Families looking for fresh screen time that actually sparks imagination have a new slate to mark on the calendar. The Zhana Corporation has formally unveiled four pilot programs headed to its Zhana+ TV platform, each built around books, puppets, cartoons and hands-on discovery. This isn’t just a programming drop — it’s a deliberate push to turn passive viewing into active storytelling, with a lineup that ranges from literary talk shows to pirate adventures.
Bookshelf Revue with Chapter DuRaptor and Literary Adventures in Puppetry are set to begin streaming on November 17, 2026. They will be followed on December 8, 2026 by Cartoon Workshops with Prof. Mark and Terry the Chipmunk. Each pilot offers a distinct way to discover the world of stories.
Streaming November 17, 2026:
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Bookshelf Revue with Chapter DuRaptor — Books become conversation starters in this half-hour show hosted by Chapter DuRaptor, “The Reading Reptile,” featuring interviews with authors, illustrators, and characters from modern and classic books. In the pilot, Prof. Mark Smith appears in puppet form to discuss The Lost World Adventures. Dorothy shares a favorite scene from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Terry the Chipmunk recounts his storybook exploits. Between interviews, actor and infomercial spokesperson Stephen Cheese provides comic interruptions.
Literary Adventures in Puppetry — Classic literature comes to life through a cast of puppet people, animals, and sometimes monsters. The pilot adapts Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, beginning with “Captain Flint’s Map.” Young Jim Hawkins encounters the mysterious Billy Bones at his mother’s inn, receives a warning about a one-legged seafaring man, and becomes caught up in a dangerous search for a lost treasure map as pirates close in.
Releasing December 8, 2026:
Cartoon Workshops with Prof. Mark — Go behind the scenes of cartoon-making through a short film, a flip book demonstration, and the step-by-step construction of a Peti the Parrot puppet. Faced with delivering four new streaming pilots, Prof. Mark turns to his Cartoonyville Crew for inspiration and brings private detective Undercover Al along. Production Manager Albalis Smith also shows the miniature sets and photographic backgrounds created for The Muddy Hole.
Terry the Chipmunk — Cheerful host Terry introduces children’s stories about animals and birds, with adventures involving friendship, accepting help, and unexpected encounters. In Terry’s own story, irresistible acorns lead him into a predicament that tests his willingness to accept help from his friend Venus. The Muddy Hole follows a grieving student whose encounter with a stray dog takes an unexpected turn. In Peti’s Friends, Peti the Parrot and an unlikely band of helpers face a thunderstorm that threatens birds and park visitors.
Discover a world of stories together on Zhana+ TV: Bookshelf Revue with Chapter DuRaptor and Literary Adventures in Puppetry arrive November 17, 2026, followed by Cartoon Workshops with Prof. Mark and Terry the Chipmunk on December 8, 2026. All four pilots invite families to explore, share, and enjoy imaginative storytelling. Four pilots. A world of stories for families to discover together.
About Cartoonyville Studios
Cartoonyville Studios brings illustrated characters to life through animation, puppetry, and imaginative storytelling. For more than five years, the studio has partnered with The Zhana Corporation to bring the characters of Bryant Person’s The World of Blinky and Friends to life in illustrated and animated form. Prof. Mark “Toonery” Smith, a freelance cartoonist, animation director, author, and educator based near Atlanta, leads the studio in partnership with his wife, Albalis Smith, combining award-winning animation experience with hands-on creative craftsmanship. Their Zhana relationship now enters a new chapter with four Cartoonyville Studios pilots on Zhana+ TV: Bookshelf Revue with Chapter DuRaptor, Literary Adventures in Puppetry, Cartoon Workshops with Prof. Mark, and Terry the Chipmunk. Building on their work with Blinky and Friends, the studio and Zhana connect books, puppets, and cartoons through literary discovery, behind-the-scenes creativity, and animal adventures.
About The Zhana Corporation
The Zhana Corporation, home to Zhana Publishing and Zhana+ TV, connects storytelling with learning through children’s books, TV pilots, puppetry, videos, and games. Founded by Lorraine B. Edwards, also known as RAIN, the company offers family-centered entertainment with an educational purpose, using fun as a doorway to learning. Zhana Publishing develops and shares music and books, while Zhana+ TV connects families with purposeful games, learning videos, and promotional content across streaming, broadcast, digital, and community channels. Financial literacy is a special focus through alliances with Breshna.io, Kids Muve International and SAFEE.world, bringing money education alongside playful entertainment. Together, these offerings give families ways to read, watch, play, and learn, and provide media with stories about the connections between children’s entertainment and education.
ERICA MOORE
Zhana Corporation
publishing@zhanacorporation.com
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Why it matters: In an era of algorithm-driven content, these pilots deliberately center on craft — puppetry, cartoon-making, and literary conversation — suggesting a growing appetite for hands-on, creator-driven children’s media. By pairing established characters like Blinky and Friends with entirely new formats, Zhana+ TV is betting that families want more than passive entertainment: they want a doorway into how stories are actually built.
