By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The Ladybird division of Penguin Random House will publish a series of pre-school books based on the Ukrainian children’s TV Show Brave Bunnies.
The show is a breakout hit created by Olga Charepanova at the Ukrainian studio Glowberry, and is broadcast in more than 63 countries. The deal was brokered by Big Picture Licensing, with the agreement negotiated with PRH commissioning editor Ned Hartley.
Dan Frugtniet, managing director of Big Picture Licensing, said the deal has been in the works for years, but due to the crisis in Ukraine following the Russian invasion, the series and the books take on a much more powerful meaning.
“It’s wonderful to have found a UK publishing home for ‘Brave Bunnies’ with such a global leader as Ladybird and Penguin Random House,” said Frugtniet. “Given the terrible current events in Ukraine, the creators are keen to use ’Brave Bunnies’ to spread the important messages of friendship, diversity and inclusion which are the core DNA of the show.”
While the Ukraine crisis provides the series and books with more urgency and power, Penguin Random House Children’s managing director Francesca Dow also says the book deal was signed based on the merits of the show’s characters and story.
“This partnership is exciting for Ladybird because it is the result of several years of collaboration with the exceptionally skilled and creative team at Glowberry,” Dow explained. “We were first drawn to ’Brave Bunnies’ for its playful and warm ways of talking about friendship with a very young audience and are excited that our books are now available for young readers to explore.”
The Ladybird imprint is launching the first two titles in the series this month under the Brave Bunnies Spring to the Rescue and Brave Bunnies Make a Friend.
Brave Bunnies follows the adventures of Bop and Boo, who live with their family on the Bunny Bus and love to explore the world. At each stop, Bop and Boo make new friends, play new games and discover a little more about the world and the people around them, spreading messages of inclusivity, friendship and respect. The first two titles with Ladybird will see Bop and Boo learning lessons about bravery, responsibility and compassion, themes that resonate for anyone living in Ukraine today.
The Brave Bunnies series launched in the UK on Channel 5’s “Milkshake!” and on Nick Jr in February and September 2021 respectively. To date, it has already reached a UK audience of 4.4 million, the broadcasters say.
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