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Puffin donates mini libraries to children's hospitals for Adam Kay book campaign
Puffin has unveiled the nationwide campaign for Adam Kay’s children fiction debut, Dexter Procter the 10-Year-Old Doctor, including donating “mini libraries” and Dexter play kits to hospitals.
The first in an eight-book deal with Puffin, Dexter Procter is aimed at middle grade readers aged eight and over, and is illustrated by fellow comedian and illustrator Henry Paker.
Kay, along with Paker and publisher Puffin, will support charities MediCinema, offering cinema-based healthcare programmes in hospitals, and Starlight, which promotes children’s play in health settings. This will include the donation of Puffin “mini libraries” and Dexter play kits to hospitals to improve wellbeing and quality of life for young patients and their families.
“Kay and Paker will also bring their very funny, generally disgusting and quietly educational trademark humour to multiple in-hospital events for young patients across the UK,” Puffin said.
The launch event with MediCinema will take place in the CW+ MediCinema at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London on 11th September to coincide with the publication of the book with a further event at the Serennu Children’s Centre in Newport in October.
Kay and Paker will visit children’s hospitals in Oxford and Leicester, in conjunction with Starlight, during Play in Healthcare Week from 14th October to highlight the importance of play for children in hospital and to celebrate the work of health play practitioners across the NHS.
Puffin said: “The charity partnerships will run alongside a fantastically creative marketing campaign to reach middle-grade readers and book buyers. Activity includes Minecraft advertising, out-of-home advertising at major UK train stations, billboard advertising, school events, bookshop signings and high profile media interviews across broadcast, print and online.”
Dexter Procter: The Ten-Year-Old Doctor is a medical mystery series “which demystifies medicine and hospitals for young readers,” according to Puffin.
The blurb reads: “Dexter has always been a bit different. He started speaking at four seconds old. By the age of five, he had 86 A-levels, from Afrikaans to Zoology. And by 10, he was working as a paediatrician at Lilydale General Hospital. Dexter, who has always struggled to fit in himself, has now made it his mission to improve the hospital experience for his young patients.”
Kay said: “I’m desperately proud to partner with charities as special and important as MediCinema and Starlight. Hospitals can be very scary places for kids, and both charities make a very real difference to how young people experience health services. I’ve seen their amazing work in action, and I can’t wait to hit the wards for these events.”
Paul Giggal, chief operating officer MediCinema said: “We’re thrilled that Adam and Henry are going to bring some of their characteristic fun into the MediCinemas for patients to enjoy. We know that special activities like this can help young patients feel so much less anxious about being in hospital and this can help them engage better with their treatment. We can’t wait to see what Dexter Procter has in store for them.”
Laura Walsh, head of play at Starlight, said: "We are delighted to be working with Adam and Henry who are generously offering their time and the gift of books to support the power of play. Play is a right, not a nice-to-have."
Ruth Knowles, Puffin publishing director, said: “Having broken records in the children’s non-fiction market and been award-nominated for their picture book, the stage is set for Dexter Procter and his first brilliantly funny medical-mystery adventure, which will completely delight children (and their adults) this autumn.
It is Puffin’s mission to publish a book for every child everywhere and Adam and Henry’s support for these special and important charities as a part of the campaign for Dexter goes right to the heart of our mission, reaching children directly with the magic of storytelling at a time when they might need it most.”
Actor Lenny Rush will join fellow BAFTA-winner Kay to voice the audio edition. Puffin said: “Lenny will star as Dexter Procter, the world’s youngest doctor, alongside Adam Kay as ‘the author’, and as listeners will soon discover, Dexter and Adam don’t always see eye to eye.”
