Curious George becomes marketing gorilla

NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- "Curious George," will make numerous appearances on DVDs and on school supplies in the United States this fall, and star in a new TV show.

The New York Daily News reported Saturday that the storybook monkey will burst onto the scene this fall as kids go back to school and will be featured on umbrellas, insulated lunch bags and wheeled backpacks. Priced from $4 to $15, you can find the items at Toys "R" Us, Target and Kmart.

On Sept. 26, he'll be out on DVD with Will Ferrell supplying the voice of the "Man in the Yellow Hat."

Curious George was first seen in classic children's books written by H.A. and Margaret Rey and has been a household name since delighting generations of children and adults.

The first of 30 episodes of a new animated series, "Curious George Flies a Kite," premieres Monday at 8:30 a.m. on PBS Kids.