Announcing a new Kobee Manatee® Pilot Animation!
I have some wonderful news for you! For years and every time, I would do a school visit, kids would always ask, “When’s a Kobee movie coming out?” Well, it gives me great pleasure in announcing we are now getting much…much closer to an actual Kobee Manatee® animation!
I collaborated with Hollywood screenwriter Joelle Sellner to create the new Kobee Manatee® pilot script. Joelle has 3 Hallmark romcoms and 21 animated series under her belt! Below is a sampling of Joelle’s animations:
- Weather Hunters (PBS Kids) Al Roker
- Hot Wheels Let’s Race (Netflix/Mattel)
- Agent 203 (Toon2Tango)
- The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj (Nickelodeon)
- Lego Monkie Kid (Lego)
- Legend Quest: Masters of Myth (Netflix)
- 44 Cats (Nick Jr./Netflix)
- Sonic Boom (Cartoon Network)
- Zevo-3 (Nicktoons)
With our book to screen adaptation, we continue to focus on Edutainment, (social and emotional learning) SEL, and (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) STEMnuggets weaved into each episode.
Evan Anglin, Co-Head of Animation and Literary Manager at Zero Gravity Management in Los Angles is representing the Kobee Manatee® animated series.
Check back for updates!
Below are the current installments in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® children’s educational series…
Synopsis: In late September, Kobee Manatee® is on a twelve-hundred-mile mission to get back home to Florida from Cape Cod, Massachusetts before the impending cold threatens his life. On his southbound journey, he meets two new friends: Tess the seahorse, who loves to learn, and Pablo the hermit crab, who is in search for a new shell. Will Kobee and his friends make it to Florida in time? Children learn all about manatees and their habitat!
We Have Excellent Reviews for Book 1!
“Children can learn a great deal about manatees and their habitat by reading about Kobee and his friends and their traveling adventure.” – Dr. Katie Tripp, Director of Science and Conservation, Save the Manatee Club
“This luxuriously illustrated, infectiously charming story makes us want to save the manatee and have a plush version to hug.” – Foreword Clarion Reviews
“A swimmingly fun, educational trip sure to be enjoyed by young friends of the manatee.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Kobee Manatee: Heading Home to Florida is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for parents and educators and is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. Using a rigorous evaluation process, entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost. Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media trust the MCA Honoring Excellence seal when selecting quality products and services for families and children.” – Mom’s Choice Awards
Synopsis: Loaded with surprises and exciting facts about weather, this thrilling tale follows Kobee Manatee as he travels across the mighty Atlantic Ocean into the strong Gulf Stream current – during hurricane season! His daring adventure begins when Kobee decides that he wants to surprise his sister Kim, who lives in the Bahamas, on her birthday. Will Kobee and his friends, Tess and Pablo, be able to travel safely from Key West, Florida, through all of the wild tropical weather coming their way? Each page includes in-depth, scientific details titled “Kobee’s Fun Facts,” which expand on the weather events that the characters encounter along the way.
We Have Excellent Reviews for Book 2!
“A rare children’s book that gives kids a colorful learning adventure and some weather fun facts parents will enjoy too.” —Rob Marciano | CBS News Senior Meteorologist
“An appealing picture book distinguished by its colorful images, creatively distilled meteorological facts, and simple but dynamic storytelling.” – Kirkus Reviews
“This vibrantly illustrated and amusing adventure will make learning about weather feel incidental.” –Foreword Clarion Reviews
Synopsis: Kobee Manatee and his pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab are en route to Puerto Rico to explore the SS Antonio López, a historic shipwreck from the 1898 Spanish-American War. The ship sits underwater about seven miles west of San Juan. On their Caribbean adventure, they meet several new sea friends, including a whale shark, an octopus, and a moray eel. But as Kobee and his buddies begin their thrilling exploration of the wreck, Kobee gets trapped inside the sunken ship! Can Tess, Pablo, and the new seafaring friends rescue Kobee? Children are sure to enjoy this spectacular tale loaded with surprises, fun, and exciting facts all about Caribbean reef fish.
We Have Excellent Reviews for Book 3!
Kobee and his ocean pals are full of fun, adventure, and inspiration. They give the reader a better sense of the magic and mystery within our ocean world. Following them onto the historic wreck dive of the SS Antonio López off of Puerto Rico, we learn all sorts of fascinating facts about wildlife and dangers, all while being entranced by the camaraderie of these fast friends. Even if one never gets a chance to ‘peek below the blue veneer’ of our planet, the adventures of Kobee and his aquatic mates are sure to make anyone appreciate how precious life is below the waves” —Fabien Cousteau, oceanographic explorer and conservationist
“Another creative blending of real-life oceanography and gentle fantasy in a smart and entertaining series.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Children will be drawn to the colors and images, and amused by the story of Kobee and his friends. Far more significantly, they will learn some important information that may help them to appreciate the ocean, and the beauty and diversity of the world beneath the water’s surface.” —Foreword Reviews
We Have Excellent Reviews for Book 4!
“Kobee Manatee is a lovable and magnetic host, leading readers into the waters that cover 70% of the earth while opening young minds to the connections between human actions and marine ecosystems. Creating opportunities, which inspire love for our marine animals can cultivate an environmentally responsible conscience that can last a lifetime.” — Dr. Tracy Fanara, environmental engineer, research scientist, and science communicator (aka Inspector Planet | inspectorplanet.com)
“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” —Kirkus Reviews
“We are happy to award deserving books like Kobee Manatee Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. Our panel of judges really felt this book merited a place on our list of the best in family-friendly products that parents and educators can feel confident in using.” —Dawn Matheson, CEO, Mom’s Choice Awards
Stay tuned for more animation updates!
Robert Scott Thayer
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