SCHOLASTIC ENTERTAINMENT AND GAUMONT JOIN FORCES WITH TEEN ACTRESS AND DOWN SYNDROME ADVOCATE SOFIA SANCHEZ ON ANIMATED SERIES ROCKET PARK

Animated Preschool Series Inspired by 13-Year-Old Sofia Sanchez and Scholastic Titles You Are Enough and You Are Loved

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic Entertainment, the media division of Scholastic, is partnering with Gaumont to co-develop and co-produce Rocket Park, a new animated preschool series inspired by Sofia Sanchez, a 13-year-old Down syndrome self-advocate, actress, model and inspiration for the children's books You Are Enough and You Are Loved, both written by Margaret O'Hair, illustrated by Sofia Cardoso, and published by Scholastic. Consisting of 11-minute episodes and original music, the uplifting series will focus on four kids who work together to help their community, and in doing so teach young viewers about the power of embracing and celebrating differences, accepting others and themselves, and loving friends and family for exactly who they are.

The project is currently in development, with Scholastic Entertainment and Gaumont attached to produce. Rocket Park is the first project that Scholastic Entertainment and Gaumont will work on together following the successful launch of Stillwater for Apple TV+, based on the Zen picture book series by Jon J Muth and winner of the Peabody and two Daytime Emmy® Awards. Dublin-based sketch comedy and improv writing and performing duo Amy Stephenson and Shane Langan will serve as showrunners for the project. Awarded "Best Preschool Writer" at the 2019 Irish Animation Awards, Stephenson and Langan's other preschool credits include Becca's Bunch, Jessy & Nessy, Kiva Can Do, Alva's World, Ladybird Lu and Silly Sundays. Scholastic Entertainment President Iole Lucchese (Clifford the Big Red Dog), SVP & General Manager Caitlin Friedman (Stillwater), and VP of TV Development Jef Kaminsky (Signs of Survival) will executive produce for Scholastic Entertainment. Gaumont Vice CEOs Sidonie Dumas and Christophe Riandee, President of Gaumont, U.S., Nicolas Atlan, EVP, Creative Content, U.S., Terry Kalagian, and VP, Creative Development, Animation & Family, Michelle Sullivan will executive produce for Gaumont.  

"We are thrilled to work with Sofia Sanchez to amplify her voice and create a space for the many kids and families who identify with her story, and proud to partner again with Gaumont to bring Rocket Park to the screen," said Lucchese. "We hope to spread the messages of love and acceptance, and introduce more children to Sofia's books."

"Rocket Park builds upon Scholastic Entertainment's mission to develop an inclusive slate of programming for all children, just as Scholastic publishes stories where all kids can find themselves in the pages," added Friedman.

"We are delighted to continue partnering with Scholastic Entertainment through this new project and look forward to building on the success of our award-winning series, Stillwater, currently available on Apple TV+. We are excited to be working with the talented Sofia Sanchez. As an inspiring young ambassador of inclusion and empowerment, utilizing her authentic voice and unique perspective, she will be key in helping to bring the joyful characters of Rocket Park to life," said Atlan.

"I can't wait to teach children how to be good helpers," said Sanchez. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Sofia Sanchez is unique, yet her message is universal: we all belong. You Are Enough, an inclusive and empowering picture book that includes a vast set of kid characters with all kinds of backgrounds, experiences and abilities, reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. The upcoming companion book, You Are Loved (to be published March 2023), introduces readers to all different types of families—from Sofia's adopted family to blended families, those with two moms and two dads or single parents, mixed race families, and kids raised by grandparents, guardians, or older siblings—and shares the important message that families are more than the people you live with, but the people you choose, and who love you just the way you are.

About Scholastic Entertainment
Scholastic Entertainment brings high-quality, family-oriented content across multiple platforms to audiences of all ages. Among its award-winning productions are the animated series CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG for Amazon Prime and PBS Kids, a live-action CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG feature for Paramount, Peabody and Daytime Emmy® Award-winning STILLWATER, an animated series for Apple TV+, and three live-action TV movies for Hallmark. Scholastic Entertainment continues to build celebrated children's brands worldwide by bringing both nostalgic Scholastic properties and exciting new voices to the screen. Some of its recent projects include EVA THE OWLET, an upcoming animated series for Apple TV+ based on the New York Times bestselling Scholastic book series Owl Diaries, and a new live-action GOOSEBUMPS series in development with Disney+. Scholastic Entertainment is the media division of Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL), the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, a leading provider of literacy curriculum and professional services, and a producer of educational and entertaining children's media.

About Gaumont
With offices in Paris, Los Angeles, London, Köln, Berlin, and Rome, Gaumont is an industry leader in producing and distributing high-quality TV programming and films. Specializing in producing local stories with global appeal, Gaumont's current slate includes talent-driven, diverse, and distinctive titles across multiple languages for the world's leading global streaming platforms and channels. Among these is breakout sensation Lupin, Netflix's most-watched non-English series and second most-watched series overall to date. Other productions for Netflix include Narcos, the German historical drama Barbarians, animated series F is for Family, and Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, based on the comic books by Stan Sakai. For Amazon Prime Video U.S., Do Re & Mi with Kristen Bell, International Emmy® Award-nominated El Presidente co-created by Armando Bó and Pablo Larraín in Latin America, and action thriller Totems in France. For Disney+, Kaiser Karl is based on the life of the iconic designer. For Apple TV+, productions include Stillwater, winner of the prestigious Peabody and two Daytime Emmy® Awards, based on the Zen book series of Jon J Muth. Gaumont also produces several TV series, co-produces, and distributes films for theaters and boasts a film library encompassing over 1,500 titles from prestigious directors such as Louis Malle, Jean-Luc Godard, and Olivier Nakache & Éric Toledano for The Intouchables.

SOURCE Scholastic