The sales wing of Shaftesbury Films has sold its Depression-era TV movie Booky Makes Her Mark to broadcasters in Europe and the Middle East, and announced plans to expand the franchise with a sequel, scheduled for production later this year.

Booky, based on the trilogy of books by award-winning author Bernice Thurman Hunter, will air on the U.K.'s Sky TV, Israel's Reshet-TV, Netherlands Public Broadcasting and TV3 in Ireland. It tells the story of an audacious teenager (Tatiana Maslany) who dreams of becoming a great writer despite hard times in 1930s Toronto.

"We're delighted to bring this warm, wonderful story to a wide variety of international audiences," said Shaftesbury co-CEO Christina Jennings in a release.

Booky, produced by Shaftesbury and Platt Productions, aired on CBC last fall to a soft 327,000 viewers. It will be available to more international buyers at next month's MIPTV.