WOOLLY WOOLLY Welcome!

I have big news!

WOOLLY WOOLLY is a new animated series based on the world that I’ve been knitting since 2007. More than eight years in the making, this show goes beyond my wildest dreams of where my stitches could go, thanks to Groupe PVP, co-producer Normaal, and an incredible production team that spans two continents!

The episodes, which are created for a preschool audience, follow the adventures of a family of knitted gnomes (the Woollys) and the creatures who live in their woolly world. The Woollys can knit anything! So soft, cozy adventures and creative play abound. 

Each story begins as two “real life” kids turn to their knitted friends to work through something in their non-knitted lives. I love how this captures the imagination and anything-is-possible rules of real kids engaging in open-ended creative play. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anna Hrachovec (@mochimochiworld)

In addition being an executive producer, I’ve been involved with WOOLLY WOOLLY as a creative consultant throughout its development, so I’ve gotten to work with the uber talented team of designers, writers, and animators who have brought this world to life. 

The series is computer animated with a stop-motion style that blows me away every time I see it. Seriously, from the textures to the movement to the little bits of fuzziness, director Emmanuel Linderer has created some unbelievable woolly magic! 

The 52 11-minute episodes of WOOLLY WOOLLY are now airing in Canada on TVOkids and TVOkids Smart TV App, and on Knowledge Network and its Knowledge Kids App. 

The French version is airing in Canada on TOU.TV and on ICI TÉLÉ as LES WOULLIS, and it’s available in Europe on France TV as WOOLLY WOOLLY. 

(Will WOOLLY WOOLLY come to other countries outside of France and Canada?? I sure hope so! And I’ll be sure to share the news when that happens.)

You can meet all the Woollys and learn more about their world, and even play a little Woolly game at woollywoolly.tv.

I’m so grateful to everyone who’s been involved in this project. I hope it will amuse and delight the kids and adults who see it, and it’s my dream that it will inspire viewers to create their own worlds, woolly or otherwise! 

SHORT DOG, LONG DOG is here!

My new picture book is out now!

Following up on the prepositional cats in CATSIDE UP, CATSIDE DOWN, the dogs in SHORT DOG, LONG DOG are all about opposites! Because dogs come in all shapes, sizes, barks, and personalities—from huge and tiny to itchy on the head and scratchy on the hiney—they’re the perfect subjects to explore the world of antonyms.

The book is now on sale at all the major booksellers, and hopefully also at your local bookstore and yarn shop too. 

Short Dog, Long Dog has received a starred review from Kirkus, along with a positive review in Booklist.

I absolutely loved putting this book together and I hope you’ll love reading it and sharing it. It’s for kids, dog lovers, word nerds, and knitters alike! 

Short Dog, Long Dog available for preorder

My next picture book is coming out soon, and is now available for preorder! 

SHORT DOG LONG DOG is a book of knitted dogs demonstrating opposites, some conventional; others less so! 

And Kirkus just gave it a starred review, yay! 

Avaiable for preorder from bookstores big and small, near and far, quiet and loud... you get the idea. 🐶

Be Like Bud campaign selected for American Illustration 43

I'm so pleased that my work for the "Be Like Bud" campaign that I worked on with My Sister Fred for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department is a selected winner in American Illustration 43. 

American Illusration selected four stills from the campsign to be included in their book. 

It's an honor to be recognized by this publication again! Previously, my spots for Nickeodeon were selected for AI 33 and my video for Sesame Workshop was included in AI 36.

2024 Bank Street Best Books of the Year list

I’m very happy to have Catside Up, Catside Down included in this year’s Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list! It’s in the category of Best Books for Under Fives.

Texas Library Association's 2x2 Reading List

I'm thrilled that Catside Up, Catside Down has been selected by the Texas Library Association for their annual 2x2 Reading List, a list that's compiled of books recommended for children age 2 to second grade. I love that! 

CATSIDE UP, CATSIDE DOWN Included in Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids 2023

It's such an honor to see Catside Up, Catside Down included in Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids 2023. (Number 3 in the picture books category!) Thank you, Evanston librarians! 

The cat’s OUT of the bag 😺

Catside Up, Catside Down is now on sale everywhere! To get my new book of cats and prepositions, just ask or it AT your local bookstore, or order it FROM your favorite website. If you placed a preorder, check INSIDE your mailbox!

This is my first-ever picture book. It’s a slightly scary thrill to finally have it out in the world. There’s a lot of me in this book—my goofy rhymes, my photography—and, of course, my more than 50 knitted cats! I hope the cute kitties will engage kids and charm grownups, and maybe inspire some people to make something with yarn.

One of the best things about working on Catside Up, Catside Down was collaborating with people who made my ideas so much better. I’m grateful to incisive editor Anna Roberto, astute designer Mike Burroughs, and to my agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, for believing in my whole deal and turning me into a children’s book author!

Craft Industry Alliance Podcast interview

I recently had the honor of being interviewed on the Craft Industry Alliance podcast. 

The podcast is hosted by Abby Glassenberg, co-founder and president of CIA. So Abby is a pretty big deal in the crafts industry, but I’ll always know her as a plush maker—back when I was working at gallery hanahou in NYC, Abby was one of the artists we invited to take part in our plush toy show! As I talk about on the podcast, that show was one of the big influences on my journey of knitting toys, and it shaped my thinking about plush toys as objects of art and design, and not just kids’ playthings. (Although toys made for kids are awesome too, of course!) 

As I expected, Abby was really easy to talk to, so I hope that makes for an enjoyable listen. Thank you Abby and Craft Industry Alliance for having me on!

Catside Up, Catside Down now available for preorder

I have news for people who love yarn or cats or both: I have a new picture book featuring knitted cats coming out this fall! 

Catside Up, Catside Down shows my cats in a bunch of different places and positions to demonstrate a variety of prepositions. The official audience is meant to be 2-5 year-olds, but I hope older folks will love the cats and rhymes too. 

You can see more and find links to preorder the book at the Macmillan website.