Lion Forge Entertainment and Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House, have partnered to develop film and TV projects based on popular children’s books published by the label. Under terms of the deal, Lion Forge retains rights to develop and adapt a multi-title slate of PYR books as animated and/or live-action properties. The initial slate includes Wannabe Farms (Penguin Workshop, ages 8-12), North Pole Ninjas
(Penguin Workshop, ages 3-7), Monster Juice (Grosset & Dunlap, ages 8-12) and The Pathfinders Society (Viking, ages 8-12).
“Lion Forge is the perfect partner to bring some of Penguin’s most exciting properties to screens worldwide,” said Jen Loja, President, Penguin Young Readers. “With their expertise in engaging diverse audiences with unique yet universal stories, we couldn’t be more excited to see how these projects develop.”
The projects will be shepherded by Lion Forge Entertainment President & Chief Content Officer Stephanie Sperber, who brokered the deal. Projects that go into production will be produced by Lion Forge Founder & CEO David Steward II, along with Sperber, Francesco Sedita from Penguin Young Readers and media consultant Rich Korson.
“The creative team at Penguin Young Readers are as passionate about storytelling and world-building as we are at Lion Forge,” said Sperber. “Their publishing list aligns perfectly with the content we bring to market and we are eager to develop these books for kids and family audiences globally.”
Steward added, “Each book we’re developing with Penguin offers something different to audiences but all share heart, humor and sense of discovery that we love to highlight at Lion Forge Entertainment. We look forward to working with these talented authors to bring their stories to the screen.”
About the Books:
Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Brian McCann‘s (Late Night with Conan O’Brien) Wannabe Farms, is an insanely funny, rhyming collection of stories that asks the question: What do farmyard animals really want to do with their lives?
On Wannabe Farms, the animals like to wonder and dream, plot and scheme, and definitely not act how they’re supposed to. In rhyming verse, McCann shows readers what happens when cows
want to drive, pigs dream of being sophisticates, and sheep take their hairstyles into their own hands (well, hooves). What emerges is a delightful, hysterical romp through the farmyard, as animals discover the place where dreams meet their limits, and the power of adjusted expectations.
North Pole Ninjas by Tyler Knott Gregson (Chasers of the Light, All The Words are Yours, Wildly into the Dark) follows a yuletide call-to-arms to save the spirit of Christmas, with special missions to help anyone get back on the nice list.
The North Pole Ninjas are Santa‘s team of special elves, selected for their ability to perform top-secret missions that are all about helping, giving, caring, and listening. Anyone receiving this book is called upon to help carry out those missions with a bit of stealth and an open heart. The gorgeously illustrated picture book retells the legend of the North Pole Ninjas for new recruits, and includes 50 secret tasks to stealthily help others before the Holiday.
Intergenerational connection gets a spooky twist in the Monster Juice book series, written by M.D. Payne.
When Chris signs up to volunteer at a retirement home, he has no idea that its residents are monsters! But it turns out that the elderly monsters are actually in danger, and they need Chris’s help to fight back. This offbeat middle-grade series is full of gross-out humor, horror and adventure.
Described as “A fun mystery in the mode of The Goonies or Stranger Things, with appealing artwork that glows and brings the book alive” (Jeff Smith, creator of New York Times bestseller and award winner Bone), Francesco Sedita and Prescott Seraydarian’s The Pathfinders Society is a summer camp thriller for tweens.
Summer camp becomes a whole lot more interesting when five curious kids accept a mysterious challenge: work together as a team to uncover a series of strange clues, reveal a secret path, and follow its twists and turns to a legendary treasure hidden in a creepy castle that seems to warp time itself.
As a mission-driven entertainment company, Lion Forge Entertainment focuses on diverse storytellers and amplifying under-represented voices by creating content that is both authentic and appealing to a broad audience. Having recently expanded its production slate to include live action as well as animation, the company develops and produces content targeting the kids & family and YA audiences, building on the success of earlier Lion Forge Animation projects including the Oscar-winning Hair Love, and the upcoming Iyanu animated series for Cartoon Network and Max.
The deal with Penguin Young Readers continues a busy summer for Lion Forge Entertainment, which recently closed a first-look deal with Nickelodeon Animation and set a strategic global content partnership with advertising giant Dentsu. Through the deal with Nickelodeon Animation, which covers animated series and features, Nickelodeon has a first look at all Lion Forge kids and family IP across series, features, short-form and digital content, while bringing select Nickelodeon and Paramount IP to Lion Forge to develop and produce. Meanwhile, the Dentsu partnership aligns Dentsu’s brand clients and network of agencies with Lion Forge, which serves as a specialized entertainment resource to create brand-friendly content across feature films, TV series, shorts and digital content aimed at kids and families, as well as adult audiences.
