Well, for one thing, “She’s not your average 12 year old.” …

Pepper Ann was my annual cartoon of October! I came across her one day after the rock-n-roll theme song came back to my memory. (Remember that?)  Watching every episode I could find, I felt like I was 6 years old again with my bowl of Trix, back when Disney’s One Saturday Morning was the event to look forward to every week.

The slogan thought up by its creator, Sue Rose, speaks true. Pepper Ann wasn’t your average 12 year old. She had a family situation different than other cartoon characters; her parents were divorced and had separate religious beliefs (See “A Kosher Christmas” episode). The cartoon also exhibited passive femininity. However, Pepper Ann had this sense of confidence about herself which made her stand out, though she seemed insecure at times to her best friends or peers.

According to Sue Rose, Pepper Ann was made to feature her as a spunky-character to voice what pre-teens actually care about. As a result, Pepper Ann had an amazing personality, could rollerblade on practically any surface possible, and always had the gumption to talk to her crush, Craig Bean. Although this wasn’t something I caught to when I was younger because the content in the episodes were meant for pre-teens, I still learned a lot from her now by watching the cartoon as a young adult.

And, if there’s anything Pepper Ann taught me, it was to accept who you are, role with it, and no matter how outlandish an idea may be, whether you succeed or fail, there’s always something to be learned at the end.

It looks like Sue Rose had the right idea after all. -Ty

For Reference Check Out: SIGNOFF; A Spunky Heroine Navigates Adolescence

My Favorite Episode: The One With Mr. Reason