Book Girl in her colorful world.
"Hi! I’m Book Girl, and this is my special book. And I want it to be your special book too! So come on in..."
— Book Girl in the beginning of each episode
My Special Book is a Canadian series that aired 90 episodes on Treehouse TV and YTV Jr. from 2000 to 2006 (although the entire show was produced in 1998, it did not air until 2000). Each episode begins with a shot of a boy in bed which then pans past his bed and stuffed animals to a book titled My Special Book sitting on a shelf. Book Girl then appears from behind the book and opens it up to reveal her colorful world. Book Girl tells a story to the audience and then closes the book at the end.
The show became almost impossible to find since it's been taken off of the air due to a lack of home media releases. However, in late 2020, a large cache of episodes was found and uploaded online.
My Special Book provides examples of:
- Alliterative Name: The clock in Book Girl's book world is named Clarence.
- Amazing Technicolor World: Book Girl lives in a world filled with bright and colorful items and objects.
- Animate Inanimate Object: Book Girl talks to a talking clock, a doorbell, a portrait of a face that resembles a carrot and other objects in the show.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: In the episode "Wish to Be a Fish", Book Girl tells the story of a girl named Rebecca who loves swimming so much that when she comes across a magical talking fish who can grant wishes, she wishes she were a fish. When Rebecca's dad calls for her and the girl realizes that she can't play with her friends, be with her dad, or do much else that she likes as a fish, she asks the magic fish to reverse her wish.
- Book Ends: Episodes begin with Book Girl’s special book opening and end with the book closing.
- Elongating Arm Gag: The story told in one episode is about a girl named Miyo who loves to give people hugs. One night, she has a dream that her arms stretch wide enough that she hugs the entire world.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Book Girl is only known by her affinity for books.
- Fishing Episode: The 72nd episode, "Donelle and the Worm", is about a girl named Donelle going out to fish. She's about to put a worm on her fishing rod when the worm, named Cortez, tries to convince her not to use her as bait.
- Girls Love Stuffed Animals: Book Girl has a stuffed bear named appropriately Mr Bear. She often takes him off his shelf above Clarence to cuddle with him while she’s telling a story.
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: The show begins and ends with a boy sleeping in bed.
- Interspecies Friendship: In "Donelle and the Worm", the human girl Donelle at first doesn't see Cortez the worm as much of a friend and nearly uses her as bait for her fishing rod until the slimy creature explains that she has a family and dreams and stuff like that too. Donelle rethinks her decision and the two become friends.
- Name and Name: Used in some episode titles, such as "Sarah and the Bed Monster", "Jenny & Jim", etc.
- Nursery Rhymes: Referenced in some episodes, such as "Pop Goes the Weasel" and "Old McDonald".
- Once Upon a Time: Book Girl always begins her story by saying, "Once upon a time..."
- One-Word Title: Used for some episode titles, such as "Sunrise", "Penguin", etc.
- Protagonist Title: There is an episode named after Book Girl.
- Public Domain Character: The show adapts some public domain stories such as The Tortoise and the Hare and The Grasshopper and the Ants.
- Questioning Title?: Used for the episode "What Am I?".
- Sleeps with Both Eyes Open: Since the mailbox doesn't have eyelid mechanisms on him, in the episode "Mailbox Dreams", his eyes remain completely open when he finally does fall asleep.
- Storybook Opening: Each episode begins with Book Girl appearing from behind a giant book and opening it up.
- The Storyteller: Book Girl loves to tell stories. Her stories usually begin with "Once upon a time..."
- Title Drop: Book Girl says the title in the beginning of each episode.Book Girl: Hi! I’m Book Girl, and this is my special book.
