Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. today announced that The Day You Begin, a brand-new animated original special from Atomic Cartoons, is heading to PBS KIDS. Based on the New York Times bestselling picture book of the same name by Macarthur Fellow, National Book Award and Newbery Honor-winning author Jacqueline Woodson, the special is currently in production at Atomic’s Vancouver studio.
“The Day You Begin has been so beloved by so many kids in this country and around the world,” said Woodson. “I’m excited to see it come to animated life on screen, where even more young people can see — through the characters in this story — reflections of their own beauty and brilliance. PBS KIDS is the perfect place for this show.”
The 45-minute special follows kindergartners Angelina, Rigoberto, Oni and Andre on their first day of school, and is told from each of their points of view to create an interconnecting narrative. They each have different experiences in the same classroom, and throughout the course of the day at school, the kids learn what makes them unique and what connects them to others. With comedy and heart, The Day You Begin demystifies this universal experience for children and strives to inspire its viewers to celebrate their differences.
“Jacqueline Woodson’s incredible book not only encapsulates the excitement and trepidation experienced by children on their first day of school, but it also helps to show what entering a classroom for the first time is like, and showcases that kids’ uniqueness is a strength,” said Kristin Cummings, SVP of Originals, Atomic Cartoons. “We can think of no better broadcast partner than PBS KIDS for this project that aims to help kids with school readiness while thoroughly entertaining them.”
“The magic and excitement of the first day of school and how children start to define themselves within a community is the perfect topic for a family special on PBS KIDS,” said Adriano Schmid, VP, PBS KIDS Content, PBS. “We’re such fans of Jacqueline Woodson and The Day You Begin book, and we’re thrilled to embark on this production with our partners at Atomic.”
The Day You Begin is produced by Atomic Cartoons. Woodson and screenwriter Dana Chan (Alma’s Way, Santiago of the Seas, Dora the Explorer) co-wrote the script. Cummings and Jennifer Twiner McCarron serve as executive producers for Atomic/Thunderbird, alongside Woodson, Emmy-winning producer Maria Pepin and Matthew Berkowitz. Atomic’s Lori Massini and Joel Bradley are Co-exec producers and Heather Renney serves as supervising producer.
Thunderbird manages and controls global media distribution rights to the special. Thunderbird Distribution will debut the special to prospective international buyers at MIPjunior/MIPCOM, taking place in Cannes, France, October 19 to 24.
