Dandelooo Partner Jean-Claude Mourlevat Wins Children’s Lit Award

Children’s author Jean-Claude Mourlevat, whose novel La rivière à l’envers will be adapted into a new series by Dandelooo, won the 2021 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA).

La rivière à l’envers will be adapted into a new serialized animation series called The Upside Down River. Canal+ in France has commissioned Dandelooo to develop and produce the nine 26-minute episodes. Dandelooo’s animation studio Ooolala will produce the new 2D animation in cooperation with Canal+ Family. Dandelooo will be responsible for worldwide distribution.

The Upside Down River is an adventurous quest in a poetic fantasy world following Hannah’s search for water drops from the Qjar river in order to heal her sacred bird. She’s followed in her hunt by Tomek, a shy boy whose world is turned upside down when she enters his shop. Directed by Paul Leluc (The Wolf, The Long Long Holiday), written by Jean Regnaud (Ernest & Celestine) and Marie de Banville (Tobie Lolness), the series is targeted at kids aged 8 to 12. It is set for delivery in early 2022.

Mourlevat becomes the first French laureate to receive this year’s award, the world’s largest prize for children’s literature. La rivière à l’envers, published by Editis Group, has sold over one million copies in France and numerous other countries including Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, Spain and Germany, and has recently been published in English by Andersen Press.

Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin, co-founder of Dandelooo, said: “My partner at Dandelooo, Jean Baptiste, and I are extremely excited and proud to have this unique opportunity to adapt this wonderful story, enhanced by an original design from the talented Chloé Cruchaudet and Thomas Reteuna.”