Books will feature tech-savvy character created by best-selling author Randi Zuckerberg.
Randi Zuckerberg knows that girls need to be exposed to tech-savvy role models, and she knows that kids need to find a balance with technology, recognizing when to plug in and when to unplug. So she created Dot., a tech-confident eight-year-old girl who leaps into new adventures with abandon when something sparks her endless curiosity. The eponymous animated series starring this outgoing and spunky character, now in its second season on Universal Kids and streaming on Hulu, is making the leap from the screen to two tie-in books to be published by Candlewick Entertainment in April 2019, launching a new publishing program.
Candlewick Entertainment will release the early readers, Leaf It to Dot and Rocket Out of the Park, simultaneously in hardcover and paperback in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The books will be edited by Joan Powers, group editorial director for Candlewick Entertainment and Walker Entertainment, who acquired world rights in English from The Jim Henson Company, which handles all consumer products rights for the property worldwide.
Leaf It to Dot follows Dot as she goes on an outdoor scavenger hunt with Dad and her best friend. Her tablet helps her spot incredible things — but she sees that it’s awesome to see nature with her own eyes, too. In Rocket Out of the Park, Dot and her friends build rockets at the Creative Fair, where the sky’s the limit for ingenuity.
Joan Powers says, “Randi Zuckerberg has created a character who is very timely indeed. In every episode — and in every book — Dot discovers that technology can enhance real-world experiences, but it certainly doesn’t replace them. Dot is entertaining and inspiring; we are excited to welcome her to our list.”
Dot. is the first animated show for New York Times best-selling author Randi Zuckerberg, who is also founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media. Dot. was born from Zuckerberg’s passion for motivating and inspiring young girls to develop an early love and appreciation for technology, math, and science. Since its debut in 2016, the series has received a Kidscreen Award for Best New Series, a Parents’ Choice Award Silver Medal, a Common Sense Media five-star rating, a BANFF World Media Festival Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content, and an ACTRA Outstanding Performance (Voice) for Lilly Bartlam (Dot) nomination, among other accolades. The series app, Dotopedia, won a Youth Media Alliance Best Cross-Platform Interactive Content Award, a Common Sense Media four-star rating, a BANFF World Media Festival Interactive Content for Children and Youth nomination, a Canadian Screen Award for Best Cross-Platform Project for Children and Youth, and a W3Silver Award. Dot. is produced by Industrial Brothers in association with The Jim Henson Company and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
