Monkeys with berets. Karate-fighting rabbits. Yellow monsters. Poodles with umbrellas. Top-hat wearing frogs.
These are not characters from one of Nancy Carlson’s children’s books, but rather animals she has created for the new clothing line Coco Cha-Cha. The apparel is a partnership between her and Heidi Nelson for students at French and Spanish immersion schools.
Nelson came up with the idea after she realized the school apparel available for her daughter Coco was boring and unoriginal. Not Coco Cha-Cha: Every tee has an animal on it, along with the phonetic spelling of a French or Spanish word.
Carlson, a Minnetonka resident and children’s author, became involved with the line because of the growth of immersion schools and the increasing number of international students. “I really like the concept behind Coco cha-cha,” says Carlson. “Heidi has a really good eye.” The two hope to expand to Chinese immersion schools in the future.
