Caillou was one of the longest running Canadian educational children TV series. The show aired for 13 years, from 1997 to 2010.
It was based on the books of Hélène Desputeaux – a Canadian educator, writer and illustrator. She has written more than 100 children books and received numerous honors and awards.
Caillou has delighted and entertained Canadian and American kids for years, but one question still remains unanswered. Why is Caillour Bald?
Caillou plot
The show revolves around the main character, Caillou, who lives with his mother, father, and younger sister Rosie. Every episode takes us through a different adventure oftentimes combining animation, puppet skits, and video of kids in real-life situations.
Initially, each episode began with the grandmother introducing a story to her grandchildren, then going on to narrate it. After the first season however, the narrator is an unseen character.
Caillou – The Prince of Imagination
It seems rather appropriate that the show carries the name of the main character. Caillou is an imaginative four-year old boy, who also happens to be bald. He loves machinery, particularly rockets and airplanes.
He is also prone to frequent daydreams, which make his nickname – Prince of Imagination, rather appropriate.
Why Is Caillou Bald?
Not often do we find bald four year old kids.
It is a question that has been asked many times, and not appropriately answered. As a result, rumors, myths and false stories have emerged around Caillou’s baldness.
One popular myth is that the beloved character has cancer, whose treatment leaves patients without hair. This is however simply not the case.
To find the real reason why Caillou doesn’t have hair, we have to go back to the books where the character was lifted from. He was first illustrated as a nine-month-old baby, and inevitably over time he got older.
It was however decided that giving him hair would transform him into a character unrecognizable to kids.
Caillou’s publishers, Chouette Publishing, explain that though Caillou’s baldness makes him different, it helps children understand that being different isn’t just okay, it’s normal.
The issue of Caillou’s baldness is however one that is overlooked by most kids watching the show. The TV show creators once said, “The fact that he is bald does not seem to bother preschoolers in the least,”
There you have it. The reason Caillou is bald is not because of some mysterious reason or oversight. It is simply to make him recognizable over time.
