Angela Santomero Released New Literacy Series

The creator of Blue's Clues has launched a new show to help young children develop early reading skills.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Primary Education

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a stack of children's books and a wooden cube block, evoking early childhood literacy.
Angela Santomero has launched a new early literacy series, 'Super Why's Comic Book Adventures,' focusing on phonetic instruction for young children. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Angela Santomero has released Super Why's Comic Book Adventures, an early literacy series designed for preschoolers and kindergarteners. The program aims to boost reading skills through phonics instruction in response to a decline in national reading scores.

Why it matters

The program addresses a documented drop in children's literacy levels by focusing on phonetic sounds to teach reading. It serves as a new educational resource for parents and educators seeking to support early childhood development.

Each 30-minute episode of the new series includes three seven-minute segments focused on phonetic sound breakdowns. The program is currently scheduled to air on weekdays at 9:30 a.m.

The players

Angela Santomero

She is a prolific television creator known for developing educational programs such as Blue's Clues and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

The details

The show features core characters including Super Why, Wonder Red, Princess Presto, Alpha Pig, and Power Paige. By breaking down words into phonetic sounds, the series builds upon the pedagogical approach established by Santomero's previous successful shows.

Timeline

  1. The original Super Why! series launched in 2007.

  2. A Halloween-themed episode is set to premiere on October 22.

Culture Shift

The rise of literacy-focused media for preschoolers reflects a broader societal reaction to falling reading proficiency among young students. This shift prioritizes structured educational content over general entertainment in response to data showing declines in core academic performance.

Parents in Bakersfield can access the new episodes on Valley PBS every weekday morning at 9:30 a.m. The program provides a structured routine to assist children with phonics at home.

The takeaway

Parents looking to support early literacy can incorporate this phonetic-based programming into their child's daily morning routine. The series offers a consistent 30-minute window for learning that aligns with established early childhood development goals.

What happens next

A Halloween-themed episode of the series is scheduled to premiere on October 22.

Further reading

Learn more about local learning initiatives in our Primary Education section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by KGET 17.

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