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Tennant to read Cowell's The Wizard of Once
David Tennant will read the audio version of Cressida Cowell’s The Wizard of Once (Hodder Children’s Books).
The deal was brokered between Lauren Davis, digital audio manager of Hachette Children’s Group (of which HCB is an imprint), Anthony Goff, Hachette audio senior vice president and Susan Barritt at the voiceover agency Advoice.
The audiobook will be released on 19th September, the same date as UK hardback and e-book publication. It will be published in the US by Hachette Audio simultaneous with all formats publishing there on 3rd October.
The former "Doctor Who" actor previously read Cowell's 12-book How to Train Your Dragon series and she described the experience as a “special kind of magic”.
She said: “I’ve been immensely lucky to have David Tennant interpreting my books for over a decade, and I’m absolutely thrilled that he’s going to be reading The Wizards of Once. Having your story brought to life by an actor of his skill and genius is a special kind of magic.
"David’s incredible talent has introduced thousands of families to How to Train Your Dragon.”
She added: “A large number of children and parents have told me that they were so gripped by listening to his audio version on long car journeys that they had to stay in the car even after they reached their destination, in order to hear the end of the story.”
Davis said: “David Tennant’s How to Train Your Dragon audiobooks have been consistently popular, and we know that many book buyers enjoy his readings so much that they’ve bought both the printed and audio editions.”
Anthony Goff, Hachette Audio Senior Vice President (US) added: ‘Cressida Cowell and David Tennant are an amazing combination that have helped spread the love of both reading and listening to countless families spending quality time together.”
The news comes a few months after DreamWorks Animation, the company behind the film franchise for How to Train Your Dragon series, announced it has acquired adaptation rights to Cowell's forthcoming fantasy adventure series The Wizards of Once.
Earlier this month Cowell was revealed as the first Foyles Literacy Ambassador.
