Zodiak Kids Secures Development Deal for Cookie Book Series

Zodiak Kids Studios, part of Banijay, has secured a development deal to produce a live-action TV series based on the Cookie books, written and illustrated by Konnie Huq.

Aimed at kids aged 7 to 12, the working title for the TV series is Cookie!, named after the titular character in the books. The show will follow the adventures of British-Bangladeshi Cookie, whose big mouth and overactive imagination often land her in hot water. Zodiak Kids owns international distribution rights to the series.

Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World was first published by Piccadilly Press in 2019, followed by Cookie and the Most Annoying Girl in the World in 2020. The award-winning series has now sold over 60,000 copies in the U.K.

The executive producers for the series will be Steven Andrew, creative director at Zodiak Kids, James Farrell for Terrible Productions and Konnie Huq.

Steven Andrew said: “I loved Cookie from the first page and I am thrilled that we have been able to secure the rights to make the TV series. Konnie has created a delightfully funny, flawed but wonderfully accessible character whom all children will be able to relate to and I am sure will become an iconic part of children’s culture for years to come. I am looking forward to working with Konnie to bring Cookie to the small, medium- or even large-sized screen.”

Konnie Huq said: “It’s so great to be working with Steven Andrew (who I worked with in Blue Peter days) once again and also the fabulous team at Zodiak. I know they’ll do a brilliant job of bringing Cookie to life! Growing up from a minority background, it’s important to me that all children feel they’re represented. Although Cookie can feel like a bit of an outsider, she has a lot to offer. I’m a huge fan of bringing together education and entertainment, and I hope viewers will be belly laughing and perhaps even getting a dose of stealth science!”

James Farrell added: “I can’t wait to work with Konnie and the wonderful team at Zodiak to bring Cookie to life. Konnie’s deft use of humor and emotion to make STEM subjects accessible to a mainstream audience means that adapting her brilliant books for telly couldn’t be more timely. Cookie’s love and enthusiasm for science is sure to inspire the vaccine-creators of the future.”