Hey Kids, Watch This! by A24
A24’s Hey Kids, Watch This! spotlights more than 100 films for kids ages 2-12 (and their parents, too). Illustrated by AnnaHaifisch, the 288-page publication features a thick, flush-cut cover referencing classic children’s board books.
From cover to cover, the book is packed with illustrations referencing featured films, like the pieces of popcorn reimagined as notable characters on the book’s endsheets. The more readers engage with Hey Kids and its recommended movies, the more rewarding these illustrations become.
The book is divided by age (from Preschoolers to Tweens) into four chapters, each highlighting 20 age-appropriate movies plus special sections and activities. Characters representing each age group recur throughout the book.
Each spread features a single film, with immersive illustrations depicting key scenes and characters woven between the film’s description and other notable information.
The layout of each film spread is remixed from page to page, allowing us to create wildly different compositions across the book, while evoking a sense of playfulness and discovery for readers.
Notable animation styles and other unique aesthetic attributes were incorporated into illustrations whenever possible, capturing the diversity of the book ’s selections. Film stills were also utilized to provide additional texture and interest.
Each section opens with a mini table of contents, followed by a domestic scene integrating that chapter’s character along with other characters and details from these featured films. An answer key at the back of the book reveals each reference.
Special sections within each chapter highlight specific genres (i.e. musicals, experimental), themes (animal heros), and filmmakers (Disney, Don Bluth), and incorporate both illustration and film stills.
A series of icons was created to call out content parents might not want their kids to experience just yet—from fantasy violence to foul language. They appear alongside films containing this material.
The book closes on a Family Film Tracker, which we conceived to serve as both a place for readers to rate and comment on watched films and as an index of all featured films within the book.
Hey Kids has been named among 2024’s best books for kids by New York Magazine and recognized in holiday gift guides from Vogue, The New Yorker, The New York Times, IndieWire, The Strategist, and Vulture, among many others. Its first printing sold out in less than three months. 🙃
Designed and art directed with Jordi Ng
Illustrated by Anna Haifisch
Edited by James Cartwright
Written by Jon Dieringer and Caitlin Quinlan
A24 Publishing: Perrin Drumm, Shayan Saalabi
