Tiger Aspect reveals ‘What The Ladybird Heard’

Banijay-owned UK prodco Tiger Aspect Kids & Family has acquired the rights to development children’s picture book series What The Ladybird Heard as a pre-school animated series.

The four-book series is written by Julia Donaldson (The Gruffalo, Zog) and illustrated by Lydia Monks and follows the adventures of a ladybird who always manages to outsmart crafty duo, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, with a little help from her farmyard friends.

The book series is currently the third best-selling picture book brand in the UK and has spawned a stage version, which is currently on a nationwide tour. It includes the original What The Ladybird Heard, as well as What The Ladybird Heard Next, What The Ladybird Heard On Holiday and What The Ladybird Heard At The Seaside.

Tom Beattie, MD of Tiger Aspect Kids and Family, will executive produce the series and oversee its development, while distribution will be handled by Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution.

Beattie commented: “Having read these books to my kids, with the brilliant rhyming verse and following the bumpy trail across every page looking for the ladybird, time and time again, I’m honoured to be working with Julia and Lydia to bring this brilliant story to screen.”

“I’m sure that Lydia Monks’s characterful pictures of the clever little ladybird, the farmyard animals and the comical thieves will translate brilliantly into animation, and I can’t wait to see them all on my television,” added Donaldson.