9 Story Media Group has optioned the rights to produce an animated television series based on the children’s book series Otis the Tractor.

Under the terms of the deal with Penguin Young Readers, Toronto-based 9 Story has also optioned the merchandising and licensing rights for Otis the Tractor.

The book series is written and illustrated by Ohio-based Loren Long and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers.

The Otis the Tractor books debuted in 2009 and has sold over 1.5 million copies to date across the nine titles in the series. The series was also a number one New York Times bestselling picture book, and spent nearly 20 weeks on the 2009 New York Times bestsellers list.