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News

Novel Entertainment Teams with Amazon Kids+ to Launch Horrid Henry Skill

Novel Entertainment has created an Alexa Skill based on its internationally renowned Horrid Henry brand. The new interactive, voice-activated app is now available on Alexa-enabled devices. Built by Novel Entertainment in partnership with voice design studio and digital agency Vocala, the Horrid Henry Skill enables fans to interact with Henry and other favorite characters from the series as they do their ‘Horrid Homework’, sing along with favorite music tracks and test their knowledge of the show. Users can earn points to gain titles such as Maestro Bogey Brain and Super Skiller and content will be updated regularly, with Amazon Kids+ subscribers having access to further exclusive content.

Pokémon Company to Celebrate 27 Years of the Franchise with ‘Pokemon Presents’ on February 27th

The Pokémon Company International is inviting fans to “Celebrate Pokémon Together” on Pokémon Day, which marks the date when the first Pokémon video games were released. A special Pokémon Presents video presentation will be streamed on February 27, 2023, at 6:00 a.m. PST on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.

Fred Rogers Productions and Licensing Street Ready First Collection of Donkey Hodie Products

A new collection of products from Donkey Hodie, the hit preschool puppet series, will be introduced nationwide this year. Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind multiple Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, and Licensing Street, licensing agent for the show, have partnered to secure deals with top brands in a variety of categories. The debut Donkey Hodie collection, which will include apparel from Komar and Mad Engine, as well as costumes from Rubies, is set to launch this fall.

Events News

Toy Industry Veterans Come Together to Create the North East Toy Show (NETS)

Trade Show Ventures, run by Christine and Alan Blumberg, have partnered with industry veteran, Lea Culliton, former president of HABA and Chairman of the ABC Kids Expo, to create the North East Toy Show (NETS), designed to bring manufacturers, retailers, buyers and key accounts together in February, where there is a void in Northeast trade shows. NETS will run from February 11-February 13, 2024 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Animation Specialist Gold Valley Films Announces New Film in Post Production, ‘Little Emma’

Gold Valley Films will attend EFM 2023 in Berlin to showcase their latest original animation film, Little Emma, which was recently awarded the MPA Asia-Pacific Cooperation Special Award for best work-in-progress at the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF). There are two screenings of the film’s first 50 minutes on the 16 and 18 of February. In addition to Little Emma, GVF will also be presenting at EFM Nils: The New Adventure, based on the novel by Selma Lagerlöf, the first women Nobel Prize winner in literature, and Wojtek The Bear, based on a true story, in Berlin.

Pokémon Unveils “Pokémon Together” Brand Campaign in Anticipation of Pokémon Day for 2023

On February 27, 1996, the first Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, launched in Japan and introduced players to the concept of battling and trading Pokémon by connecting their Game Boy devices. This heralded the start of what would grow to be one of the world’s most beloved entertainment franchises with a community of global fans known as “Trainers.” Since then, Trainers around the world come together to celebrate their love for the brand on February 27, better known as Pokémon Day. This year, The Pokémon Company International is celebrating the original and enduring spirit of connectivity which began with those first games by inviting Trainers to “Pokémon Together” throughout 2023. A special trailer illustrating the concept of the program launched February 15th, and can be seen here.

Falcon’s Beyond Opens Ticket Sales for Katmandu Park | Punta Cana

Falcon’s Beyond, a leading fully integrated global entertainment development company specializing in intellectual property (IP) creation and expansion, has announced that Katmandu Park | Punta Cana, its forthcoming world-class theme park, will officially open to the public on March 15, 2023 with tickets on sale now. The new park in the Dominican Republic features cutting-edge, first-of-its-kind rides and attractions that immerse guests in the company’s original, proprietary franchise, The Hidden Realms of Katmandu.

Finalists Announced for the Bologna Licensing Awards

The finalists of the Bologna Licensing Awards, the prestigious awards of the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, have been announced. The products of all the Bologna Licensing Award finalists projects will be on display throughout the fair at the BLTF/Kids Awards showcases located in the BLTF/Kids zone at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Hall 29 – Mall 2. The winners will be announced at the BLTF/Kids Awards Ceremony to be held in the Licensing Conference Room on 6 March at 4pm.

FAO Schwarz Hosts Author Megan Hess for Book Signing

FAO’s meet-n-greet and book signing event with Megan Hess (famed Illustrator, New York Times, Vanity Fair and Author of Claris “The Chicest Mouse In Paris” Books) to celebrate her latest book – Where is Claris in New York with F.A.O Schwarz and toy line of Claris was a massive success. The event took place on Saturday, February 11th at the iconic FAO Schwarz.