Leveraging its book, broadcast and studio divisions, Canada’s Corus Entertainment is grooming Melanie Watt’s successful book series Scaredy Squirrel to be its next multi-media entertainment property.

Kids Can Press, Nelvana Studios and Nelvana Enterprises are collaborating to publish additional titles, produce a TV series, develop animated shorts and online and mobile distribution, and launch an international merchandise and licensing program for the series.

The book series, centered around a cautious, safety conscious squirrel who is reluctantly forced to leave his household tree and confront his fears of the outside world often to comic effect, has sold more than 170,000 copies worldwide and has garnered numerous children’s book awards as well.

Nelvana Studios is getting to work on the 26-ep animated series and companion shorts this summer. Nelvana Enterprises, meanwhile, will be responsible for worldwide broadcast and distribution sales as well as the international merchandising and licensing of the property.