The Swallows and Amazons series is a series of twelve children's adventure novels by English author Arthur Ransome. Set in the interwar period, the novels involve group adventures by children, mainly in the school holidays and mainly in England. They revolve around outdoor activities, especially sailing. Literary critic Peter Hunt believes it "changed British literature, affected a whole generation's view of holidays, helped to create the national image of the English Lake District and added Arthur Ransome's name to the select list of classic British children's authors." The series remains popular and inspires visits to the Lake District and Norfolk Broads, where many of the books are set.
The Secret Garden is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in The American Magazine. Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels and is seen as a classic of English children's literature. Some of Burnett's other popular novels include Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Lost Prince and A Little Princess. Several stage and film adaptations have been made of The Secret Garden. The American edition was published by the Frederick A. Stokes Company with illustrations by Maria Louise Kirk and the British edition by Heinemann with illustrations by Charles Heath Robinson.
The Royle Family is a British sitcom produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series from 1998 to 2000, and specials from 2006 to 2012. It centres on the lives of a television-fixated Manchester family, the Royles, comprising family patriarch Jim Royle, his wife Barbara, their daughter Denise, their son Antony and Denise's fiancé David.
Brum, is a British children's television series about the adventures of a small, sentient vintage car named Brum. The series was originally narrated by Toyah Willcox, who also provided the voice for Brum and all the characters. The show aired for three series between 1991 and 2002 with two revived CGI series airing on YouTube in 2016. The show first aired on BBC One on the children's block, Children's BBC (CBBC), and later on CBeebies.
Betty Smith, known by the stage name Liz Smith, was an English character actress, known for her roles in BBC sitcoms, including as Annie Brandon in I Didn't Know You Cared (1975–1979), the sisters Bette and Belle in 2point4 Children (1991–1999), Letitia Cropley in The Vicar of Dibley (1994–1996) and Norma ("Nana") in The Royle Family (1998–2006). She also played Zillah in Lark Rise to Candleford (2008) and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the 1984 film A Private Function.
Feed the Kitty is a 1952 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. The cartoon was released on February 2, 1952, and introduces bulldog Marc Anthony and kitten Pussyfoot.
Next of Kin is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 15 May 1995 to 20 February 1997. It starred Penelope Keith in her last regular sitcom role. The plot follows well-to-do couple Maggie and Andrew Prentice who are forced to abandon their dreams of early retirement after they reluctantly become guardians of their orphaned grandchildren, after the death of their estranged son. It was written by Gavin Petrie and Jan Etherington.
Teresa Bryant is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by Karen Henthorn. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 28 March 2007. She made her final appearance on 14 May 2010, when she leaves Weatherfield after a failed relationship with Lloyd Mullaney.
Liz Kessler is an English writer of children's books, most notably a series about a half-mermaid named Emily Windsnap.
Microsoap is a children's sitcom, co-written by Mark Haddon and produced by the BBC in association with Disney Channel. A total of 26 episodes were made, lasting over four series, and airing from 1998 to 2001. It starred Suzanne Burden, Ivan Kaye, Paul Terry, Jeff Rawle and Rebecca Hunter. The program aired in the UK, the US, and internationally.
Emily Windsnap is a series of children's fantasy novels written by British author Liz Kessler, inaugurated by The Tail of Emily Windsnap in 2003 and continuing as of 2020. It is illustrated primarily by Sarah Gibb and published by Orion Children's Books in Britain, and Candlewick Press in America. The series originated as a poem that Kessler was writing about a "little girl who lived on a boat but had a big secret"; an editor recommended that Kessler turn the poem into a book.
Mandy was a British comic book for girls, published weekly by DC Thomson from 21 January 1967 to 11 May 1991. The majority of the stories were serialized, typically into two or three pages per issue, over eight to twelve issues.
Nancy Blackett is a fictional character in nine of the twelve juvenile novels in Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of books. She acts as captain of the dinghy, Amazon and usually directing her friends in their various adventures. Nancy apparently has no real-world counterpart as an inspirational source for Ransome but appears to be completely the author's creation. Nancy is sometimes critically viewed as a subversive character for girl readers. The character appeared in a 1963 BBC television adaptation of Swallows and Amazons as well as in the 1974 and 2016 film adaptations of the book.
"The Beast Below" is the second episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat and broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 10 April 2010.
Jake and the Never Land Pirates is an American animated musical and interactive preschool children's television series shown on Disney Junior. Based on Disney's Peter Pan franchise, this was the first Disney Junior original show following the switch from Playhouse Disney. It stars Sean Ryan Fox, Megan Richie, Jadon Sand, Kirsten Newlands, David Arquette, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett, Loren Hoskins and Dee Bradley Baker. The title character Jake was previously voiced by Colin Ford, and then later by Cameron Boyce. Izzy was voiced for the first three seasons by Madison Pettis and Kirsten Newlands. Cubby was voiced by Jonathan Morgan Heit. The series was created by Disney veteran Bobs Gannaway, whose works include Disney Junior series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and films such as Secret of the Wings, The Pirate Fairy, and Planes: Fire & Rescue.
Whistle Down the Wind is a musical based on the 1959 novel by Mary Hayley Bell, adapted by Richard Taylor and Russell Labey, with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor.
Marchlands is a British television series developed from the American television drama pilot The Oaks, written and created by David Schulner, and broadcast on ITV in 2011. A follow-up series, Lightfields, was broadcast in 2013. Each five-episode series explores the lives of three families, occupying the same house in different time periods. A restless spirit haunts the house, and the previous house owners appear to their successors as ghosts as well.
