Posted in: TV | Tagged: HarperCollins, Toonstar

Toonstar to Adapt "Friendship List" and Other HarperCollins Titles

Toonstar & HarperCollins have entered into a new deal to adapt several books into animated shows, beginning with the "Friendship List" series.

Published Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:08:06 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

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Article Summary

Toonstar inks deal with HarperCollins to create animated series from popular children's books.
The first adaptation will be Lisa Greenwald's Friendship List series, targeting family audiences.
Toonstar uses AI-driven animation while keeping artists at the heart of their creative process.
No other book titles or release dates have been announced yet for upcoming animated adaptations.

Animation group Toonstar and book publisher HarperCollins have come together for a new deal, under which they will begin producing animated adaptations of multiple book series. If you're not familiar with Toonstar, it's an AI-based animation studio founded by Disney and Warner Bros. veterans John Attanasio and Luisa Huang. The deal will have them start with the Friendship List novel series by Lisa Greenwald, but no other properties have been revealed yet, nor is there a timetable for when we might see the shows. We have a few quotes from the announcement made this week.

Friendship List Will Receive An Animated Adaptation From Toonstar

"HarperCollins has always embraced innovation that serves our authors and readers by finding new ways to bring great stories to readers wherever they are," said Liate Stehlik, CEO and Publisher, US Trade, HarperCollins Publishers. "Toonstar's proven ability to translate beloved stories into engaging animation, while keeping artists at the center of the process, makes them the ideal partner to bring Friendship List and other popular titles to new audiences in formats today's families love."

: Credit: Toonstar

: Credit: HarperCollins

: Credit: HarperCollins

: Credit: HarperCollins

"HarperCollins has one of the most cherished catalogs in publishing, with stories that have shaped people's imaginations for generations," said John Attanasio, CEO and Co-Founder of Toonstar. "We're honored to bring Friendship List to life as an animated series. Our artist-centered approach ensures these beloved characters and stories stay true to the author's vision, while our Ink & Pixel production technology enables fast, high-quality production at scale which unlocks the ability to meet audiences where and when they enjoy content today."

"Partnering with Toonstar gives us an exciting new opportunity to bring the characters and stories in the Friendship List series to life for families in a new way," said Rich Thomas, SVP, Executive Director of Publishing, HarperCollins Children's Books.

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