How to Squoosh Heads to CANAL+kids

Toon Factory’s new series How to Squoosh is set to air on CANAL+kids in France.

How to Squoosh is adapted from the series of albums of the same name by Catherine Leblanc and Roland Garrigue. Four episodes were shown at the Marseille Series Stories festival in November 2023, followed by a signing session with Garrigue.

The 52×11-minute 2D show targets kids 5 to 7. How to Squoosh squashes, squishes and squooshes monsters and anything else that frightens (big or little) children. It centers on Chloé, the intrepid squoosher in chief, who, for all of her 8 years, is nobody’s fool, and Spookie, the reflection of her own fear and faithful monster who she thinks she has tamed.

“With the trust that Glénat and CANAL+ put in us, we have been able to make this adaptation into a very funny series while never making fun of children’s fears,” said Thierry Berthier, founder of Toon Factory and producer of the series. “Helping them to understand them, learn about them and tame them is more than just a wish; it’s our objective.”

“At CANAL+kids, we care very much about providing youth programming [that] entertains children while also supporting them through various stages of their development,” said Christine Cauquelin, director of documentary, youth and animation channels and program units at CANAL+. “From a very early age, managing emotions, managing fears is part of their everyday lives, and it is important for children to be able to face up to them and overcome them. We were really won over by the How to Squoosh book collection, which explores these issues with intelligence and humor, and we are proud to propose an animated series [that], although a comedy, still sends a little shiver down the spine. Monsters and nightmares had better watch out, because thanks to the terrific twosome of Chloé and her monster Spookie, children will be in charge and have all the keys they need to care-freely face up to the biggest frights with humor. The fear’s going to be on the other foot!”

“When I drew the first albums in the series How to Squoosh, I thought a lot about the cartoons of my childhood, but I never thought that one day they’d become cartoons themselves,” Garrigue added. “It’s an immense joy and massive privilege to see my characters coming to life on screen!”