Stanley

Each episode shows Stanley (voiced by Jessica D. Stone) in a situation he does not fully understand. He discusses it with his pet goldfish Dennis before consulting the Great Big Book Of Everything, a remarkably complete zoology book aimed at young children. By observing how an animal copes with the same situation Stanley faces, or how it can overcome a similar difficulty, Stanley learns to deal with the situation himself.

Throughout the show Stanley and all his preschool aged friends are able to talk to his pet cat and dog as well as Dennis. Other animals also seem to occasionally respond, but never talk or give a definite indication they truly understood what was said. Stanley and his friends actively try to keep the adults, and by extension Stanley's older brother, from realizing this.

The Great Big Book Of Everything appears to be magical in nature, able to either let the animals out of the pages or allow the children to enter, sometimes changing them into animals in the process. This does not appear to be imaginary since occasionally adults do notice the noise, and Stanley works hard to hide the animals. There is also an episode where Stanley's brother sees a T-Rex in the yard, but dismisses the memory when it disappears back into the book.

The Halloween special features Stanley's grandmother who, it is implied, is a witch. She reveals that she too can work the book, and in fact was the one who gave it to Stanley.

When someone says the "Great Big Book Of Everything" the cat and dog (named Elsie and Harry, respectively) will wake up or find their way into the scene and start singing. This usually annoys Dennis, who after the introductory verse, says something like "Oh not again!" As of May 2008, Stanley no longer airs in the US, but DVD's and books are still available.

In Little Dog Lost, It is revealed that Stanley's friend Lester is Jewish. Because he does not celebrate Christmas and he celebrates Hanukkah.

The episodes, "Growing Pains," "Time for Toolfish," and "Pearls of Wisdom," show Harry, Stanley's pet dog, in a swimsuit.