Press kit, endorsements, and partner inquiries for the animated children's series adapted from the books of Dr. Mary McCluskey.
A children's animated series whose characters were drawn at age eleven, whose worlds were painted by three generations of women, and whose source material has already been distributed to refugee families by Sean Penn's NGO.
Leaders of the Cosmos is a six-episode animated children's series adapted from The Leader of the Parade and Bubbles, Balloons and Birds — two published works by Dr. Mary McCluskey, DSW, LCSW (NYU Silver School of Social Work).
The series is unique on three counts. First, its visual identity is a multigenerational family work: every character was originally drawn by Mary's daughter Fi Hailyn at age eleven; the background paintings are by Mary's mother and Mary herself.
Second, the source material is already finding international impact: Bubbles, Balloons and Birds was translated into Ukrainian and distributed by Sean Penn's CORE Response to refugee families in Poland — with on-the-record endorsements from CORE's Co-Founder & CEO Ann Lee.
Third, the series is grounded in real psychology: Adlerian Individual Psychology, the framework Mary trained in clinically. The books also carry a foreword by Mariel Hemingway.
Episode 1 debuts at the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago on June 27, 2026, alongside Mary's signing for the Mom's Gold Choice Awards.
Series produced by Animate My Storybook (a Country Mungrel TV studio). Director: Vivian "Quil" Thomas.
"The war has been incredibly difficult for Ukrainian families who come through our shelters, seeking safety and support. With no end in sight, books like Mary's give children moments of stillness, comfort, and connection."
Ann Lee
Co-Founder & CEO · CORE Response
(founded by Sean Penn)
"Bubbles, Balloons and Birds has been a meaningful resource for the refugee families we serve. Mary's work bridges trauma and tenderness in a way few children's books achieve."
Jan Willaert
CORE Response · Ukraine Programs
"Mary's books are a gift to children, parents, and the educators who walk alongside them. The world she has built is generous, honest, and lit from within."
Mariel Hemingway
Foreword author
Bubbles, Balloons and Birds
Everything you need to write the story. High-res images, logos, episode stills, character art, bios.
The series at a glance — premiere, episodes, format, key collaborators.
Request →High-resolution character designs, episode stills, and key visuals.
Request →60-second cinematic trailer debuting at ALA Chicago June 27.
Request →Bios for Dr. Mary McCluskey, Fi Hailyn, and the AMS studio team.
Request →Series logo, AMS studio logo, color palette, typography guide.
Request →Cover art and sample spreads from both source books.
Request →We'll send the link to download the complete press kit within 24 hours. For interview requests, use the same form — leave a note.
If you program for children and families, Leaders of the Cosmos is in active development. We are open to streamer partnerships, festival programming, and educational distribution.
Non-commercial · education-aligned
Premium · Mariel Hemingway relevance
Global scale · CORE Response story
Co-branding · early childhood partner