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News  •  12 November 2024

 

Penguin Random House Australia Celebrates 5 Years of Bluey Books!

Penguin Random House Australia (PRH AU) celebrates the 5-year anniversary since the publication of the first Bluey book!

On 11 November 2024, Penguin Random House Australia (PRH AU) celebrated the 5-year anniversary since the publication of the first Bluey book, The Beach, in November 2019 as well as the incredible sales milestone of over 8 million Bluey books sold – and counting!

First published in November 2019, Bluey: The Beach kickstarted what would become a phenomenally successful Bluey book publishing program with 82 titles released to date. Bluey books have received industry recognition with The Beach awarded the coveted 2020 ‘Book of the Year’ at the Australian Book Industry (ABIA) awards – the first time ever in the history of the ABIA awards that a children’s picture book has won this prestigious award.

Over the past five years, the Bluey book program has expanded to encompass multiple formats from board books, picture books and chapter books, to sticker activity, colouring in, craft, magnet, sound as well as two cookbooks.

In October 2021, the fan-favourite episode Sleepytime was adapted into a special large hardback storybook with gatefolds and in December 2023, PRH also identified Bluey: Cricket as an opportunity title and it was published a month after the episode was voted as Australia’s #1 episode in an ABC poll.

Julie Burland, CEO Penguin Random House Australia, said 'The success of the Bluey books has been truly incredible to witness. One of the core missions of our business is to foster a love of reading in future generations, and it's safe to say that the Bluey books are doing just that. With over 8 million copies sold, these books have engaged young readers and provided them with a pathway towards lifelong reading. Thank you to everyone at Ludo Studio, BBC and PRH Australia who came together to make this happen over the past five years – may the next five years of Bluey books be even bigger and better!'

In addition to the 5-year anniversary of Bluey books, PRH is also celebrating the incredible sales milestone of over 8 million Bluey books sold in Australia. Impressively, there has been a Bluey title in the number one position in Nielsen BookScan’s official Australian bestseller charts for a total of 48 weeks. There have also been 305 instances of Bluey titles appearing in the top 10 books, with the top title being Time to Play! which featured 28 weeks in the top 10 chart.

Kate O’Connor, Director of Brands and Licensing, BBC Studios ANZ, said 'The success of Bluey’s book publishing program over the last five years with PRH is a testament to the show’s ability to resonate beyond the screen. These stories have captured the hearts of readers young and old. BBC Studios is incredibly proud to have reached such a remarkable milestone of 8 million books sold, and we look forward to bringing more Bluey adventures to life on the page in the years to come.'

More books are currently planned in the Bluey series to be released over the next few years, including a board book of Bluey: The Weekend in January 2025; Where’s Bluey at Easter in February 2025, as well as Bluey and Bingo’s Book of Singy Things in March 2025.

Jess Magro, Producer at Ludo Studio, said 'It’s been an absolute joy collaborating with PRH Australia on the Bluey publishing program for the last 5 years and what better way to celebrate than by hitting such an incredible milestone! Using a bespoke approach we’ve been able to achieve immense creative success across our titles that continue to delight our global Bluey family. A big thank you to PRH, BBC Studios, Joe Brumm, and Ludo's brilliant team of talented animators and designers who go above and beyond on every title, bringing each precious story to life from screen to print.'

Bluey has become a phenomenal global success since debuting on ABC KIDS in October 2018, amassing legions of dedicated fans around the world and taking the coveted position of being the most watched program ever on ABC iview. Bluey has collected a plethora of awards, including Logies, AACTAs, an International Emmy award, and a BAFTA.

About Bluey

The series follows Bluey, a loveable, inexhaustible, Blue Heeler dog, who lives with her Mum, Dad and her little sister, Bingo. Bluey uses her limitless energy to play games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family and the whole neighbourhood into her world of fun.

Bluey is produced by Ludo Studio for ABC KIDS (Australia) and 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. BBC Studios Kids & Family hold the global distribution and merchandise rights. In Australia, the show goes out on ABC.

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About Ludo Studio

Ludo Studio is a BAFTA, multi-Emmy® Logie  and Peabody award-winning Australian studio and one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies of 2024, 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.

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About Penguin Random House Australia

Penguin Random House Australia (PRH AU) is a leading publisher, awarded the Australian Book Industry's 'Publisher of the Year' three times in the past four years. As the world’s largest trade book publisher, PRH releases a diverse array of titles annually, from literary fiction to children’s picture books. PRH AU is at the forefront of sustainability, using 100% sustainably sourced paper and operating its sites on 100% renewable energy. Unique features include an in-house audio studio and a digital team specialising in marketing and content creation. Additionally, PRH AU's Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan is endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, highlighting its dedication to community and reconciliation.

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About BBC Studios Brands & Licensing

The BBC Studios Brands & Licensing division is the driving force in extending BBC Studios IP through innovative brand extensions, fostering deep fan engagement worldwide.  Partnering our iconic brands - including Doctor Who and Bluey - with the world’s biggest brands, promoters, and publishers, ignites the imagination of fans and creates memorable brand-fame moments. Our diverse portfolio spans consumer products, live entertainment, gaming, and publishing, while BBC Studios Social drives digital presence with over 6.5 billion social video views in 2023, offering advertising and branded content opportunities. Supported by award-winning teams, we focus on finding visionary opportunities to enhance global brand impact and digital growth.

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