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“It just kind of came about in an organic way

like that,” said Ferraro. “For the most part, it’s not

the focus of attention at all. He’s just one of the

gang. And that’s something that we don’t see a

lot on television. And that’s why we thought it

was really important.”

AJ’s teammates are aware of his needs and

preferences — in one episode they desperately

search for his lost backpack — and the show’s

creators hope the show can teach empathy and

normalize the idea that all kids are different.

“I think it models how you can, with a few

adjustments, adjust to a friend with different

needs, whether it’s autism or anything else,”

said Parente.

The series is designed for children ages 4-7, and

premieres Monday on PBS stations, the PBS Kids

24/7 channel and PBS Kids digital platforms.

Each episode runs about 11 minutes, with

vibrant colors and a zany touch.

“Even though babies may not look egg-zactly

like their parents, it is egg-cellent when families

are together,” quips the heroes’ teacher, Mr.

Sparks. “OK, enough egg jokes.”

Viewers familiar with autism and the signs of

autism might pick up on AJ’s behavior, but the

creators are fine if other viewers don’t notice.

They’ve purposely not directly addressed autism

except for a double episode slated to run later in

the series. Most of the time they just want him to

be part of the group.

“There is a place for kids with autism,” Simensky

said. “They’ll be a little different. They’ll have

different needs. But there is a place for them and

they will bring something to it as well. ”

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