Yens and Spinny
An animated series for children and the adults in the room
‘Yens and Spinny’ series follow Yens, a thoughtful hedgehog who enjoys gardening, tea and doing things carefully, and Spinny, his six-legged spider companion whose curiosity often transforms ordinary days into chaos: spring cleaning becomes an adventure, afternoon naps become expeditions, and even watering plants can go unexpectedly wrong.
Tone:
Moomins meet Winnie-the-Pooh
Age:
0-99
Format: One 10-minute pilot and three 5-minute episodes completed, with more in production.
Awards: WorldFest-Houston Platinum Remi · Montreal Independent Film Festival · Denver Indie Film Festival · Cannes World Film Festival Best Animation · Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival Official Selection
A different pace
Most children's animation today is fast, loud, and stimulating by design. Yens and Spinny goes the other way — slower pacing, quiet humor, small emotional moments. This isn't a stylistic preference. It's a response to something parents are actively looking for and struggling to find.
"We only allow 4 different cartoons in our household and yours is part of that list."
"My son is neurodivergent and loves to watch your videos to calm down, when the world is just a little too stressful sometimes."
"I wanted good content to introduce my 2-year-old to screens. She and I are absolutely in love."
That last point matters: this content works for adults in the room too. The tone that makes it safe and calming for children makes it genuinely watchable for parents — a combination that's rarer than it sounds, and that drives the kind of repeat viewing that builds loyal audiences.
Two million views, all organic — no paid promotion, no algorithm chasing. Just an audience that found it and stayed.
Nina Podlesnyak is a children's book illustrator and animator. She writes, illustrates, and animates Yens and Spinny independently, building the world from concept to final frame.
She is now looking for the right partners to bring it further: a co-producer, a broadcaster, a publishing collaborator, or a distribution partner who sees what this could become.
The creator
Good things often begin with small conversations. If your work intersects with storytelling, animation, publishing, music, creative partnerships - or if you simply feel there may be a place where our paths meet - I’d love to hear from you.
