Andersen Press reveals campaign for Coelho and Lumbers' Luna Loves Christmas

Andersen Press has revealed a multi-faceted festive campaign for Luna Loves Christmas by Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho and illustrator Fiona Lumbers (Andersen Press). The campaign will feature partnerships, collaborations and "special festive moments" in the run-up to Christmas. 

Coelho and Lumbers are collaborating with numerous partners, including BookTrust’s Christmas Appeal 2023, which will see a letter written by Coelho alongside illustrations from Lumbers in over 16,000 book parcels sent to children who are vulnerable or in care. Moreover, the Booksellers Association Christmas Catalogue will feature an introductory Christmas letter from the laureate, copies of which will be sent to over 1,000 shops around the UK.

A story trail will be held in association with Positively Putney Business Development in shops in the town centre, ending with a "special window" in Waterstones Putney. Coelho, who grew up in the area, will also turn on Putney’s Christmas lights on 24th November in a public ceremony.

Moreover, the author and illustrator will partner with Hewson Books with window installations at Kew and Sheen bookshops in south-west London, Luna cover art for their Christmas catalogue and a starring place in the Festive Sparkle event at Kew on 1st December. Simply Books in Bramhall, Greater Manchester, will have a bespoke Luna Loves Christmas installation from Lumbers as its festive window, with events also planned with Coelho for December. In addition, the pair will appear at Waterstones Piccadilly’s special Christmas shopping evening on 7th December.

Backing this up will be an extensive media campaign, along with paid-for marketing activity with trade advertising, point-of-sale material and a new Luna activity pack available free for bookshops, schools and nurseries. 

Coelho said: “I’m really excited to share Luna Loves Christmas far and wide in the run-up to the festivities. Everything we’re doing brings the book to as many people as possible, but I’m hugely excited to switch on Putney’s Christmas lights. I have many fond memories of winter rolling in when I was young and coming into Putney after school seeing the lights and decorations in the shop windows and counting the Christmas trees I could spy from the roadside.”

Meanwhile, Luna Loves Library Day (Andersen Press) has been made into a musical for children and families by Little Seeds Music and Z-arts. The book has been adapted by Coelho alongside family musician and composer David Gibb, opening on 20th October 2023 at Z-arts in Manchester. The show will go on a UK tour from February 2024, starting with a week-long residency at The Story Museum in Oxford.