Keeping The Balance Between The Real And Magic Worlds Ain't Easy

Juniper Lee leads a pretty normal life. She gets good marks, hangs out with friends and has to deal with an overzealous younger brother. But on top of the everyday pre-teen escapades, Juniper is the Te-zuan-ze (the "Protector"). For generations, a member of her family has had both the honour and burden of keeping the balance between the real and magical world. Now it's Juniper's turn, and it's not easy. Regardless of what Juniper is busy doing, she might have to suddenly skip out to smack down an unruly magical creature. But Juniper is equipped with the strength of 10 people and highly skilled in magic, so a little monster butt-kicking is no match for her. The real challenge of being the Te-zuan-ze is balancing her normal pre-teen life with her secret role as Protector. Juniper's suspicious behavior has earned her a reputation of being a little flaky, but, luckily, there are a few people with whom she can share her secret. Her grandmother, Ah-Mah, the Te-zuan-ze before her, uses her wisdom and laid-back nature to guide Juniper through the stressful times and burdens of being the Protector. Ray Ray, Juniper's fearless 8-year-old brother who shares in some of her magical gifts, is her constant sidekick. To Ray Ray, there is nothing cooler than being the Te-zuan-ze, and he will do anything to get in on the action. Then there's Monroe, Juniper's smart-mouthed talking pug who has offered his knowledge of both magic and history to generations of Te-zuan-zes. A little too often, Monroe offers his opinion, too. Judd Winick, popular comic book writer and former San Francisco cast member on MTV's The Real World, is the creator of The Life & Times of Juniper Lee. He also created the comic strips Nuts and Bolts and Frumpy the Clown. Winick published the critical hit The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius and has worked on several DC Comics titles, including Batman, Green Lantern and Green Arrow. Cartoon Network has given the green light to 26 half-hour episodes of The Life & Times of Juniper Lee which is in production at Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, Calif.