UK-based Channel 5’s Milkshake! block has commissioned a toon inspired by popular children’s book series Wanda and the Alien, marking the first book-to-screen deal for Random House Children’s Screen Entertainment (RHCSE).

The 52 x 10-minute, Flash-animated preschool series for girls and boys is currently in preproduction with RHCSE, a full-service UK prodco created by Random House Children’s Publishers UK and Komixx Entertainment.

Wanda and the Alien, by author/illustrator Sue Hendra, follows the adventures of a small girl rabbit and her alien friend as they explore how people are both the same and different.

Wish Films’ Will Brenton (The Tweenies, Wibbly Pig) is leading creative development for the series, which is scheduled to debut in late 2013, and RHCSE and Random House Enterprises will rep Wanda and the Alien for L&M opportunities.

The commission comes on the heels of yesterday’s news that Random House and Penguin Group are set to merge as Penguin Random House, making the proposed entity the world’s biggest publisher of children’s books.