The Woofits facts for kids

The Woofits is a fun series of children's books from the 1980s. They were written by Michael Parkinson, a well-known British TV and radio host. The stories are about a family of dog-like creatures called Woofits.

These characters are anthropomorphic, meaning they act and talk like humans. The Woofits live in a made-up Yorkshire village called Grimeworth. This village is based on real places where Michael Parkinson grew up. Most people in Grimeworth are Woofits, but humans also appear in the stories.

The Woofits Books and TV Show

The Woofits series became popular in the 1980s. It included several books and even a cartoon TV show.

The Books

Four main books were first published in 1980 by Collins of London:

• The Woofits Day Out
• The Woofits Play Cricket
• The Woofits Play Football
• The Daily Woofit

Besides these books, there were also Woofit Annuals published from 1980 to 1983. These annuals often had new stories. Sometimes, the stories in the annuals moved the Woofits from Grimeworth to Batley. In these stories, the Woofits worked at a wool factory and were from Scotland.

The TV Show

In 1981, Yorkshire Television turned the Woofits stories into a cartoon series. It was shown on ITV during lunchtime for young children. Michael Parkinson himself narrated the cartoons.

• The first series had 6 episodes and aired from April 30 to June 4, 1981.
• The second series had 12 episodes and aired from February 11 to April 29, 1982.

Meet the Characters

The main Woofit family members lived in three terraced houses on Grimeworth Street. Here are some of the most important characters:

Number 8

• Grandpa Ironside and Grandma Emily: They are the oldest and wisest members of the Woofit family.

Number 10

• Uncle Athelstone: He works as a miner and loves gardening. He is also the leader of the Grimeworth Colliery brass band.
• Uncle Gaylord: Athelstone's brother. He won the football pools (a type of lottery) and thinks he is very fancy or "posh."

Number 12

• John Willy Woofit: He is Grandpa Ironside's son and also a coal miner. He plays the trombone in the brass band.
• Lavina: John Willy's wife.
• Elton: Lavina and John Willy's son. He dreams of becoming a famous pop star.
• Angela: Elton's sister. She wants to be a TV newsreader.
• Gershwin: Elton's pet dog.

Other Characters

You might also meet other characters in the stories, such as:

• Baskerville Woofit: The editor of the Daily Woofit newspaper.
• Cluff Woofit: The manager of the local football team.
• Sergeant Fox: The local policeman.