Poppy Cat

Poppy Cat is the main character in a series of books created by British illustrator and writer Lara Jones. The books are published by Campbell Books (a division of Macmillan Publishers), and include Poppy Cat's Play House, Poppy Cat's Christmas, Poppy Cat Loves Rainbows, Poppy Cat's Dream, and Poppy Cat's Sparkly Night. The books have been published in many countries and have sold in excess of two million copies.

An animated TV series The Extraordinary Adventures of Poppy Cat, based on the Poppy Cat books and comprising 52 episodes running 11 minutes, was created by Mallory Lewis and produced by Coolabi Productions, the Shari Lewis Company and BAFTA award-winning King Rollo Films. It first aired on Nick Jr. from May 2011, and on Disney Junior in Latin America and Spain (as La Gata Lupe) and Poland on MiniMini+ (as Kotka Pusia). The series launched on Sprout and NBC Kids in the US on 7 November 2011, and is currently on air around the world. Poppy Cat premiered on ITV1 and the CITV channel on 5 May 2012, as well as continuing on Nick Jr. UK. Poppy Cat airs on the Knowledge Network's Knowledge Kids block in Canada. Poppy Cat herself is voiced in the UK by Joanna Page from BBC's award-winning series Gavin and Stacey, and in the US by actress Stephanie Darcy. The series was scored by composer Oliver Davis.

Core characters

• Laura – the narrator of the series. A six-year-old girl with an active imagination who writes and tells stories about her favorite stuffed animals and toys, Poppy Cat, the leader and her eccentric team of animal friends, Alma the bunny, Zuzu the Dalmatian, Owl and Mo the mouse going on adventures in every episode. Voiced in the UK by Alisha Holmes and in the US by Gigi Sarroino.
• Poppy Cat – the main protagonist in the series. She is the leader of the group. She is a cheerful female six-year-old orange ginger tabby cat who wears a colorful checkered neckerchief and goes on adventures with her stuffed animal friends. She's an adventurer, a dreamer, and a devoted friend. Poppy Cat's heroic gusto and unquenchable curiosity propel each adventure for her and her friends, often leading to unexpected experiences and discoveries. She is highly conscious of those around her and will go to the ends of the Earth to solve a problem. Poppy Cat loves adventure, but her top priority is always her friends, which is why she is the unspoken leader of her little gang. She's the glue that holds them all together. Voiced in the UK by Joanna Page^[1] and in the US by Stephanie Darcy.
• Zuzu – a speedy male six-year-old black and white dog, probably a Dalmatian, who is Poppy's closest best friend and loves doing tricks on his skateboard. He's a kinetic ball of pure energy. If it has wheels, Zuzu will fall off it; if it floats, he'll sink with it. Even though his falls, tumbles and spills are extreme and dramatic, Zuzu always laughs them off. To him, falling is every bit as thrilling as the ride. It's that same spirit that makes him a great friend to have on an adventure...not to mention a liability. Zuzu is an adrenaline junkie who is competitive, loud, and practically fearless. He's impulsive and cool, quick to laugh at a joke, impatient when it comes to manners and protocol, and a good sport most of the time. Voiced in the UK by Joanna Ruiz and in the US by Danny Katiana.
• Alma – a sweet female six-year-old pink and white European rabbit with a Western-British accent in the UK and a Western-American accent in the US. She's a charming, melodramatic, and excitable rabbit. She often arrives at Poppy's breathless and worked up about a situation, though in the face of danger, she can be quite blithe, to Mo's chagrin. Alma, who fancies herself quite a singer, often coaxes her best buddy Mo to sing a duet. Mo has an unspoken little crush on Alma and worries about her a bit. The chatty rabbit is a loyal, affectionate friend who loves jewelry, the color pink, and picnics. She treasures a special seashell that Mo gave her to hear the ocean. She has a cousin named Chester. Voiced in the UK by Nicola Hornett and in the US by Alicyn Packard.
• Mo – a feisty male five and a half year-old yellow mouse who loves singing and is Alma's closest best friend. This fastidious mouse is an overly cautious, tightly wound ball of nervous energy. If it weren't for Poppy Cat, who can inspire and instill confidence in anyone, Mo would never leave the safety of Poppy's backyard. Every day, Mo is invariably squashed, stretched, or squeezed by a speeding Zuzu, completely by accident. The little mouse looks up to Zuzu like a big brother and envies his bravery. Mo has many collections, which include special keys, shells, or photos. He loves cheese, trinkets, and getting safely to the ground once airborne. Mo is very proud of his museum on the Moon. He's the youngest of the group. Voiced in the UK by Charlie Cameron and in the US by Katie Leigh.
• Owl – a wise male adult brown Eurasian eagle owl who wears a blue and purple wool hat. He considers himself an expert on almost everything, knowledge that he has gleaned from books or his travels. Though he has traveled far from his comfortable house, Owl's directions are usually comically convoluted. Owl may complain about Zuzu's inadvertent path of destruction, but he has a soft spot for each of his friends. He's especially supportive of the timid Mo, and like everyone, has great respect for Poppy Cat. Owl likes the finer things in life: a soft coconut-leaf nest, a cup of hot chocolate, and a quick nap whenever he can catch one. It's no secret that he likes to perform. He is the oldest of the group. Voiced in the UK by Chris Neill and in the US by Donald King.
• Egbert – an arrogant, stout, and adenoidal male six-year-old badger with a British accent in both the UK and US. He is desperate to be part of the group, although only by his rules. But rather than accept their invitation to play (or go on an adventure), Egbert always has 'top secret stuff' to go to on his way... but he always meets the group again, in their adventure. There, he will insert himself into their journey, costumed as a ridiculous antagonist of his own invention. Depending upon their location, Egbert may fancy himself to be a pirate, troll, or sea monster. His nerdy, eccentric energy elicits groans from everyone but Poppy. Egbert pretends to not know 'this Egbert', and always stays in character. He wears lots of disguises and is often the antagonist of the stories. Voiced in the UK and US by Cake Charles.
• Gilda – an arrogant female pigeon with a British accent in both the UK and the US. Voiced in the UK and US by Teresa Gallagher.
• Rocket Cat – Poppy Cat's favorite superhero. He appears in numerous episodes which Poppy Cat and her friends are out in space. Voiced by Eric Michael Gillett.

References

1. "Poppy Cat cartoons just purrfect for ITV". Shropshire Star. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Poppy Cat at the Internet Movie Database