Vancouver’s Atomic Cartoons is producing a kidlit-inspired 2D-animated special that has just scored a pick-up from PBS KIDS.

The Day You Begin (45 minutes) adapts a same-name 2018 picture book by US author Jacqueline Woodson. Targeting readers ages five to eight, this NYT bestseller revolves around the first day of school as seen through the eyes of four kindergartners (Angelina, Rigoberto, Oni and Andre), forming an interconnected narrative.

The Day You Begin was featured in Netflix’s Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (12 x five minutes), a 2020 series spotlighting popular children’s books by Black authors. An acclaimed writer behind major titles for both kid and adult readers, Woodson has earned accolades such as the National Book Award (for her memoir Brown Girl Dreaming) and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for lifetime achievement.

“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,” says Adriano Schmid, VP of PBS KIDS content.

The US pubcaster has yet to set a premiere date for The Day You Begin, which is still in production with a script co-written by Woodson and Dana Chan (Alma’s Way). Atomic’s SVP of originals Kristin Cummings and Jennifer Twiner McCarron (CEO of parent company Thunderbird Entertainment) are executive producing, along with Woodson, producer Maria Pepin and Matthew Berkowitz (The Last Kids on Earth). 

The Thunderbird Distribution team will be introducing the title to international buyers at MIPCOM later this month.