Charles M. Schulz's beloved comic strip Peanuts was and still is one of the most influential and popular comic strips in the world. "Sparky," as he was called, was an inspiration to many, myself included.

His beloved characters had a significant impact on me as a boy. I remember being very, very young and watching my first-ever Peanuts special in my grandmother's living room. The special was from 1997, and it was called It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown. This first special ignited my lifelong love of all things Peanuts, and I still read the comic strips watch the popular holiday-themed Peanuts specials religiously every year.

All this being said, I recently stumbled upon an episode of the new animated PBS Kids series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, based on Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos' book series Ordinary People Change the World. The series features a young boy named Xavier Riddle and his friends, Yadina, Brad and Berby. Through the Secret Museum, they travel back in time and give a helping hand to historical heroes like Neil Armstrong, George Washington Carver and many others.

This particular episode showed the characters meeting author Mary Shelley, who helps Xavier Riddle think of a campfire story for a Nature Troop campout. As I watched, I couldn't help but think to myself, "This would be perfect for Charles Schulz! He was a hero to many cartoonists, and Peanuts taught many important life lessons that still stick with children and adults alike! Why couldn't they write an episode where Xavier Riddle and his friends meet Charles Schulz?"

All in all, my hope with this petition is that PBS Kids will consider bringing this episode idea to life, and that children will be motivated to read Schulz's timeless comic strips and watch the beloved television specials once they see Charles Schulz on Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

-- Frank Bonsignore, Jr.