Here they are. Our top stories of the year.

These aren’t our favorite stories, mind you—those can be found here. These are simply our most popular, in terms of the number of people who read ’em.

We had to split the year into two halves: before we moved to a subscription model, and after. You’ll notice that before our paywall was implemented at the end of the summer, our biggest-story list was chaotic; it was impossible to predict what would get discovered beyond our normal readership and go viral with a wider audience on the internet.

After we went subscription, though, our top stories started seeming more logical, reflecting what our cultivated industry audience actually deemed the most important trends and news developments of the year. That’s right, paid subscribers—you’ve got taste.

Here are the top five pre-paywall stories (January to August):

1. CoComelon gets a new live-action series

Meet our biggest story of the year, about a CoComelon YouTube spinoff (The Melon Patch, pictured above). Quickly written up from a last-minute press release that came in right before the newsletter deadline, with a dash of additional context sprinkled in at the end. We have no idea why it blew up the way it did, except that Moonbug has digital audiences in a stranglehold like few other brands do.

2. Nickelodeon and Paramount+ bring Dora into theaters

As one of Old Paramount’s last acts, it was announced that a collection of mermaid-themed Dora episodes were coming to theaters. Apparently mermaid episodes have long been “among the most popular in the franchise’s 25-year history,” Paramount told us at the time—in fact, an episode in which Dora becomes a mermaid is the second-most-popular video on the franchise’s YouTube channel. No wonder this article took off. 

3. Hasbro breaks down Peppa Pig’s new sibling storyline

Nine seasons and 20 years after the show first aired, Hasbro’s primo pig was ready for a new coat of lipstick. Esra Cafer chatted with us about the decision to add a baby sister to Peppa’s family. Not only did it rejuvenate the show—and lead to a whole new line of consumer products—it also opened the door for the brand to be a resource for growing families IRL.

4. Gabby’s Dollhouse is taking over CAMP next month

If you’ve never been to one of CAMP’s activations, they’re really cool! Not only do kids get to meet their favorite characters, they also get to step into a whole world decked out like the set of their favorite show. But we have no idea why this was one of our top stories of the year. Maybe something to do with the terrifying Gabby mascot in the promotional art.

5. KPop Demon Hunters heads to the big screen

You didn’t think this one would miss the cut-off, did you? Readers were stoked about getting to see HUNTR/X in a theater. The limited engagement won the box office that weekend, too—and now Netflix wants to buy a theatrical movie studio. Coincidence? 

And then here are the top stories after the paywall was put in place (September to December):

1. Wind Sun Sky to adapt Roblox hit Jailbreak into an animated feature 

The industry is coming around to the fact that Roblox is not just a platform to expand onto with branded games; it also offers trove of IPs that are ripe for adaptation. This story on an upcoming feature film based on the platform’s Jailbreak experience was the biggest hit of our post-paywall era—and a testament to the juggernaut that Roblox has become in the kids space over the last few years.

2. The Paramount merger fallout (The latest on Paramount’s kids team layoffs; Paramount unveils Nickelodeon’s next leaders; Paramount+ appoints a new VP of kids & family) 

We combined these pieces into one entry because otherwise this list would be mostly Paramount links. The company’s merger with Skydance has been one of the biggest stories in recent months, with the fate of Nickelodeon—the onetime titan of kids content—hanging in the balance. The subsequent mass layoff of kids & family staff was a major blow to the industry.

3. Mattel layoffs hit global brand teams

Speaking of layoffs, our readers wanted to check in on what was happening last month at Mattel, where staff were let go amid a reorganization of the toyco’s brand management business. We hope everyone affected lands on their feet.

4. Funko admits it’s at risk of shutting down 

The collectibles manufacturer’s fall from grace has been just as shocking as its meteoric rise. This story, which dives deep into the history of its adorable big-headed figures, is about a company that expanded too fast and its revolving door of CEOs. Hopefully a line of Huntr/x figures can help pull Funko out of its tailspin. 

5. WBD says make a better offer 

The other big studio story this fall has been Warner Bros. Discovery’s big “for sale” sign. We’ve gone deep with a number of reports on what the company’s deal with Netflix (or Paramount, maybe, who knows?) would mean for the kids industry. But readers love drama, so nothing hit quite as big this fall as this story about Zaslav upping the ante.

Honorable mention: The Kidscreen Awards shortlist

We’re not kidding—it was one of our top stories of the year. Because who doesn’t love seeing themselves and their friends nominated for one of the biggest honors in the biz?