It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown

Right off the bat, (har, this episode is heavily baseball themed) I'd like to say the Charlie Brown actor in this one is particularly good. This one probably gets ignored because it sounds like boring late 80s educational Peanuts but is really funny. It deals with the sequence from the comics where Lucy planted a block garden on the baseball field unbeknownst to Charlie Brown. So the Arbor Day theme kind of fits, but is distracting. Interestingly, the kids name the field after Charlie Brown in this episode, something I don't think I've heard of before or since.

Aaawwww, the cartoons of youth passed. Having Mr. Schulz as a native of St. Paul, it makes me appreciate his cartoons even more so. If you look carefully you can see little hints of St. Paul and its humor. Vince Guaraldi music is simply great and entertaining. Too bad this was his last composing for the Charlie Brown shows.

For those who haven't seen 'It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown' , one might think this is just an educational Peanuts special with little substance, but that is quite the opposite! Its a pretty good special that has a message, but retains that classic Peanuts humor.

Sally needs to give a presentation on Arbor Day, so she gets the help of Linus and Lucy who then decide to make a garden in Charlie Brown's baseball field all before the first game of the season. Almost every member of the Peanuts gang gets to add a little something to this special which is why I think this is actually a pretty good special.

Although the educational message gets tuned out by the Peanuts' hijinks, the special stays simple and that's what makes it an underappreciated classic!

Give it a watch! Its pretty good!