Monett playground manufacturer enters 'Hungry Caterpillar' partnership

A Monett playground manufacturer has entered a partnership with the company behind "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Little Tikes Commercial, the Monett-based division of Huntersville, North Carolina, parent company PlayPower Inc., will design and make playground equipment based on the children's books of Eric Carle, according to a news release. The late Carle is known for "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," originally published in 1969, and myriad other works.

The financial terms of the deal with licensing and merchandising program World of Eric Carle were not disclosed in the release. Penguin Random House acquired the intellectual property rights to Carle's works in 2019, according to an article by Publishers Weekly.

“We are honored to collaborate with the World of Eric Carle as we create imaginative playground equipment inspired by his classic tales of growth, transformation and discovery that have delighted readers for more than five decades,” said Todd Brinker, senior vice president of commercial growth for outdoor play at PlayPower, in the release. “This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to inspire wonder and develop life skills through imaginative play. We look forward to bringing his unique vision to life."

Little Tikes Commercial's first collaborative products through the partnership will be freestanding climbers focusing on shapes from "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." Officials say the equipment is available for order starting this month.

In 2020, PlayPower announced a roughly $2 million expansion of its Monett operation, according to past reporting.