Nelvana Partners with Mother Daughter Team Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton to Develop Very Fairy Princess TV Series

Based on their #1 New York Times Bestselling Picture Books

New girls preschool TV series slated to air in 2016

TORONTO, March 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Corus Entertainment's Nelvana Enterprises, one of the world's leading international producers and distributors of children's animated content, is partnering with internationally renowned actress and author Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton to develop a new animated girls preschool TV series based on their #1 New York Times bestselling book series, The Very Fairy Princess.

The Very Fairy Princess franchise, which is part of The Julie Andrews Collection, and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, first launched in 2010. Illustrated by Christine Davenier, the book series includes eight titles, with a ninth book, The Very Fairy Princess: A Spooky, Sparkly Halloween, due out later this year. The series chronicles the adventures of Geraldine, who knows deep down that she is a very fairy princess, despite all evidence to the contrary. From morning to night, Gerry does everything that fairy princesses do: she dresses in royal attire, practices her flying skills, and is always on the lookout for problems to solve. But it isn't all twirls and tiaras. As every fairy princess knows, dirty fingernails and scabby knees are just the price you pay for a busy day… it's one's inner sparkle that matters most!

"Emma and I couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with Nelvana," said Andrews. "The books are all about celebrating individuality. We hope to encourage kids to rejoice in their own unique passions and talents – even if they're different from that of their family or friends, and Nelvana is the perfect partner to bring our beloved Very Fairy Princess to a wider audience."

"Our family has enjoyed Nelvana's programs for years," said Walton Hamilton. "We have always been so impressed with their quality and their content. It's a joy and a privilege to be working with Nelvana now on bringing our Very Fairy Princess to life on television."

The animated TV series will focus on Geraldine, for whom being a very fairy princess is less about appearances than it is about knowing what makes your heart sing, and having the courage to share that with others. Slated to launch on air in 2016, the series will be jointly developed with Andrews and Walton Hamilton and produced at Nelvana Studio in Toronto. 

"We love Geraldine's precocious personality and can't wait to get to know her even better and bring her adventures to life," said Irene Weibel, Vice President, Head of Nelvana Studio. "Nelvana takes special pride in bringing beloved books to the screen and it's a true honour to collaborate with Julie and Emma to extend the world of The Very Fairy Princess to an animated series."

About Nelvana
Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children's animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and boys action series and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana's content airs on Corus Entertainment's kids channels in Canada and in over 160 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 4,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Geminis. Visit the Nelvana website at nelvana.com.

About The Julie Andrews Collection
The Julie Andrews Collection encompasses fiction and non-fiction books for young people, ages 1-16, which nurture the imagination and encourage a sense of wonder. Julie Andrews' work as an actress and an author has delighted children of all ages throughout her long career. Emma Walton Hamilton has co-authored over 26 books with her mother and teaches children's book writing at the graduate level. Books in the Julie Andrews Collection embrace themes of integrity, creativity and the gifts of nature, offering gentle wisdom for the growing years and helping to stimulate feelings of self-worth for young readers.

SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc.

Kate Calder, Publicist, Corus Entertainment, 416.479.6319, [email protected]