Deadline is reporting that PBS Kids has greenlit The Day You Begin, an animated special from Atomic Cartoons. The special is based on a picture book writen by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Rafael Lopez and is now in production at Atomic’s Vancouver studio. The 45 minute special follows four kindergarteners, Angelina, Rigoberto, One and Andrew on their first day of school. The special is told from each kid’s perspective to create an interconnecting narrative where they all have different experiences in the same classroom and throughout the day at school, learning what makes them unique and what connects them to others.
“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 at 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 script was written by Woodson and Dana Chan (Alma’s Way, Santiago of the Seas, Dora the Explorer). Kristen Cummings and Jennifer Twiner McCarron serve as executive producers for Atomic and its parent company Thunderbird Entertainment, alongside Woodson, Maria Pepin and Matthew Berkowitz, with Atomic’s Lori Massini and Joel Bradley serving as co-executive producer. Heather Renney is serving as supervising producer.
“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 Cummings, SVP of Originals for 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 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 Day You Begin was previously featured in Netflix’s Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices, which spotlighted popular children’s books by black authors. Some of Woodson’s other books include the young adult novel Miracle Boys, which was adapted for The N in 2005, Brown Girl Dreaming, After Tupac and D Foster, Feathers, and Show Way.