ELIZA THORNBERRY

Twelve-year-old Eliza Thornberry goes to school in the jungle. Well, not exactly, Eliza's parents travel around the world with their family producing nature documentaries. While other kids her age are studying grammar, Eliza learns about lions who find humans rather tasty. A little too smart for her own good, this spunky kid has an awesome secret. A run in with a local African healer left her with the ability to talk to animals-in their language! Unfortunately, Eliza sometimes forgets that not all animals are as friendly as others. And whether she's saving the day or saving her own skin, life is never dull for Eliza Thornberry.

DARWIN

It's not easy being vain when you have a lot of fur. Just ask Darwin, the chimp, how hard it is to keep his boyish looks in the jungle. Lucky for him, he found the Thornberrys and their supply of shampoo. Darwin is obsessive, neurotic, and sometimes a huge complainer! As Eliza rejects her parents' words of caution, Darwin is an unwilling partner in crime as they head out into the wilderness on adventures. He may hate acting like an animal, but he'd mess his fur, and even swing from a tree to help his friends.

DEBBIE THORNBERRY

Considering she has no contact with kids her age, 16-year-old Debbie Thornberry is surprisingly cool. With no companionship except her parents, younger sister, a wild boy, and a chimpanzee, remaining hip is a definite challenge. Whether Debbie is racing through the Sahara trying to track down the only copy of a teen magazine, or heading out into lion country, alone, at night, on principle, this strong-willed teen is not only self-serving, but courageous. The truth is, Debbie loves her family--she's just a normal teenager trying to find some privacy in a commvee built for 6.

DONNIE

Discovered in the jungles of Borneo, this life form has been categorized by some as a member of the Homo sapien species. Others have classified it as: destructivus- -hyper-activus. To the Thornberrys it's just Donnie. He climbs into the mouths of pythons, bites ferocious animals' tails, and is happy to snack on a beetle or any other insect he picks up. Completely untamable, this wild boy has developed a sixth sense. He knows when something is wrong, and will use his amazing strength and skill to help save the day. Of course, if you try and thank him, he'll probably bite your leg and respond, 'Yip yip arooow meep oh be quiet SLURP!'

MARIANNE THORNBERRY

Filmmaker, producer, adventurer, teacher, and mom. It isn't easy being Marianne Thornberry. Imagine raising a happy, healthy family in the wilderness! The sanest one of the bunch, Marianne sees each of her family members as they are: an overly enthusiastic, sometimes flaky husband, an overly adventurous younger daughter, and an overly, well, teenaged older daughter. Often forced to play the role of family cheerleader, this mom tries to remain upbeat and positive all the time. But when she's unhappy-watch out!

NIGEL THORNBERRY

Filled with enthusiasm and a child-like sense of wonder, nothing can discourage Nigel Thornberry's love of the outdoors. Articulate and convincing, the host of Nigel Thornberry's Animal World seems to know everything about the natural world. So how come he's so clueless when it comes to other things? He loves his family more than anything, but he's a little slow when it comes to his two daughters. His wife would probably say that it's because of his artistic personality. What can you expect from adventurer/naturalist extraordinaire? \"