From ‘VeggieTales’ to ‘The Dead Sea Squirrels’: Mike Nawrocki on teaching biblical truths through humor

Mike Nawrocki, the co-creator of “VeggieTales” and the voice behind the beloved Larry the Cucumber, has spent a long time bringing high quality faith-based leisure to youngsters. 

Now, his newest venture, “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels,” goals to do for the New Testomony what “VeggieTales” did for biblical storytelling within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s: utilizing humor, participating characters and wealthy storytelling to convey Scripture to life.

In an interview with The Christian Publish, Nawrocki revealed that the inspiration for “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels,” which premieres on Minno on Feb. 14, had been percolating for years, relationship again to his “VeggieTales” days.

“I assumed it might be actually enjoyable to convey characters from the primary century into the trendy world,” Nawrocki mentioned.

Primarily based on his bestselling e-book collection, “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels” follows Merle and Pearl, two fist century squirrels from Israel who’re unintentionally preserved in sea salt in a cave close to the Lifeless Sea. Two thousand years later, they’re found by a modern-day boy, Michael, and hilarity ensues as they navigate up to date life whereas sharing biblical knowledge.

“I simply wished a possibility to inform extra New Testomony tales to children in a extremely enjoyable manner,” he defined. “One of many traces we drew within the sand very early on with ‘VeggieTales’ was to by no means depict Jesus as a vegetable, we simply thought that may be too irreverent. So whereas we advised Outdated Testomony tales and a few New Testomony tales, I wished a solution to delve deeper into the life and ministry of Jesus whereas holding issues enjoyable and fascinating for youths.”

Nawrocki mentioned his signature humor is obvious within the very identify of the animated present; “It’s form of like ‘Encino Man’ meets the ‘Lifeless Sea Scrolls,’ after which the dangerous dad pun got here to me: ‘Lifeless Sea Squirrels.’”

The idea first took type as an early reader e-book collection, revealed by Tyndale, after a suggestion from Nawrocki’s longtime buddy and publishing trade veteran Dan Lynch. The books have been properly acquired, paving the best way for an animated adaptation. 

“I began writing the books, and that finally led to the present,” Nawrocki mentioned.

First launched three a long time in the past, the “VeggieTales” franchise was a monumental success within the realm of faith-based youngsters’s content material, producing over $1.7 billion in retail gross sales and establishing an enduring legacy amongst its viewers.

Bringing “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels” to screens in 2025 has been a vastly totally different expertise from launching “VeggieTales” within the Nineteen Nineties, the creator mentioned. He mirrored on the challenges of making high quality, family-safe leisure in an ever-changing media panorama. 

“Again then, the house video market and the rise of laptop animation gave us the right alternative,” Nawrocki recalled. “Christian bookstores have been a giant deal, and that’s the place ‘VeggieTales’ actually thrived.”

“Now, it’s all about streaming,” he mentioned. “The gatekeepers are the streaming companies, and also you want a solution to monetize your content material in an period the place elevating manufacturing funds is more difficult than ever.”

Regardless of these challenges, Nawrocki discovered a powerful companion in Minno, a Christian streaming service that has embraced “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels.” 

Minno Originals creates exhibits produced in partnership with high trade expertise, together with highly-acclaimed “Younger David” and the award-winning The Minno Snicker & Develop Bible for Children animated collection and bestselling e-book. The ad-free service additionally features a assortment of kids’s books and a parenting weblog with skilled assets and voices for Christian dad and mom.

“Minno is unbelievable. Our deal was initially with the Surprise Undertaking, which has a partnership with Amazon, after which they sublicensed the collection to Minno,” he defined. “Minno is the right place for us as a result of it’s a trusted platform for fogeys on the lookout for high-quality faith-based content material.”

Nawrocki mentioned he’s all the time sought to mix humor with reverence, an strategy that was integral to “VeggieTales” and stays on the coronary heart of “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels.”

“I really like character-based humor,” he mentioned. “Bob and Larry had their quirks, and Merle and Pearl are the identical manner. They’re goofy and foolish, however the ideas they discuss — fact, honesty, kindness — are held with reverence.”

This stability, he mentioned, is vital to creating content material that resonates with each children and oldsters. “If Michael, our primary character, is struggling to inform the reality a few foolish state of affairs, we will flash again to a biblical story that reinforces the significance of honesty, all whereas holding issues enjoyable.”

The primary season of the present is predicated on Nawrocki’s 12-book collection, with 13 animated episodes set to launch. The creator mentioned he’s already signed a brand new 12-book take care of Tyndale, which he hopes will result in a second season.

“Animation is a protracted course of, however we’ve received an excellent group,” he mentioned. “Season one has an overarching arc, however there’s loads of room for extra.”

With “VeggieTales,” Nawrocki helped create a cultural touchstone that continues to entertain and encourage generations of kids. But, regardless of the demand for faith-based youngsters’s content material, few have managed to duplicate its success. 

Nawrocki advised CP he hopes that like “VeggieTales,” “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels” will make an enduring influence on a brand new era of kids. Mother and father, he quipped, may quickly discover themselves listening to the “The Lifeless Sea Squirrels” theme tune on repeat, simply as they’ve with “VeggieTales” for many years.

“It takes some huge cash, effort and expertise to place one thing like that collectively,” Nawrocki acknowledged. “However I’m hoping ‘The Lifeless Sea Squirrels’ will be that subsequent massive factor.”

“I hope that children will fall in love with Merle and Pearl, that they are going to care about what they are saying, and that they be taught key biblical classes,” he added. “Most of all, I would like them to know that God made them particular and loves them very a lot.”