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Adventures from the Book of Virtues

  • TV Series
  • 1996–2009
  • TV-Y7
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
493
YOUR RATING
Jim Cummings, Kevin Michael Richardson, Pamela Adlon, Kath Soucie, and Frank Welker in Adventures from the Book of Virtues (1996)
Adventure EpicFairy TaleFantasy EpicHand-Drawn AnimationMountain AdventureSword & SorceryAdventureAnimationDramaFamily

Two schoolchildren learn valuable life lessons from a buffalo, a red-tailed hawk, a bobcat, and a prairie dog.Two schoolchildren learn valuable life lessons from a buffalo, a red-tailed hawk, a bobcat, and a prairie dog.Two schoolchildren learn valuable life lessons from a buffalo, a red-tailed hawk, a bobcat, and a prairie dog.

  • Creator
    • Bruce D. Johnson
  • Stars
    • Janice Kawaye
    • Kevin Michael Richardson
    • Kath Soucie
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    493
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • Bruce D. Johnson
    • Stars
      • Janice Kawaye
      • Kevin Michael Richardson
      • Kath Soucie
    • 3User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Episodes40

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    Top Cast99+

    Edit
    Janice Kawaye
    Janice Kawaye
    • Additional Voices
    • 1996–2000
    Kevin Michael Richardson
    Kevin Michael Richardson
    • Plato…
    • 1996–1998
    Kath Soucie
    Kath Soucie
    • Annie Redfeather…
    • 1996–1998
    Frank Welker
    Frank Welker
    • Sock…
    • 1996–1998
    Jim Cummings
    Jim Cummings
    • Ari…
    • 1996–1998
    Pamela Adlon
    Pamela Adlon
    • Zach Nichols…
    • 1996–1998
    Brad Boyer
      • 1996–1998
      Chuck Powers
      • (redubbed version)
      • 1996–1998
      Brian Zimmerman
        • 1996–1998
        Joe Murray
        • Plato…
        • 1996–1998
        Christopher Judge
        Christopher Judge
        • Plato
        • 2000
        Andrew Francis
        Andrew Francis
        • Zach Nichols
        • 2000
        Adrienne Carter
        Adrienne Carter
        • Annie Redfeather
        • 2000
        Michael Donovan
        Michael Donovan
        • Sock
        • 2000
        Lee Tockar
        Lee Tockar
        • Ari
        • 2000
        Gillian Barber
        Gillian Barber
        • Aurora
        • 2000
        Su-Ping Chio
        Su-Ping Chio
        • Zach Nichols…
        • 1996–1998
        Denise Tan
        • Annie Redfeather…
        • 1996–1998
        • Creator
          • Bruce D. Johnson
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

        User reviews3

        7.1493
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        Featured reviews

        Huang_Gai

        Pretty good, actually. . .

        I saw this show when I was about 10. The basic plot was of a pair of kids who would go away to this wonderland where animals talked and each episode would be a folktale of different racial origins, be it Chinese, Japanese, Native American, Greek, whatever, in a condensed and easy to comprehend form.

        Each episode has a moral and is animated rather well. For the most part, most of the episodes are rather entertaining, though I haven't seen it in like 5 years. Watch if you see it on ^-^
        8Stormlight_1

        Good show, if you get a chance watch it!

        OK, this is going to sound campy, i was a babysitter when this came out, along with the fact of younger brothers and sister. This is one of the few videotapes that i taped (off of PBS) and took with me that EVERY parent did not have a problem with their kid watching. In the age where your TV babysits your child more than you do, this is a program i could turn on and they would actually walk away with something other than mush on the brain. it was good from children 8 to about 14 (my 14 yr old brother (at the time) watched it fascinated for a long time, and is still one of his most cherished memories (one of the few times we didn't fight was when it was on) if you find it, or get a chance to watch it DO! definitely worth it
        6hdoerr-02108

        Virtue Has Its Limits-A Halfway Hero's Journey

        I remember stumbling across this show as a PBS kid, half-expecting another Saturday morning cartoon with goofy sidekicks and zany plots. What I got instead was a bison named Plato calmly explaining the importance of honesty while a hawk named Aurora narrated ancient parables. It wasn't exactly thrilling--but it stuck with me in a quiet, thoughtful way.

        What I Appreciated: The show genuinely wants to help kids grow into better people. Each episode tackles a virtue--like courage or responsibility--and uses classic stories to make the lesson feel timeless. I found myself thinking about those fables long after the credits rolled. There's something oddly comforting about a buffalo dispensing life advice. The animal mentors give the show a gentle, almost meditative vibe that's rare in children's programming. In a world of irony and sarcasm, this show goes all-in on earnestness. That's admirable, even if it's not always exciting.

        Where It Lost Me: The animation feels dated, and the dialogue can be a little too textbook. As a visual thinker, I craved more dynamic storytelling and expressive character design. Sometimes the moral lesson overshadows the plot. It's like the show is more interested in teaching than entertaining, which makes it feel more like homework than adventure. While it occasionally dips into global folklore, the stories mostly come from Western traditions. I wished it had cast a wider net--it could've been a beautiful bridge across cultures.

        Final Take: Adventures from the Book of Virtues isn't a show I'd binge, but it's one I respect. It's like that quiet teacher who didn't try to be cool but taught you something you didn't realize you needed. For me, it lands at a solid 6 out of 10--thoughtful, sincere, and just a bit too tame for its own good.

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        Storyline

        Edit

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          In his "Adventures From the Book of Virtues", William J. Bennett included several pieces written by or concerning Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, as they were amongst his favorite philosophers. Three of the animal characters are named for them. (The leader Plato's being a buffalo is also a reference to Bennett's nickname "Buffalo Bill".) The fourth and the only female who proves one of the two most sagacious, Aurora is the only exception. In keeping with the Greek origins of the others' names, she was named after the Greek deity of dawn.
        • Connections
          Featured in Treehouse Hostage (1999)
        • Soundtracks
          The Adventure Has Begun
          Music and Lyrics by J.A.C. Redford and Marcus Hummon

          Performed by Oren Waters, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters Willard (as Maxine Waters), and Bobbi Page

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        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • September 2, 1996 (United States)
        • Country of origin
          • United States
        • Official site
          • PBS
        • Language
          • English
        • Also known as
          • The Book of Virtues
        • Production companies
          • PorchLight Entertainment
          • KCET
          • Fox Animation Studios
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Tech specs

        Edit
        • Runtime
          • 30m
        • Color
          • Color
        • Sound mix
          • Stereo
        • Aspect ratio
          • 1.33 : 1

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