Thirteen episodes of a 24-minute animated series are being developed by Cinar’s U.K. office and TMO-Loonland in Germany, in association with Germany’s ZDF network. Based on the book property The Little Ghosts by author Jacques Duquennoy, the series is being developed for kids ages three to six in the international marketplace. The property evokes a ‘charming, Paddington Bear-like feel,’ centering around the exploits of young ghosts learning the ropes, according to development executives. It is this learning-the-rules aspect of the book property that attracted producers, as they believe it’s a quandary young kids can relate to.

Plot descriptions, designs, visuals and the full partnerships are currently being hammered out before the project is greenlit for production. If all goes well, pre-pro will begin this summer, with completion slated for the year 2000.