UK relaunch for Miffy

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books is to publish children’s property Miffy, with a “complete relaunch” of the brand planned for February 2014.

The publisher will update the English translations of the stories about the white rabbit created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna, with new versions of the original rhyming verse done by British poet Tony Mitton.

The books, which first appeared in the UK in the ’60s, were previously published by Egmont.

The S&S programme will begin with Miffy, Miffy at the Gallery and Miffy at the Zoo, published in the traditional small, square hardback format used by Egmont. S&S will also publish a range of new, novelty and activity books alongside the traditional Miffy hardbacks. The first titles will be Miffy’s Play Day, a paperback with stickers, as well as Miffy’s Day Sticker Activity Book and Miffy’s Colouring and Sticker Activity Book.

Further titles will follow in May, August and October, with 12 classic hardbacks and a range of activity and gift titles out by the end of 2014.

Meg Wang, editorial director for licensing, said: “Generations of children grew up with Miffy—and now parents are introducing this loveable character to their own children.” S&S will also publish a special gift edition of Bruna’s nativity story The Christmas Book in October, with gold embossing and a ribbon bookmark. The edition marks the book’s 50th anniversary.

To date there are 32 Miffy stories published in more than 50 languages, with sales put at 85 million. There are also 350 licences worldwide, including Miffy toys, clothes, mugs and bags.