Amy Poehler’s Production Company Options Rights to ‘Vanderbeekers of 141st Street’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Justin Kroll

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions has optioned the rights to the children’s book “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street,” sources tell Variety.

Written by Karina Yan Glaser, the story follows the Vanderbeekers, who are a mixed-race family with five kids, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit. They have always lived in a brownstone on 141st Street in Harlem; it’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have 11 days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home.

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers, the book was selected as an ABA Indies Introduce title and a New York Times Notable Children’s Book. It’s also being translated into seven languages. The paperback will be released on Sept 4.

Paper Kite has been busy as of late exec producing the upcoming NBC comedy “I Feel Bad,” the Adult Swim pilot “Three Busy Debras,” and the Netflix series “Russian Doll,” starring Natasha Lyonne. They also recently acquired the movie rights to the book “Moxie.”

Poehler is set to make her directorial debut on the Netflix comedy “Wine Country,” which she will star in and produce through Paper Kite. She is repped by 3 Arts, WME, and Sloane Offer Weber & Dern.

Yan Glaser is repped by Curtis Brown Ltd.