CNN
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The newest star of PBS Kids, Carl – a raccoon with autism who collects everything from lint to stuffed toys – makes history as the network’s first main character on the spectrum.

“Carl the Collector,” which premiered Thursday, follows Carl and his family neurodiverse animal friends as they deal with social interactions and everyday challenges like keeping their room clean. Their adventures give kids insight into neurodiversity, fostering empathy and awareness in a fun way.

Show creator Zachariah OHora, an illustrator and bestselling author, said the whole show is about showing people as they are — both neurotypical and neurodivergent.

“Sometimes a neurodivergent person will have a unique take on something that others can learn from,” OHora told CNN in a recent interview. “And at the same time, we don’t overlook the fact that some situations and social interactions can be more of a struggle for children with autism and their parents and caregivers.”

OHora began working with PBS Kids nearly 10 years ago to develop “Carl the Collector” and said the “extra time” was crucial to making sure the story was “told from the heart.” That’s why the production team includes neurodiverse writers, animators, advisors and voice talent.

“We knew early on that we couldn’t tell other people’s stories for them,” OHora said.

Viewers of the show will see that Carl’s collecting isn’t just a hobby, it’s how he makes sense of the world around him and connects with his friends.

The interests referred to as “overly focused” like Carl’s are common for people with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), because they align with diagnostic criteria for repetitive behaviors or activities.

Carl also pays exceptional attention to detail. In the second episode, for example, he is the only one in the group able to tell Nico and Arugula apart, identical sisters. This initially creates tension among the group of friends, but Carl helps them deepen their observational skills and solve the problem by emphasizing the value of neurodiversity.

“I hope that children with autism and their caregivers can feel seen and valued, and it’s a vehicle for more conversations about what it means to be human,” OHora said.

Lissette Pedreiras, a 42-year-old mother from New Jersey, is excited to watch the show with her 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son Ayden, who has autism.

“Seeing someone like Ayden on screen, especially as a cartoon character, is amazing because you could see yourself, you know, in someone,” Pedreiras told CNN. “I think it’s important for my daughter because it’s a little difficult, right? When you have a neurotypical child and a neurodivergent child and you explain to them how they think and how their brain works.”

Although he hasn’t seen the show yet, he already sees similarities between Ayden and Carl. Her son, who collects toy animals and dinosaurs, is fascinated by anything related to them and shares Carl’s attention to detail.

“The funny thing is he has such a sharp memory. When he was three or four, he was naming species of dinosaurs and I thought he was making them up. But no, they were real dinosaur names,” said Pedreiras.

She also sees “Carl the Collector” as a valuable tool to spark conversations about neurodiversity within families. She explained that children learn quickly and will develop a better understanding of why children with autism may respond differently in certain situations.

“Anyone in the neurodivergent space, we tend to say not ‘autism awareness’ but more ‘autism acceptance.’ And we want people to understand that we don’t want to change them. We want people to understand them,” Pedreiras said.

“Carl the Collector” airs weekdays at 7:30am on Nine PBS and airs on PBS KIDS.