TLC’s ‘ToddWorld’ teaches diversity, acceptance
Todd is an average kid. He loves skateboarding (while wearing a helmet) and drawing (which he does while sticking out his tongue a la Michael Jordan) and eating macaroni and cheese. When he’s enthused (which is often), he says, “Neato mosquito!”
He does have a couple of peculiarities, though.
His skin is a striking shade of Prussian blue. And he lives alone in a rambling, two-story doghouse. But those eccentricities only make him that much more special.
He’s the star of “ToddWorld,” a delightful addition to The Learning Channel’s commercial-free preschool programming block.
Everybody is a little different in “ToddWorld,” which is based on the artwork of Todd Parr, author of such children’s works as “The Mommy Book,” “The Okay Book” and “The Best Friends Book.”
Todd’s buddy Pickles has green skin and always wears a crown. Todd’s best friend is Benny, a multicolored pup with a circle around his eye (like Pete, the “Our Gang” mascot).
The animation is crude, drawn with a relaxed doodler’s hand, but it is spectacularly vibrant, with more bright hues than a pack of LifeSavers. Nothing is too square or severe in this setting. All is soft and forgiving.
Todd’s is a sometimes zany world where spiders dance the funky boogie, monkeys ride the carousel, flying saucers buzz around, squirrels carry purses, alligators play saxophones, porcupines like to square-dance and green hippos remind us to recycle.
The sweet core of this show, however, is its message. “ToddWorld” is all about diversity and acceptance. As its theme song, liltingly sung by Smokey Robinson, says: “It’s a colorful world we live in/ There’s a rainbow of faces everywhere.”
In one episode, for instance, Todd wants to build a fort, but after all his friends’ alterations, he hardly recognizes the joint. “If nobody’s going to listen to me, then I’m out of here,” he says, storming off.
Subsequent experiences teach him to be flexible and to accept the suggestions of others. For kids, “ToddWorld” is a wonderful destination. The primary lesson: Not only is it OK to be different, it’s neato mosquito.