The title character of the Martha Speaks series is a family dog that acquires the ability to speak when she eats alphabet soup. Targeted at 3- to 6-year-olds, the primary educational goal of the series is to bolster children’s vocabulary development—one of five key elements of reading success and one area where there is a great chasm between disadvantaged children and their peers. This grant funds the balance of R&D costs and the program production phase.