BBC Studios Names Penguin Random House Master Publishing Partner for Smash-Hit Preschool Series Bluey
Wide Range of Books Inspired by the Popular Animated Show on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+ Available October 20, 2020 in the U.S.
New York, NY –BBC Studios, the global content company that introduced children and families in the U.S. to Bluey, the Emmy®-winning animated series available on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+, has named Penguin Random House master publishing partner for the preschool brand. Penguin Random House now holds global rights to the Bluey titles (excluding China). The new books will arrive at U.S. retail on October 20, 2020.
The partnership with Penguin Random House follows the U.S. launch of Bluey toys from master toy licensee Moose Toys earlier this summer, as well as the Season 2 debut of the well-loved series on July 10.
Suzy Raia, VP Consumer Products and Business Development, BBC Studios – Americas, said, “Love for Bluey continues to grow among families with young children around the U.S., and we are looking forward to bringing the stories beyond screens into beloved books we know preschoolers will enjoy with their parents. The partnership with Penguin Random House is a wonderful addition to a growing licensing program that started with Moose Toys last month. There are many more exciting things ahead for our favorite Blue Heeler.”
Jan Paterson, Head of Book and Audio Publishing, BBC Studios, said, “We are delighted to partner with Penguin Random House to bring Bluey from the screen to the page for a wonderfully varied collection of fantastic story and activity books for little ones around the world.”
“I immediately fell in love with this new canine clan!” said Daniel Moreton, Vice President & Associate Publisher, Penguin Workshop. “Perfect family viewing, Bluey’s unbounded imagination, adventurous spirit, and emotional resilience is matched only by the strength of the storytelling. We are thrilled to be Bluey’s official U.S. children’s book publisher and we can’t wait to extend Bluey’s wonderful adventures into books!”
Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible 6-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, who lives with her dad, Bandit; mum, Chilli; and 4-year-old little sister, Bingo. In every episode, Bluey uses her limitless Blue Heeler energy to play elaborate games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family and the whole neighborhood into her world of fun.
The series, which centers on relatable and often amusing stories about family life, reached 16 million total views across Disney Channel and Disney Junior in Q4 2019. In Q1 2020, Bluey became a top 6 Disney Junior series with kids and girls 2-5, and a top 5 series with boys 2-5. Across Disney Junior and Disney Channel in Q1 2020, Bluey reached 15.6 million individuals over the age of 2, reaching 21% of all kids 2-5.*
The initial titles from Penguin Random House will help children and families expand Bluey’s fun-filled adventures beyond the screen. The titles available in the U.S. include “Good Night, Fruit Bat” (SRP $4.99) and “The Creek” (SRP $4.99), aimed at 3-5 year olds, and “Time to Play!: A Sticker & Activity Book” (SRP $7.99), aimed at 4-6 year olds.
In Australia, Penguin Random House Australia already holds the publishing rights to Bluey, where the books have enjoyed phenomenal success, selling one million copies in only seven months. The first three Bluey titles, which launched in November 2019, were the second-, third-, and fourth-highest selling Australian children’s books of the year. Since their launch, titles from the Bluey franchise have held the Number 1 position in Nielsen BookScan’s official Australian bestseller charts a total of 24 weeks (out of 42 weeks).**
The books also received industry recognition with one of the story books, “Bluey: The Beach,” awarded the 2020 “Book of the Year” – the first time ever in the history of the Australian Book Industry Awards that a children’s picture book has won this prestigious award.
High res artwork available here.
About Bluey
The series arrived stateside with an impressive pedigree. In Australia, Bluey is the #1 series ever on ABC iview with over 261 million plays for Season 1 and 43 million plays for Season 2.***
Bluey is produced by the Emmy® Award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC KIDS (Australia) and is co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios. Financed in association with Screen Australia, Bluey is proudly 100% created, written, animated, and post produced in Brisbane Queensland, Australia, with funding from The Queensland Government through Screen Queensland and the Australian Government.
*Source: NMR Live+7 data based on Q120 (Jan-Mar); 6+ minute qualifier for reach. Ranks exclude movies, late night, specials, sports, and shorts. 13+ telecast limit.
**Source: Nielsen BookScan data Year to Date, 27/10/2019 to w/e 15/08/2020
***Source: OzTAM (VPM & Begin Event Data) 1.10.2018 – 7.5.2020
About BBC Studios
BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Formed in April 2018 by the merger of BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios, it spans content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries. BBC Studios’ award-winning British programs are recognized internationally across a broad range of genres and specialties. It has offices in 22 markets globally, including seven production bases in the UK and production bases and partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which makes over 2,500 hours of content a year, is a champion for British creativity around the world and a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector.
In the Americas, BBC Studios operates six offices in the region, and a key production base in Los Angeles, which is responsible for long-running and Emmy®-nominated Dancing with the Stars and multi-award-winning Life Below Zero, among others. The company secures co-production partnerships and content sales, as well as operates a robust franchise management, consumer products, licensing, education, and cinema and live events businesses. Across the region, BBC Studios manages joint venture relationships with AMC Networks for flagship channel BBC AMERICA (U.S.), home of original hit series Killing Eve and key brands Doctor Who, Top Gear and Seven Worlds: One Planet; with ITV for SVoD service BritBox (U.S./Canada); and strategic partnerships with Blue Ant Media for BBC Earth Channel (Canada) and Corus for BBC Canada (Canada), as well as a production partnership with Endemol Shine in Brazil, responsible for the successful Dancing Brasil.
About Penguin Random House
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. As of April 1, 2020, Bertelsmann is full owner of the company. With more than 300 imprints and brands on six continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- German- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 15,000 new titles, and more than 600 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.
About Ludo Studio
Ludo is a multi-Emmy® and Logie award-winning Australian studio that creates and produces original scripted drama, animation and digital stories that are authored by incredible local talent, distributed globally and loved by audiences everywhere. ludostudio.com.au
Press contacts:
BBC Studios
Kimberly Ehlmann
212-705-9359, Kimberly.ehlmann@bbc.com
Grand Communications (on behalf of BBC Studios)
Alison Grand
212-584-1133, Alison@grandcommunications.com