TO further harness the power of its IPs, the UK’s largest independent children’s publisher, Walker Books, has launched Walker Productions. The company plans to put some of its choicest literary material on-screen, and heading up the effort is Walker MD (and former BBC Worldwide Children’s deputy MD) Helen McAleer.

The new production arm already has one picturebook-inspired preschool project set to go into production in Q4 with Irish partner Brown Bag Films, and another preschool series is in the earliest stages of development. McAleer wants to make it clear that the new entity plans to concentrate on just a handful of projects at one time, and will be looking to pair up with other producers. Additionally, Walker is taking its L&M activities in-house and should start hunting soon for international agents as new properties crop up. Currently, Walker controls the ancillary rights to Maisy and Where’s Wally? (a.k.a. Where’s Waldo? in North America).