HarperCollins unveils a year of 'Mog publishing'

HarperCollins has today unveiled a year of “MOGnificant publishing” commemorating the 50th anniversary of Judith Kerr‚Äôs adored cat, Mog.

Starting this week with a special anniversary edition of Mog the Forgetful Cat, a brand-new audio collection of eight Mog titles on CD and digital download will follow, including Mog and Bunny, Mog and the Granny, Mog in the Dark and Mog on Fox Night recorded for the first time. These stories will be read by Kerr’s daughter: actress and artist Tacy Kneale.

Created in collaboration with Kerr and approved shortly before her death, a special edition of Mog’s Birthday will launch in hardback in September using selected illustrations of Mog from across 50 years. A slip-cased hackback edition of Mog the Forgetful Cat will also launch alongside the title.

Described by HarperCollins as "perfect for the gifting season", Christmas publishing will include an anniversary paperback of Mog’s Christmas (October) and hardback anthology of six Mog stories, The Mog Treasury (November).

Born in Berlin, Kerr’s family came to England from Germany in 1933 to escape the rise of the Nazi party. After working as a BBC scriptwriter, Kerr published her first picture book The Tiger Who Came to Tea in 1968, inspired by looking after her two children and selling millions of copies worldwide. A TV animation of The Tiger Who Came to Tea was co-produced by HarperCollins and Lupus Films, airing on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve 2020 to an audience of over four million.

Published in 1970, Mog the Forgetful Cat was based on Kerr‚Äôs first family cat. Kerr created a further 17 books in the series selling over four million copies wide world and translated into 21 languages. Mog‚Äôs character starred in a 2015 Sainsbury Christmas advert with the accompanying book selling over 450,000 copies raising £1.6 million for Save the Children.

In 2012 Kerr was awarded an OBE for her services to children’s literature and holocaust education, and in 2019 she was named Illustrator of the Year at the British Book Awards. Kerr died in May 2019.

A brand-new theatre production of Mog the Forgetful Cat, adapted by The Wardrobe Ensemble and co-produced by The Old Vic, Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Underbelly Productions and Wardrobe Ensemble will debut this summer.