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New Ladybirds revealed
Penguin Michael Joseph has announced a new tranche of Ladybird Books for Grown-ups titles, including The Ladybird Book of The New You, The Ladybird Book of Balls, and The Ladybird Book of The Ex.
Due for release on 5th October, priced £7.99, in total there are 11 new titles from Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris all featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside "brilliantly funny" new text.
They are: How it Works: The Brother; How it Works: The Sister; The Ladybird Book of the Ex; The Ladybird Book of the Nerd; The Ladybird Book of the New You; The Ladybird Book of Balls; The Ladybird Book of the Big Night Out; The Ladybird Book of the Quiet Night In; People at Work: The Rock Star; The Ladybird Book of the Baby; and A Grown-Up's First Word Book.
The series have been popular Christmas gifts over the last two years. Since the first set was published in October 2015, a total of 21 books have published selling 4.2m print copies for £22m through Nielsen Bookscan. The top-selling title is How it Works: The Husband which has sold 505,313 copies; How it Works: The Wife, which has shifted 443,141 units; and The Ladybird Book of the Hangover, which has sold 358,168 copies. The books have also been translated in to 12 other languages for foreign markets, including Dutch, Estonian, and Chinese.
Publishing director Rowland White said that Hazeley and Morris had "upped their game" with the latest set of spoof titles. "Given the craft, care and creativity lavished on the Ladybird’s for Grown-ups by Jason and Joel over the last two years they could be forgiven, at this point, for simply enjoying the series’ phenomenal success. Instead, they’ve upped their game again. And then some. Some of this year’s titles are among my absolute favourite Ladybirds for Grown-ups ever," he said.
Earlier this year, authors Hazeley and Morris won the BAFTA for Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme for "Charlie Brooker's annual Wipe reviews of the year". Among other shows together they have written for are "Cunk on Shakespeare" and "Murder in Successville".
Spoof series which have followed in the footsteps of the Ladybirds for Grown Ups include Quercus' Five Go Enid Blyton for Grown Ups set by Bruno Vincent and Egmont's Mr Men and Little Miss for Grown-Ups series, announced on Friday (14th July).
