Pip and Posy books to be turned into Channel 5 Milkshake animated series from March 15

A popular collection of children's books is to be turned into a new animated series for pre-schoolers.

Mouse and rabbit friends Pip and Posy are being brought to life by the same company that produced popular animated Christmas specials The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom.

The new series from Oscar nominated Magic Light Pictures has turned the popular children's books by Axel Scheffler into 52 seven-minute episodes.

The new series will begin on Monday, March 15 on Channel 5's Milkshake and be shown every weekday at 7.45am. It is the second big children's television announcement this week after Cbeebies unveiled a new Bedtime Stories line-up which includes Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page.

Pip and Posy's life revolves around a world of play - at home, in the park, at the sandpit, in the snow and on both sunny and rainy days. The pair make things, invent games and when things go awry they try to solve their problems in creative and fun ways.

With making friends key to children's development of social skills, which have been under huge focus during the pandemic, those behind the production say the much-loved characters will show young children how to see the world from someone else's point of view and how to build friendships with kindness and flexibility.

Axel Scheffler said: “Pip and Posy reflects pre-schoolers’ friendships and their ups and down in a really sweet way, with characters who can have good and bad moments just like real children.

"The TV adaptation is lovely – it’s very faithful to the spirit of the books and to Pip and Posy’s relationship and I really like the way that Magic Light have a lot of little extra things going on in the background to make it richer and more amusing – for adults too!”

Read more family-related news for toddlers and pre-schoolers here.