Who are you, Caillou?

Caillou has done it again. Just when I've made peace with the constant whining, the lazily drawn cartoon cells and the creepy kid dancers, I find myself in the "I hate Caillou" camp once again.

For anybody not familiar with this little PBS mainstay, Caillou is 4 years old. He is bald. He has a mommy, a daddy and a little sister, Rosie. He is Canadian and his name is apparently French.

So here's my problem. Caillou in books and videos looks a certain way, as does the rest of his family and toys. Here's what Caillou and Rosie look like...


I'm at the library a couple of days ago and I catch site of the first Caillou book I've seen there. It's about Caillou going to a fancy restaurant with his parents while Rosie stays with a babysitter.

I know. Who would take a 4-year-old to a fancy restaurant when you have a babysister!!??

Anyway, the characters look completely different.

It looks like daddy might have gotten a new mommy (wink, wink). And it came out last year.

Here's what I think happened. I think there is a French Caillou and an American, or at least Canadian, Caillou. The book was translated, which explains why it doesn't make any sense, and there are plenty of other examples of this other Caillou online. Here's what the bizzaro Caillou and Rosie look like....

This pretend kid is a big part of my life. I'd like to know who I'm dealing with.

Every night before Carolyn goes to bed, I ask her what she wants to do tomorrow. Without fail, this is her answer:

Watch Caillou?

The very least Caillou makers could do is pick an artist. Any artist is fine. And while you're at it, color around the edges of your cartoons. It's just shoddy workmanship.

And if you can't tell the difference between the two sets of siblings, just go ahead and have a kid, wait 18 months and you'll so understand what I'm talking about.

Don't get me started on baby Caillou.