PorchLight Home Entertainment (PHE) has a new address for young viewers in search of crazy animal fun. The unit has acquired U.S. DVD distribution rights to the award-winning television series 64 Zoo Lane from Millimages U.K. The acquisition is part of an aggressive U.S. branding campaign that includes the April 28 release of six books 64 Zoo Lane from Hodder and Stoughton.
Created by Belgium television producer and author An Vrombaut, 64 Zoo Lane follows the adventures of a little girl named Lucy, who lives next door to a zoo. Every night, she climbs out of her window, slides down the long neck of Georgina the giraffe and listens to one of the animals at the zoo tell her a story. Georgina, Nelson the elephant, Zed the zebra, Tickles and Giggles the monkeys, Henrietta the hairy hippopotamus, Joey the kangaroo, Snowbert the polar bear and Kevin the crocodile entertain as children explore such social and emotional issues as responsibility, friendship, helping and caring, while learning about language and vocabulary.
64 Zoo Lane currently airs on Nickelodeon’s Noggin network for preschoolers in the U.S. and on BBC in the U.K. The series won the 2002 British Animation Award for Best Preschool Series, and the 2000 Pulcinella Prize for Best Series for Children at the international television festival Cartoons on the Bay. Episodes will be available on DVD for the first time in the U.S. on July 29.
