An Escape from Nazi Germany Brings Curious George Long Life

Curious George made his debut on PBS KIDS in 2006, but his storied life began 75 years ago.  You may know how George — originally named FiFi — was saved during Germany’s occupation of Paris.  German-born Jews, his creators Hans Augusto and Margret Rey fled the city on bicycles, riding for days before able to board a train.  When stopped en route for questioning, Hans showed his manuscript about the curious monkey to a French official, who was said to have exclaimed with a smile, “Ah! … un livre pour les enfants!”

Today Curious George makes countless children smile.  In addition to the 75 million books sold in more than 16 languages, PBS KIDS’ Curious George is beloved by many.  With a STEM-focused curriculum, many resources like this video clip and lesson plan

Curious George Pigeon Perch as well as many other Curious George resources can be found at PBS LearningMedia.

To learn more about the history of Curious George and his creators, go to NPR Books article Curious George Celebrates 75 Years of Monkey Business.

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