Sanrio Global Ltd, BBC Worldwide, and Penguin Random House Join Forces on Exciting Roger Hargreaves Project
BBC Worldwide and Sanrio Global Ltd are delighted to announce a new partnership.
Doctor Who meets The World of Hargreaves brings to life Doctor Who characters in the distinctive story-telling and illustrative style of Roger Hargreaves.
Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House is master publisher and will release twelve titles, one for each Doctor. Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Children’s, will publish these stories in the UK.
These storybook mash-ups, written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves, combine the iconic storytelling of Doctor Who with the whimsical humor and design made famous by his father, Roger Hargreaves. The first four books will be available in Spring 2017.
Jan Paterson, Head of Book and Audio Publishing, BBC Worldwide commented, “We are thrilled to be teaming up with Sanrio on this fantastic project and think that fans will love these creative incarnations of the Doctor reimagined in the ‘Hargreaves’ style. We’re always looking for innovative ways to engage our fans so this is the perfect partnership for us.”
Alastair McHarrie, Licensing Director of Sanrio Global Ltd said, “There is a wealth of unofficial fan-created content online. We wanted to give something back to these supporters so we’ve created the first official Hargreaves mash-up. Who better to partner with than another classic British property, Doctor Who. We couldn’t be more excited.”
Francesco Sedita, President and Publisher of Price Stern Sloan, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, added, “It is such a special moment for us to unite these two great properties. Our books bring Hargreaves’ wonderful, fun style to the mysterious, magical world of Doctor Who. I know we’re going to delight fans of all ages!”
Francesca Dow, Managing Director of Penguin Random House Children’s, said, “As the global publisher of Doctor Who and champions of books which push creative boundaries, we are delighted to be publishing such unique and fun stories. We’re confident and excited that they will appeal to thousands of Doctor Who and Mr Men fans around the world.”
About Roger Hargreaves
Roger Hargreaves, best-known for the Mr Men Little Miss series, wrote and created numerous other books and series including Count Worm, Timbuctoo and Hippo, Potto, Mouse. With lifetime sales over 250 million his stories have brought fun and laughter to children for over four decades.
About Sanrio
Shintaro Tsuji founded Sanrio in Japan in 1960 with the motto “Small Gift, Big Smile” and the aim of bringing happiness to people’s lives through inexpensive fancy goods. Throughout the years his company has created and licensed over 400 characters appealing to ages 0 to forever. It is indeed not only home to superstar Hello Kitty, but a global brand concentrating on marketing classic characters like My Melody, Kerokerokeroppi, Bad Badtz-Maru, Little Twin Stars, Cinnamoroll,
Shintaro Tsuji founded Sanrio in Japan in 1960 with the motto “Small Gift, Big Smile” and the aim of bringing happiness to people’s lives through inexpensive fancy goods. Throughout the years his company has created and licensed over 400 characters appealing to ages 0 to forever. It is indeed not only home to superstar Hello Kitty, but a global brand concentrating on marketing classic characters like My Melody, Kerokerokeroppi, Bad Badtz-Maru, Little Twin Stars, Cinnamoroll,
About Doctor Who
Doctor Who has been enthralling families for over five decades on BBC One, as the Doctor and his many companions do battle with Daleks, Cybermen and a myriad of alien foes. On BBC One In Spring 2017, The Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) will be joined by new companion Bill (Pearl Mackie) as they travel the universe, embarking on new and exciting adventures across space and time.
Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 53 percent and 47 percent, respectively. With nearly 250 independent imprints and brands on five continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 15,000 new titles, and close to 800 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 60 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.
