MUMBAI: Trudy Corporation has inked a deal with Sesame Workshop for a new publishing license focusing on book and audio CD formats. The license territory includes distribution into North America.

The agreement includes approximately a three-year term ending 30 June 2009. The company expects the first titles to hit the market in June this year.

The licensed characters include core properties such as the characters from Sesame Street, which include Big Bird, Elmo and the rest of their furry friends. The parties intend to negotiate in good faith to sign a definitive agreement as quickly as possible.

Trudy president and CEO Ashley C. Andersen said, "Sesame Workshop has the distinguished legacy of successfully producing some of the absolute best children's programming available, year after year. We are very excited about this opportunity to collaborate with Sesame Workshop in creating wonderful, innovative children's books and audio books featuring the Sesame Street characters."