Children’s book series by Sudbury author to become TV show

Sudbury author’s works to become a TV series Sudbury area author Kenny Wilson’s popular children’s book series ‘Girl Rabbit’ is set to become a television series. Amanda Hicks reports.

A Greater Sudbury area author who created a series to help children boost their confidence is having his work turned into a television series.

Rabbit Girl Sudbury author Kenny Wilson wrote the book series ‘Rabbit Girl’ three years ago to help his then seven-year-old daughter build confidence. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)

Kenny Wilson wrote ‘Rabbit Girl’ three years ago to help his then seven-year-old daughter, who was struggling with self-confidence.

“I felt I needed to write a story about s superhero you could look up to that’s super strong and isn’t vulnerable and has the physicality to handle anything but inside doesn’t believe in herself,” said Wilson.

“So she has to find her confidence to become the hero she is.”

Wilson told CTV News he wanted to create a character kids could identify with.

“So kids could say ‘Hey I have that problem too and if Rabbit Girl can overcome this. I can too,’” he said.

He said he chose the name out of his daughter’s love of rabbits and because rabbits aren’t traditionally perceived as strong creatures.

‘Rabbit Girl’ was Wilson’s second book. He originally wanted to transform his first book ‘Tommy and the Christmas Coal,’ into an animated series, but it was shot down.

“It was suggested to me, if you don’t have half a million dollars, don’t even bother looking at animation,” said Wilson.

He added, “although, the person who told me that is right,” the author was able to teach himself how to do a lot of the work to cut down on costs.

“I had to teach myself how to draw, how to animate, and in the process I found a program that allows you to not use frame-by-frame animation, so you’re doing a digital puppet show, so it allows you to produce content a lot quicker than it would traditionally,” said Wilson.

Eventually, he was approached by Eastlink Community TV to help produce the show. Wilson was also granted $40,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).

All of the voice actors are students at Sudbury’s That Creative Loft.

Kelly Lamb, Creative Loft’s owner, said Wilson approached her about the project and she was excited at the chance to get her students involved.

“Students dream of voicing a cartoon,” she said.

“It’s actually quite challenging to book work in that industry.”

Lamb said, many don’t realize that Canada produces a wide range of popular children’s shows.

“Some of the most popular cartoons are shot in Toronto, they’re produced in Toronto,” she said.

“So when you get an audition for Blues Clues or Paw Patrol, you’re competing with lots of actors, so yeah, there’s tons of competition.”

Lamb told CTV News while the film and television industry has boomed in the north, there aren’t many children’s animated series being produced.

She said ‘Rabbit Girl’ will offer more chances for shows to be created and made in northern Ontario.

“Having this opportunity for actors is great because it’s something in the north,” Lamb said.

For many of her students, this will be their first role – for Rebekah Poxleitner that is certainly the case.

Poxleitner will be taking on the leading role as ‘Rabbit Girl.’

She said she loves voice acting because it’s a way for her to express herself and she is excited to bring relatability to the role.

“She struggles with confidence I find at the beginning and then finds her confidence throughout the story and I think that’s a good example to show how people to be,” Poxleitner said.

Wilson said currently, the art assists and the puppets are being created for the show while the actors are voicing. After that, follows animating, editing and sound proofing.

The author said he hopes the show will help kids struggling to find their own strength. As a kid, he recalls a moment when he was at a McDonalds eating a bagged lunch when the other kids were eating Happy Meals.

“A police officer from Sudbury police saw me, bought me lunch and that day I felt I was a million miles high,” Wilson said.

“If I can make a difference in one person’s life the way that officer did for me, I think I’ve succeeded.”

The show does not have an exact air date yet – however, Wilson said he expects it will air across the country on Eastlink sometime this fall.