Watch Between the Lions

Between the Lions was a PBS children's television show that aired from 1999 to 2010. The show was aimed at children aged 4 to 7 and was designed to teach them literacy skills through the use of music, puppetry, and animation. The show was set in a library, called the Library Lions Den, where a family of lions lived. Cleo (played by puppeteer Jennifer Barnhart) was the mother lion, and Theo (played by puppeteer Peter Linz) was the father lion. They had two cubs, Lionel and Leona, who were played by puppets operated by puppeteers Tyler Bunch and Kathryn Mullen.

The show's format was set up like a variety show, with different segments and sketches that were woven together with a central theme. Each episode had a specific literacy focus, such as phonics, comprehension, or vocabulary. The segments were designed to teach these skills in a fun and engaging way, using songs, stories, and skits.

One of the show's most popular segments was called "The Vowelles". This segment featured puppets shaped like vowels singing and dancing to teach children about the sounds that vowels make. The vowels would interact with a puppet named Cliff Hanger, who would jump off a cliff and leave the story hanging, prompting the children to guess what would happen next.

Another popular segment was "Gawain's Word", which featured a knight puppet named Gawain teaching children about the meanings of different words. He would go on quests to find new words and bring them back to the library to share with Lionel, Leona, and the other library patrons.

The show also featured live-action segments called "Lions to Go", where the lions would visit different locations and teach literacy skills in real-world settings. For example, they might visit a bakery and teach children about reading recipes, or visit a fire station and teach children about the importance of reading signs and labels.

Throughout the show, the lions would interact with other puppet characters, such as a snooty dictionary named Dr. Ruth Wordheimer, a detective named Sherlock Hemlock, and a pun-loving mouse named Click. They would also interact with a human librarian named Ms. Crabtree, who was played by puppeteer Anthony Asbury.

Between the Lions was praised for its innovative approach to teaching literacy skills, using engaging and interactive methods that appealed to young children. It won multiple awards, including several Emmys, and was a beloved and influential children's television show.