Emmy award-winning WordGirl to premiere sixth season this fall on Eight

‘What’s Up With WordGirl Week’ kicks off new premieres August 5

PHOENIX — (July 31, 2013) Eight, Arizona PBS will premiere a sixth season of all-new episodes of the Emmy® Award-winning animated series WordGirl®, produced by animation studio Soup2Nuts on PBS KIDS beginning Monday, August 5, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. The season kicks off with 'What’s Up With WordGirl Week' featuring five new episodes. The season will include 13 episodes in total. Scholastic Media, a division of Scholastic Inc., the global children’s publishing, education and media company is the creator of the series.

The sixth season of WordGirl will find fifth grader Becky Botsford (and her alter-ego WordGirl) facing some of her toughest challenges yet, against the series' most popular villains. The definition dynamo will be tricked by Mr. Birg (a Mr. Big doppelganger) and will combat Seymour Smooth – more than once! – as he tries to commit crime through game play. Audiences also will see Victoria Best mistaken for WordGirl - until the real WordGirl is able to prove Victoria has been fibbing, and WordGirl must battle Dr. Two Brains to save the world from being hit by a giant cheese asteroid.

"WordGirl continues to resonate with audiences because of its engaging characters, robust curriculum and unique sense of humor," said Deborah Forte, President of Scholastic Media and Executive Producer of WordGirl. "We began the show with the mission to enrich children’s vocabulary, instill a love of language and foster better reading comprehension, and six seasons later, our commitment to continue to deliver on that mission is stronger than ever." Returning voice talent for the sixth season includes Dannah Phirman ("MadTV") as WordGirl, Chris Parnell ("30 Rock," "Saturday Night Live") as the Narrator, Maria Bamford ("Louie," "Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil") as Mrs. Botsford, Ryan Raddatz as Mr. Botsford and Scoops, James Adomian ("Last Comic Standing") as Mr. Birg, Daran Norris ("The Fairly OddParents," "Big Time Rush") as Seymour Smooth, Kristen Schaal ("The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "30 Rock") as Victoria Best, Tom Kenny ("SpongeBob Squarepants") as Dr. Two Brains, TJ and Beau Handsome, John C. McGinley ("Scrubs," "Burn Notice") as Whammer, Patton Oswalt ("Justified," "Two and a Half Men") as Tobey, and Jeffrey Tambor ("Arrested Development") as Mr. Big, among others. Jane Lynch ("Glee") guest stars as Miss Power in 'The Rise of Miss Power'special, originally broadcast in 2012, which will air in Season 6 over the course of two episodes.

WordGirl has received ten Emmy® nominations, including two in 2013 to be awarded later this month, and two Emmy® Award wins for 'Outstanding Writing in Animation' in 2008 and 2012. The show has won three Gracie awards, three Telly Awards, a Television Critics Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Animation’, a KidScreen Award for Best Voice Talent, and an iParenting Media Award.

The following episodes will premiere during ‘What’s Up With WordGirl Week’ with additional new episodes scheduled to premiere throughout the year:

Monday, August 5, 2013 – Episode 603
WHO WANTS TO GET RID OF WORDGIRL?

Seymour Smooth has brought some of WordGirl's biggest villain enemies together to play a game of “Who Wants to Get Rid of WordGirl?” Will his strategy of using them to ultimately defeat WordGirl work, or will he find himself outsmarted? Vocabulary Words: Strategy, Giddy

THE TALENTED MR. BIRG

Scoops writes an article about all the times WordGirl has been tricked and captured by villains, and she sets out to prove him wrong. When someone who looks just like Mr. Big claims to be a Mr. Birg, WordGirl is convinced he's lying and refuses to be tricked again. Mr. Birg proves to be telling the truth. Is Mr. Big behind this, or willWordGirl look foolish in front of her fans? Vocabulary Words: Employee, Doppelganger

Tuesday, August 6, 2013 – Episode 604
ONE LAST SANDWICH
While Becky and her mom set out to build a new bookcase big enough to hold all of Becky's books, The Whammer convinces Chuck to commit one last crime with him before he retires, trying to pull off the ultimate sandwich heist. Vocabulary Words: Final, Pacify

CAPER OR PLASTIC

While Becky is busy thinking about what she wants to be when she grows up, Hal Hardbargain is busy trying to get WordGirl to help him get his bag blaster back from the infamous and mysterious Masked Bagger. What is the Masked Bagger's true identity? Vocabulary Words: Muffled, Flashback

Wednesday, August 7, 2013 – Episode 605
TELL HER WHAT SHE’S WON

A jealous Seymour Smooth has kidnapped Beau Handsome, the host of everyone's favorite game show, "May I Have a Word?" When he starts stealing money from innocent contestants, WordGirl makes an appearance. Will she be able to rescue Beau and come up with a game plan to put Seymour back where he belongs—behind bars? Vocabulary Words: Bombard, Emcee

VICTORIA IS THE BEST…WORDGIRL?

Scoops snaps a picture of Victoria Best, who suspiciously appears after WordGirl has disappeared, and he believes he has finally figured out who the real WordGirl is! Victoria is thrilled to be called WordGirl, and the real WordGirl must prove that Victoria is fibbing without giving away her actual secret identity. Vocabulary Words: Fib, Mistaken

Thursday, August 8, 2013 – Episode 606
HIGH-FIVE SANDWICH
Chuck has won the prestigious "Sandwich of the Year" competition, but his story in the Big City Times is overshadowed by the new High Five Sandwich trend that Becky, Scoops and Violet came up with. Chuck goes out to seek revenge and won't stop until he finds out who is responsible for the new, trendy "sandwich."Vocabulary Words: Trendy(y), Eager

THE ROBOT PROBLEM

Becky's class is learning about using potatoes to generate electricity, and Tobey gets the brilliant idea to try to fuel robots with potatoes! The Coach steals Tobey’s idea, and WordGirl and Tobey must work as a team to defeat the evil potato-fueled robots and save the city! Vocabulary Words: Fuel, Cackle

Friday, August 9, 2013 – Episode 607
OF TWO MINDS

It looks as though Dr. Two Brains has given up his cheese-stealing ways and decided to go straight. It's true, he's not stealing cheese anymore. He discovered a giant cheese asteroid and has used his cheese seizer to redirect its path straight towards Earth! Can WordGirl convince him to change his mind in time to save Earth from being covered in cheese? Vocabulary Words: Waver, Vast

YES MONKEY

Captain Huggy Face becomes Mr. Big’s new assistant when Leslie resigns, and Mr. Big uses mind control to make sure Huggy obeys his every order. When WordGirl sees that Huggy is on Mr. Big's team, she can't help but feel betrayed. So WordGirl teams up with Leslie, to get her old sidekick back. Vocabulary Words: Trance, Resign Encore presentations of the following episodes will air in August:

Monday, August 12, 2013 – Episode 601 (originally broadcast in February 2012)
THE RISE OF MISS POWER, PART 1

There's a new super hero in town! Miss Power has come to earth from outer space along with her sidekick, Captain Giggle Cheeks. WordGirl is excited for Miss Power to teach her everything she knows. But is Miss Power really a super hero? Or could she be a super villain? Vocabulary Words: Harsh, Vigor, Encourage, Ploy

THE RISE OF MISS POWER, PART 2

Besides using her super strength and super speed to defeat villains, Miss Power has another secret weapon: using mean words against others. WordGirl would rather not use her words harshly…but after giving it a shot, she feels empowered. Soon, everyone begins to wonder, "What has gotten into WordGirl?" While the Botsfords are wondering, "What has gotten into Becky?" Vocabulary Words: Harsh, Vigor, Encourage, Ploy

Tuesday, August 13, 2013 – Episode 602 (originally broadcast in February 2012)
THE RISE OF MISS POWER, PART 3

Miss Power takes bullying way too far, and WordGirl doesn't like being associated with such a mean person. When WordGirl tries to stand up to Miss Power, though, she gets belittled and stripped of her super hero star. Dejected and sulking, Becky goes home to her family, but Miss Power is already there and takes Mrs. Botsford away! WordGirl must try to save her mom without sinking to Miss Power’s level. Vocabulary Words: Harsh, Vigor, Encourage, Ploy

THE RISE OF MISS POWER, PART 4

WordGirl must come up with a plan to save her mom and get rid of Miss Power, fast! Huggy shares a pamphlet with WordGirl full of secret battles from her home planet, Lexicon. Will these moves be enough to save the city from Miss Power? Vocabulary Words: Harsh, Vigor, Encourage, Ploy

For more information on WordGirl, please visit mediaroom.scholastic.com/wordgirl, PBSKIDS.org/wordgirl andPBS.org/pressroom.

Episode review copies, screeners and stills available upon request. Please contact, Colleen O’Donnell Pierce at [email protected] (602) 496-0579.

Media Contact:  Colleen O’Donnell Pierce
[email protected]
(602) 496-0579
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