Fabled Films is the brainchild of an age where publishing is no longer confined to ink and paper, but instead reaches out across a variety of media and platforms to create an interactive literary phenomenon. “We want to bring back the book as entertainment,” says founder Tracey Hecht, “to be enjoyed together in a social way, with families and with friends.”
While the Fabled Films creative team has its fair share of English and Creative Writing degrees, its staff is also home to animators, entrepreneurs, comedians, film directors, musicians, and children’s development and education specialists. Each book has its own lead author and illustrator, but all of Fabled Films’ titles are truly collaborative creative efforts, drawing on the brilliant range of skills its crew brings to the table.
Their first book, The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions, will be published April 19, and is the first title in a ten-part series. Though it’s still a few months out from release, the Fabled Films team is already bringing the world of The Nocturnals to life. The series has its own website, which introduces you to the characters through an adorable series of animated shorts.
Young and old readers alike are invited to “Join the Brigade!”, an interactive fanclub where you can get your favorite stuffed animals their very own snakeskin capes.
The Nocturnals has been getting advance praise from booksellers and critics alike, from Kirkus Reviews to the staff at King’s English in Salt Lake City and Once Upon a time in Montrose, California, who said “The characters are charming and the story is well-crafted. . . . The Nocturnals will be enjoyed by kids who like intrigue, environmental issues and animals.” Even R. L. Stine (otherwise known as the bestselling author of the Goosebumps series) is in on the craze, raving that “The Nocturnals is an enchanting story about a group of animals who band together to protect their friends and find adventure. The characters are delightful and the nighttime landscape is captivating. It was just as I expected—because the best stories always take place in the dark!”
Hecht firmly believes in the importance of the children’s and young adult genres, saying, “There’s something timeless about middle-grade stories. . . . I love that moment in life, that period when you’re not quite on your own but you’re not a kid either. It’s exciting and full of energy.”
Fabled Films also puts out a series of educational resources for all of their books, with specialized guides for language arts teachers, librarians, and booksellers.
No facet of the ever-evolving book world has been left unexplored by these literary pioneers, which begs the question, what will they do next? We can’t wait to see!
Eager to get your hands on The Nocturnals? Check out the first chapter here.