Leading Italian publisher Mondadori – through its Children’s Books Division – is to be the global publishing partner of the new children’s TV series Nina & Olga. 

The first two Nina & Olga books will arrive in the autumn to coincide with the launch in Italy by broadcaster Rai Yoyo of the new animated series, co-produced by Enanimation and Mondo TV Iberoamerica, along with Rai Ragazzi.

The new series is inspired by the work of the popular children’s author and illustrator Nicoletta Costa who first developed the character of Olga the Cloud over 30 years ago for the publisher EMME Edizioni. Since her first appearances Olga has been a favourite of young readers in many countries.

For the television series Olga is joined by a new friend, Nina. Nicoletta Costa will supply the artistic direction for the TV Series of Nina & Olga and will also write and edit the new books from Mondadori.

Nina is a very curious little girl with a head full of curls who lives in our world. Olga lives up above and becomes a special friend of Nina as they help each other cope with everyday challenges. A colourful world of children, parents, grannies and teachers, not to mention animals, birds, the sun, the moon and the stars, all come together as part of Nina & Olga’s daily adventures.

The target audience for the books is children all over the world aged 3 to 6, who will love the characters, emotions and imaginative scope of the stories as well as the themes of exploration, fun and facing small challenges together with your best friend.

Mondadori will launch the first two titles this autumn. Nina & Olga:You are a Special Friend is an illustrated book that tells the reader how little Nina and Olga the Cloud became friends. it will be published just before the TV series appears on screens. The second, book, Nina & Olga: Discovering Letters and Numbers, will be full of delightful tales and charming humour showing how Nina and Olga the Cloud get to grips with the alphabet and numerals.

Four more titles are planned, all based on episodes from the animated series: The Best Gift Ever, Little Mysteries of the Night, Fun at the Farm and The Chase Away Spot.

About Nicoletta Costa

Nicoletta Costa became an illustrator of children’s books in 1980, two years after graduating in Architecture, and she has never stopped since then. She has published so far more than 500 illustrated books, enchanting readers all over the world thanks to her extraordinary ability to see things with the eyes of children and creating characters that are now part of the collective imagination and the growth path of children from generation to generation. Through the adventures of her characters, the little readers learn to have self-confidence and to face each new challenge. For Mondadori she published the Blue Bear book series in 2020.