Liberty's Kids is a cartoon on PBS about three kids caught up in the Revolutionary War. Each represents one side of the issue: James Hiller is a staunch Patriot, while Sarah Phillips is a Loyalist, and little Henri is a French boy supporting the American cause. Their benifactor is none other than Ben Franklin --voiced by the wonderful Walter Cronkite-- for whom the three works for as reporters for his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette. Along with the three kids is Ben's friend and helper, Moses, a freed black.
The show featured the voices of many famous people, including Arnold Swarzenager, Whoopie Goldberg, Ben Stiller, and Billy Crystal. James, Sarah, and Henri interviewed many famous people, and the show potrayed people like George Washington and Samuel Adams to be as human as any person.
The show took things one step at a time. For example, when Benadict Arnold first appeared, he was portrayed and treated like a normal man, and then, like a hero. Everyone thought him a good man, and on the American side. But when the episode came that revealed the truth --that he was a traitor that tried to give the plans to West Point to the English-- the show protrayed that part, too.
There were also games that you could play with James, Sarah, and Henri, and a newscast with Ben Franklin for the LNN (Liberty News Network), which played upon Walter Cronkite's experence as a real-life newscaster.
My avatar for the series is Jeune Louve, the Wolf Girl, from my fanfic of the same name. She is attacted to Henri, because he had been kind to her, and helped free her. The entire fic series I'm attempting to write centers on their attempts to teach her civilized ways.
She will never be completely civilized. She will always wear her white wolf pelt, and claw jewelry, and will always have a bit of the wildness about her. On the other hand, she will learn to read and write, and learn some basic math, science, and history. And, of course, learn to talk.
I like having an avatar in the world that I'm writing fanfic in. It makes it easier if I have eyes and ears in the fanfic universe that I'm writing about.
Besides the show, there are some books about the series. The first, Justise for All, puts together the first three episodes. Look for the books in your favorite bookstores.
Links
Liberty's Kids at PBS: The Liberyt's Kids Site at PBS Kids.
The Pursuing Happiness Forum. Takes up were the Liberty Forum and Libery Bell sites left off. Come join us for a chat!
Liberty's Kids Mailing List: Subscribe to my new Liberty Kids Mailing List.
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