Acoustic Rooster
PBS KIDS
Celebrating the vibrant world of jazz music
I had the exciting opportunity to help launch a new IP for PBS Kids, Acoustic Rooster. Inspired by the popular children’s book by bestselling author Kwame Alexander, this short-form series features a guitar-playing Rooster and his Barnyard Band. Through jazz-centric concepts like improvisation, call and response, and following a steady beat, kids learn about music as well as the important skill of collaborating with others.
Groovin’ with Acoustic Rooster
The IP’s hallmark game, Groovin’ with Acoustic Rooster, launched alongside the video series. In the game, kids practice core jazz skills through various modes of play. During each song, players control Rooster in a side-scrolling view of the Barnyard, hitting as many notes as they can on the beat. Then, they have the opportunity to play their own combinations of notes in an open-ended, improvisation mode.
Being part of the original creative team meant I got to contribute more than just game design skills. I also had the pleasure of collaborating with the animation studio to establish the series’ core identity, including color palette, typography, and even advising on the character and scene designs.