Stitch may have finally met his match! Disney’s new animated short Lilo & Scratch arrives in theaters this Thanksgiving, and Stitch’s newest headache is getting the storybook treatment too. A children’s book adaptation of the short is on the way from author John Edwards, according to a press release from Aladdin Books and Media.
Meet Scratch, Stitch’s Newest Rival
In Lilo & Scratch, Lilo introduces a mischievous and mysterious cat named Scratch as the newest member of the family’s ‘ohana, and the chaotic kitten may be more than even Stitch can handle. Set soon after the original 2002 film, the short finds Stitch trying to keep Scratch away from Pudge, Lilo’s beloved fish.
Chris Sanders returns as the voice of Stitch, and Maia Kealoha, who starred as Lilo in the 2025 live action Lilo & Stitch, voices Lilo. The short is directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and Malcon Pierce, and it blends hand drawn animation with computer animation to capture the look of the original film. It’s also Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first theatrical short in five years.
How to See Lilo & Scratch
The only way to see Lilo & Scratch is on the big screen. The short plays in theaters before Disney’s Hexed, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 65th animated feature, when it opens on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, the day before Thanksgiving. Hexed follows a teenager named Billie and her strict single mom as they discover magical powers that turn their lives upside down. Learn more about the magic of Disney’s Hexed.
The Lilo & Scratch Children’s Book
Fans who want to bring the story home will be able to with a children’s book adaptation of the short written by John Edwards. According to the release, Edwards has written books for Disney properties including Frozen, The Incredibles and Lilo & Stitch, including Stitch Goes to School and Frozen’s One for the Books, along with episodes of Tom & Jerry for Warner Bros.
“Stitch’s misadventures are always a blast to write,” Edwards said, adding that the stakes are higher than ever because Scratch is a challenge unlike anything Stitch has faced before.
Edwards lives in the Bay Area with his three children, and his latest children’s book, Our Phones Left Home, is available now wherever books are sold. We’ll update this post with the release date for the Lilo & Scratch book as soon as it’s announced.
More Disney Animation News
Disney+ subscribers can check out the Hexed premiere screening offer through Disney+ Perks. And for more ways Disney characters are showing up everywhere this season, visit our Disney Brand Collaborations page.
Are you Team Stitch or Team Scratch? Let us know in the comments!
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