"Frog and Toad"

Stephanie Prange

January 27, 2023

Apple has announced its spring lineup of new original series, specials and returning content for kids and families. 

The new lineup will kick off on March 31 with the animated series “Eva the Owlet,” inspired by the best-selling book series from Scholastic. The new series “Jane,” from Emmy Award winner J.J. Johnson, Sinking Ship Entertainment and the Jane Goodall Institute, launches April 14; and “Frog and Toad,” based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters of over five decades, launches April 28. 

Also on tap are new seasons of “Pinecone & Pony” on Feb. 3; “Pretzel and the Puppies,” featuring the voice talents of Emmy nominee Mark Duplass and Nasim Pedrad, on Feb. 24; animated series “Harriet the Spy,” starring SAG Award nominee Beanie Feldstein and Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch, on May 5; and Peabody and Daytime Emmy Award-winning series “Stillwater” on May 19. The “Sago Mini Friends” Earth Day special will launch on April 14. 

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

Also, more classic Peanuts titles, including “A Charlie Brown Valentine” will be made available to fans, many for the first time in decades. 

New and returning original series and specials for kids and families premiering globally on Apple TV+ include (in air order):

• “Pinecone & Pony,” season two (of eight) of which premieres Feb. 3, is based on the book “The Princess and the Pony” by New York Times best-selling author Kate Beaton and hails from DreamWorks Animation. The animated comedy for kids and families is about a young warrior-in-training, Pinecone, and her best friend Pony, whose adventures together teach them how to be brave in the face of adversity, to speak truth to power, and what it truly means to be a hero. 
• The “Peanuts Classics” special A Charlie Brown Valentine premieres Feb. 9. In the special from Mendelson/Melendez Productions and Peanuts Worldwide, warm and fuzzy feelings fill the air and an inspired Snoopy writes poems about Valentine’s Day. Charlie Brown tries to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl. Sally and Lucy hope to get cards from their crushes. Peppermint Patty asks “Chuck” to the dance. 
• The animated “Pretzel and the Puppies,” season two of which premieres Feb. 24, features Pretzel, the world’s longest dachshund and a playful, supportive dad to five frisky puppies. Together with his wife, Greta, they encourage their pups to get their paws up to solve problems and “make their bark” on the world. The series stars the voice talents of Emmy nominee Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”), Nasim Pedrad (“Chad,” “Aladdin”) and newcomers Milo Stein, Alex Jayne Go, Max Mitchell, Amari McCoy and Gracen Newton.
• Prior to the launch of the new season of “Stillwater,” Apple TV+ will premiere three new shorts on the platform March 15 that will also be made available for non-subscribers on Scholastic’s YouTube. In time for International Panda Day, viewers can follow Jasper the cat in “Jasper’s Journey” on a mindful journey through Stillwater’s garden, join Stillwater in “Making Waves” as he makes new patterns in his Zen garden, and watch Karl join Stillwater in “Breathing” to learn how breathing can help make him feel better when he has angry feelings.
• New animated series “Eva the Owlet” premieres March 31. The series is based on the New York Times best-selling Scholastic book series “Owl Diaries” by award-winning author Rebecca Elliott. “Eva the Owlet” stars Eva, a creative, cheeky owlet who lives next door to her best friend Lucy in the woodland world of Treetopington. With big ideas and an even bigger personality, Eva goes on high-flying adventures, expressing herself in her journal along the way.
• “Jane,” which premieres April 14, is a new live-action-CGI blended, 10-episode, mission-driven series for kids and families inspired by the work of Dr. Jane Goodall from Emmy Award winner J.J. Johnson (“Ghostwriter” “Dino Dana”), Sinking Ship Entertainment and the Jane Goodall Institute. Ava Louise Murchison (“Reacher”) stars as Jane Garcia, a 9-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her imagination, Jane takes her best friends David, played by Mason Blomberg (“Shameless”), and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world because, according to her idol Dr. Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.” The cast also includes Tamara Almeida (“Secrets at the Inn”), Dan Abramovici (“Wayne”), newcomer Jazz Allen, and Sam Marra (“Stumptown”).   
• The “Sago Mini Friends” Earth Day Special premieres April 14. In “Treasure It,” an old lunch box finds new life when Harvey transforms it into a treasure box full of unique items for his friends. Produced by Spin Master Entertainment, animated by 9 Story Media Group’s Brown Bag Films — Toronto, and based on the award-winning Sago Mini World app, developed by Sago Mini, the animated preschool series “Sago Mini Friends” is a nod to gratitude, featuring Harvey the floppy-eared dog and his best friends Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit and Robin the bird. Along with a unique cast of residents, the four friends play, explore, imagine and celebrate daily in their joyful town of Sagoville.
• In the new animated series “Frog and Toad,” which premieres April 28, Frog and Toad are best friends who know that the true secret to friendship is not only enjoying the things you have in common, but embracing the things that make you different. “Frog and Toad” is based on the Caldecott and Newbery Award-winning four-book series by Arnold Lobel published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. The voice cast includes Academy Award winner Nat Faxon (“Our Flag Means Death,” “The Connors”) and Emmy Award nominee Kevin Michael Richardson (“The Simpsons,” “Family Guy”) as Frog and Toad, as well as appearances by Ron Funches (“Trolls”), Fortune Feimster (“Good Fortune,” “Kenan”), Cole Escola (“At Home with Amy Sedaris”), Aparna Nancherla (“The Great North”), John Hodgman (“Up Here”), Yvette Nicole Brown (“Disenchanted,” “Act Your Age”), Stephen Tobolowsky (“The Goldbergs”), Emmy Award nominee Tom Kenny (“SpongeBob SquarePants”), Selene Luna (“Coco”), Emmy Award nominee Margaret Cho (“Fire Island“) and Betsy Sodaro (“Duncanville”). 
• “Peanuts Anthology III,” new to Apple TV+ and premiering May 5, features more classics available to watch from Mendelson/Melendez Productions and Peanuts Worldwide in the Peanuts Classics collection, including “It’s an Adventure, Charlie Brown,” “It’s Spring Training, Charlie Brown,” Emmy Award winner “Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown,” “Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown,” Emmy Award nominated “Play it Again, Charlie Brown,” Emmy Award nominated “Snoopy’s Getting Married, Charlie Brown” and Emmy Award winner “You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown.” 
• Season two of “Harriet the Spy” premieres May 5. Based on the iconic children’s novel chronicling the coming-of-age adventures of the irrepressible Harriet M. Welsch and produced by the Jim Henson Company, the animated series stars Beanie Feldstein (Lady Bird, Booksmart) as Harriet, a fiercely independent and adventurous 11-year-old girl, alongside Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Ole Golly, Harriet’s larger-than-life, no-nonsense nanny. Set in 1960s New York when the original book was published, “Harriet the Spy” follows the outspoken and perpetually curious Harriet, who more than anything, wants to be a writer. In order to be a good writer, she thinks she’ll need to know everything, and to know everything means she’ll need to spy — on everyone. In season two, viewers follow Harriet as she navigates letting go, growing up, and celebrating the gift of today. Joining Feldstein and Lynch, the series features Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) as Marion Hawthorne, the ringleader of a group of popular girls at Harriet’s school, and additional voice cast Kimberly Brooks (“Baby Shark’s Big Show”), Crispin Freeman (“Young Justice”), Grey Griffin (“The Loud House”), Bumper Robinson (“The Owl House”) and Charlie Schlatter (“Big Nate,” “For All Mankind”). Guest stars this season include Jaeden Martell (It), Emmy Award winner Brad Garrett (“High Desert,” “Bupkis”), Emmy Award nominee Michelle Trachtenberg (“Gossip Girl”) and more.
• Season three of “Stillwater” premieres May 19. The Peabody and Daytime Emmy Award-winning series centers on siblings Karl, Addy and Michael, who encounter everyday challenges, which sometimes feel insurmountable. Fortunately, they have Stillwater, a wise panda, as their next-door neighbor. Through his example, stories and gentle humor, Stillwater gives the children a deeper understanding of their feelings as well as tools that help them face their own day-to-day challenges. “Stillwater” is based on the award-winning and bestselling Scholastic book Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth and is produced by Gaumont and Scholastic Entertainment.