Indie brand manager Coolabi Group has secured a deal with Penguin Group US that will see the children’s book publisher distribute a picture book in the US and Canada based on the iconic British children’s IP Clangers.

An audio CD recording narrated by TV legend William Shatner will accompany the book – both are expected to hit retail shelves in fall 2016.

The announcement comes on the heels of the successful debut of the Clangers stop-motion reboot on US preschool network Sprout.

With the signing, Coolabi has also expanded its global relationship with Penguin. The publisher’s UK division is already signed on as master publishing partner for Clangers worldwide, excluding the US and Canada.

Penguin Group US now joins additional licensees for Clangers including Character Options (master toy), Dreamtex (homewares), Fashion UK (apparel), Jo Y Jo Design (knitwear), Immediate Media (magazines), C&M Licensing (apparel), MV Sports (wheeled toys), Gemma International (greeting cards and gifts), Redan (magazines), Signature (DVD), StoryToys (digital gaming), Trade Mark Collections (children’s bags) and Rainbow Productions (costume characters).

The revitalized 52 x 11-minute Clangers series is a BBC, Coolabi Group, Smallfilms and Sprout co-production, with Firmin and Daniel Postgate (the son of original co-creator Oliver) as executive producers.

Clangers also made its CBeebies premiere this summer and is set to debut on Aussie pubcaster ABC in early 2016.