Bunny Found on Child's Head Actually Inspires Reading; Educators and Parents Shocked!

Bunny Found on Child's Head Actually Inspires Reading; Educators and Parents
Shocked!

WASHINGTON, March 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Real video footage
documenting the event can be viewed here:
http://www.smarttelevisionalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=bunnytown
This unusual incident is not limited to Super Bunny from "Bunnytown."
Curious George, Edgar and Ellen, and Phineas and Ferb, among others -- all
popular children's television characters -- are getting into the action as
well. They are all recommending books for children to read and the importance
of literacy as part of a joint effort between the National Education
Association (NEA) and the Smart Television Alliance (STA) in support of NEA's
Read Across America project. NEA is the nation's largest professional
organization with 3.2 million members.
In a major contribution to this effort, Disney Channel has enlisted one of
its popular television characters, Super Bunny, star of the new Playhouse
Disney series, "Bunnytown," to help impart the importance of reading.
As part of NEA's annual Read Across America project (highlighted at
http://www.nea.org/readacross), Disney Channel produced a Public Service
Announcement exclusively for Smart Television Alliance promoting reading with
characters from the comedic hit Playhouse Disney series for preschoolers,
"Bunnytown."
"Bunnytown" was created and executive-produced by "Sesame Street" veterans
David Rudman and Adam Rudman, and Todd Hannert (each of Spiffy Pictures,
producer of "Jack's Big Music Show"), and is produced by Jim Henson Company
veterans, Martin Baker and Pete Coogan at Elstree Film Studios in the UK. The
series invites viewers to experience life through the eyes of the endearing,
giggly bunny residents of Bunnytown.
Author Sean Bryan and Illustrator Tom Murphy created the book, "A Boy and
His Bunny," published by Arcade Publishing that is featured in the short film.
It is a Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Winner 2005.
The book is a humorous way to show kids that being different can be a lot of
fun. The pair have also created "A Girl and Her Gator" and "A Bear and His
Boy". Due out next month is the "The Juggling Pug," a fun way to teach kids
how to juggle good behavior and the spotlight. All of these titles are
published by Arcade Publishing.
This special presentation can be viewed here:
http://www.smarttelevisionalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=bunnytown

This is also the first time that characters from a wide range of popular
children's television programs have come together to collectively promote book
reading by children.
The Smart Television Alliance is a new collaboration of national nonprofit
organizations dedicated to improving children's television programming. Led by
the NEA, National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), the largest volunteer
child advocacy association in the nation; and the National Council of Women's
Organizations (NCWO), a coalition of more than 200 organizations representing
over eleven million women, the STA promotes utilizing technology to take
control of TV viewing. This makes it easy for families to make and implement
smart viewing choices, watching shows recommended by children's media experts
on their family's schedule, and continuing learning beyond the program,
especially by reading.
The STA believes that TV can be both educational and entertaining so
teaming up with children's programs and publishers is a natural extension of
the STA mission.
The STA will soon be launching a nationwide campaign to engage parents to
take action around the summer's 155% spike in children's TV viewing. With
technology, parents can make smart choices for their families and continue
learning beyond quality programming.
For more information on the STA and to sign-up to receive Smart News, a
free twice-monthly e-newsletter, please visit:
http://www.SmartTelevisionAlliance.org
The STA is sponsored by TiVo Inc., the leader and pioneer in digital video
recorder technology, as part of the company's continued commitment to helping
families identify and manage television content in their homes.
STA will continue to partner with those sharing a common goal to use TV as
an educational tool. STA is beginning to partner with Zula Patrol, a highly
acclaimed children's television program on public broadcasting stations, to
encourage children to learn about science.
About Smart Television Alliance (STA)
The Smart Television Alliance is a new coalition of national nonprofit
organizations united by a shared commitment to improving what our nation's
children see on television. By accessing technology, controlling TV viewing,
and highlighting children's television programming recommended by children's
media experts, the STA seeks to help parents and caregivers make smart choices
for their families. By promoting the viewing of educational and informational
programming, STA seeks to build a market for more high quality children's TV
shows.
http://www.smarttelevisionalliance.org
About Playhouse Disney
Playhouse Disney, seen in a daily programming block on Disney Channel U.S.
and on ten Playhouse Disney channels around the world, encourages preschoolers
to imagine and learn through original series, short-form and acquired
programming that includes song, movement and entertainment. Guided by an
established curriculum, Playhouse Disney supports multiple areas of child
development: physical, emotional, social and cognitive; thinking and creative
skills, as well as moral and ethical development through carefully constructed
themes, storylines and endearing characters.
http://www.PlayhouseDisney.com
About National Education Association (NEA)
The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional
employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary
teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school
administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
http://www.nea.org
About Bunnytown
Disney Channel's newest series for preschoolers, "Bunnytown," a humorous
puppet variety show starring Superbunny, Li'l Bad Bunny, Space Bunny Sue,
Professor Doodlebunny, the Bunnytown Band and many more - will expand to a
daily telecast and new timeslot across the learning-focused Playhouse Disney
programming block beginning MONDAY, MARCH 24 (10:00 a.m. ET/PT daily).Set in a
bustling world where laughter rules and carrots are a close second, the
bunnies of "Bunnytown" create a fun-filled, comedic learning environment
alongside their comical human counterparts in the neighboring Peopletown.
Each half-hour episode features a wide range of original music representing a
rich panoply of musical styles including hip-hop, disco, country, cool jazz,
girl-group pop, klezmer, piano and guitar rag, and light opera.
http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/bunnytown/index.html
About "A Boy and His Bunny"
Author Sean Bryan and Illustrator Tom Murphy created the book, "A Boy and
His Bunny," published by Arcade Publishing that is featured in the short film
and is a Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Winner 2005.
The book is a humorous way to show kids that being different can be a lot of
fun! From the publisher: "How would you feel if one morning you woke up with a
big-eared, wet-nosed bunny on your head? Would you be surprised? And what
would you do if you learned the bunny's name was Fred? And he liked it there
on top of your head? You'd be different from your friends, who have nothing on
their heads, but hey! That's okay too." This charming fun-filled book about a
boy and special friend will delight young readers and enchant their parents as
well.
http://www.arcadepub.com/book/?GCOI=55970100328300
About Arcade Publishing
In 1988, we launched Arcade onto the choppy waters of a book climate that
many people warned us was perilous. Since then, we have brought to the North
American reading public works by 252 authors from 31 different countries. We
felt then -- and still feel -- that the purpose and justification of Arcade
was to have an image and voice all our own. We have published some 500 titles,
discovered dozens of new voices, and built a considerable and constantly
growing backlist. We have flown in the face of the marketplace, which
increasingly favors the tried and true over the new or challenging. If new
voices are not allowed to emerge, where will tomorrow's major writers and
bestsellers come from? Despite all this, however, our global fiction titles --
from countries such as Albania and Somalia -- have, thanks to the many major
reviews, gained an ever wider readership. At the end of our second decade, we
remain as enthusiastic and committed as ever, on a solid base that includes a
backlist that generates more than 25% of our annual volume, and with a
stalwart staff whose dedication to our authors and their works remains our
greatest asset.
http://www.arcadepub.com
SOURCE Smart Television Alliance

Christopher Turman of Smart Television Alliance, +1-202-256-8858,
cturman@natstrat.com; or Staci Maiers of NEA, +1-202-822-7823,
smaiers@nea.org