Panini launches Leo the Truck books
the publishing house has launched bedtime stories with “Leo the Truck” franchise for preschool kids in Germany.
“Leo the Truck” is an animated series by independent content producer Project First. “Leo the Truck” captivates young audiences with his intelligence and playful nature, bringing construction kits to life in each episode. By involving viewers in the process of assembling vehicles and devices, Leo encourages children to actively engage with the story, enhancing their spatial intelligence and attention to detail. With the help of his friends, Lifty the Loader and Scoop the Shovel, Leo’s adventures also foster problem-solving skills, making learning both fun and interactive.
The cartoon is translated to 15 languages and have gained 23 billion views on YouTube worldwide. 2 seasons of 130 episodes are in rotation with new episodes of Season 3 being released. Project First also develops its own Leo the Truck apps which have gained 26 million downloads. A number of live-action channels also involve kids playing with toys and other Leo products, thus extending Leo universe for kids.
“Leo the Truck” has reached 50%+ awareness and popularity among preschool kids in Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and starts growing in Italy, Netherlands and Spain. When aware of Leo, every second kid becomes a fan, according to 2023 study by Brand Trends, a leading market research agency.
“We are delighted to be able to expand our colorful license portfolio in the children’s book sector with Leo the Truck. Leo the Truck is aimed at girls and boys of kindergarten age, which is why we will initially start with bedtime stories. Leo has a very large fan base on YouTube and we are convinced that the little truck and his adventures will also be a hit as a book. Leo simply fits perfectly into our children’s book program”, says Gabriele El Hag, Senior Publishing Director, Panini publishing house.
Panini Verlags GmbH is the German subsidiary of the Panini Group, which was founded in 1961 and is based in Modena, Italy. The Panini Group is the world’s largest publisher of collectible products. The company employs more than 1,200 people in twelve subsidiaries and is active in more than 130 countries.
In Germany, Panini publishes 180 books, 750 comic and 50 magazine titles as well as 50 collector’s collections (stickers, trading cards and more) every year.
“We are happy and proud that our German fans who keep asking where to buy products with Leo now have the chance to buy the best quality books produced by such a prominent publisher as Panini”, – says Vladimir Nabatov, Business Development Director, Project First. “Leo has a huge success on our German YouTube channels as well as German Amazon and we are excited to extend our licensing program to meet demand”.
As Project First also runs live-action channels for preschool kids, Panini book of Leo the Truck bedtime stories have also been featured in several videos altogether reaching 100K views within 3 months.
