Canadian Museum of History. They are an important part of Canadian television history.
