Paramount Television and Anonymous Content have snatched up the rights to an upcoming book series from tiny journalist Hilde Lysiak, Variety reports.
The nine-year-old reporter Lysiak made news back in April after she was the first to report on a suspected murder in her hometown of Selinsgrove, PA. She wrote about the story on her own website, the Orange Street News, but then received backlash online from critics. Lysiak released a video defending herself and went on “Good Morning America,” saying, “Just because I’m a girl, and just because I’m nine, doesn’t mean I can’t be a reporter.”
Scholastic will release the books, which feature Hilde and her older sister Izzy, her sidekick photographer, as they solve mysteries and uncover the truth. Paramount will develop the four-book series, called “Hilde Cracks the Case,” into a TV show. They’ve also bought the rights to Lysiak’s life story. Lysiak will not star in the series — she’s probably too busy being a kick ass reporter on her way to winning Pulitzers.
“When we first learned about Hilde and what she was accomplishing at just 9 years old, we knew her stories would make an impact on youth across the country, showing them what they can accomplish if they set their mind towards a goal,” said Paramount TV president Amy Powell. “One of the best parts of our job is working with young talent and, along with our partners at Anonymous Content, we’re excited to create a series based on Hilde’s fresh voice and real-life sleuthing.”
Lysiak’s first book will be released in the fall of 2017.
