Longtime Pixar animator Bobby Podesta has sold global publishing rights to a new middle-grade graphic novel, signaling another animator-to-author leap that could reshape how family stories travel from screen to page. The book, titled The Tomorrow Book, is slated for a 2030 release through the graphic-novel imprint First Second.
Podesta is best known inside animation studios for decades of character work and supervising roles, but his move into middle-grade fiction is notable because it blends cinematic storytelling instincts with comics form—an approach that tends to draw attention from libraries, schools and family readers.
What the book is about
The Tomorrow Book follows siblings Meg and Gabriel as they adjust to a newly blended household. They discover a mysterious volume that makes whatever is written inside come true—though the results rarely match the children’s intentions, creating consequences and comic turns that drive the plot.
The premise positions the title to appeal to readers interested in family dynamics, magical realism, and moral lessons that play out through imagination rather than instruction.
A career that spans animation and comics
Bobby Podesta joined Pixar in the late 1990s and has accumulated credits on many of the studio’s flagship titles. He has worked across animation departments and moved into leadership roles on larger projects.
- Notable film credits: A Bug’s Life; Toy Story 2, 3 and 4; Monsters, Inc.; Finding Nemo; The Incredibles 1 & 2; Inside Out 1 & 2; The Good Dinosaur; Soul; Cars 3.
- Leadership and creative roles: Supervising animator on select features; creator and writer for a pitched series idea; director and voice contributor on streaming shorts and series.
- Comics and graphic novels: Early webcomic work in the early 2000s and a recent graphic novel, North for the Winter, which was shown at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.
Podesta’s diverse credits include pitching and writing material that moved into production, directing episodes for a streaming series, and even lending his voice to characters—experience that informs his sense of pacing and character in the graphic-novel format.
The deal and the teams involved
Associate editor Ivan Taurisano acquired world rights to The Tomorrow Book for First Second. The sale was negotiated by agent Jennifer March Soloway of Starling Literary + Media.
First Second operates out of New York as an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, part of Holtzbrinck Publishers, with distribution through Macmillan. Editorial leadership on the imprint includes Mark Siegel and Calista Brill, both of whom have overseen a wide range of acclaimed graphic novels aimed at younger readers and adult audiences alike.
Why this matters now
There are a few reasons this announcement is timely. Publishers are actively seeking creators who can translate cinematic storytelling to illustrated formats; authors with animation backgrounds often bring ready-made visual instincts and an understanding of pacing that cross over well into comics.
For readers and institutions, the book’s 2030 timeline suggests a long lead time for publicity, translation, library cataloging and potential curricular use. That runway also increases the chance that the property could be developed into other media if it finds a strong audience.
Finally, for creators, the sale underscores a broader shift: animators and visual storytellers are increasingly establishing parallel careers in publishing, expanding how family-oriented narratives circulate beyond film and streaming platforms.
At a glance
- Author/Creator: Bobby Podesta
- Title: The Tomorrow Book
- Publisher: First Second (Roaring Brook Press / Holtzbrinck)
- Acquired by: Ivan Taurisano
- Agent: Jennifer March Soloway, Starling Literary + Media
- Planned publication: 2030 (world rights)
Podesta’s path—from a weekly teen comic strip in the early 1990s to a prominent role at a major animation studio and now to a global book deal—illustrates how visual storytelling careers are evolving. The Tomorrow Book will likely be watched closely by readers, librarians and educators looking for engaging, illustrated middle-grade work with cinematic sensibilities.
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Hello, I’m Jax. I guide you through the latest comics releases and enrich your geek universe.