Special plans for Independent Bookshop Week and Bookshop Day announced. 

Newly repackaged fairy tales to be made available in June 2018 ahead of paperback release of La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One in September. 

#BookofDust
Following the enormous success of La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One in October 2017, David Fickling Books, Penguin Random House Children’s and Scholastic have today unveiled exciting plans to celebrate the work of Philip Pullman in 2018. 

The publishers will work together throughout the year to grow new audiences for Pullman’s books, creating multiple entry points for readers to discover Pullman’s storytelling – inviting families to explore his fairy tales together, and drawing readers of all ages into the world of His Dark Materials through the themes introduced by The Book of Dust. 

A major collaboration with The Booksellers Association kicks off the campaign, with the launch of a competition for independent booksellers to win a visit from Philip Pullman during Independent Bookshop Week (16th-23rd June), and the reveal that La Belle Sauvage will feature as the children’s tote bag design for the Books Are My Bag 2018 campaign Bookshop Day (6th October).

Independent booksellers are invited to pitch an experience, inspired by the world of The Book of Dust and His Dark Materials, in order to win a coveted appearance from Pullman during a week which celebrates the magic of independent bookshops. 

300 of the UK’s independents also have the chance to win a ‘Philip Pullman Collection’ to offer to their customers as a one-off prize. This must-have gift set contains 7 titles that span Pullman’s body of work: the three volumes of His Dark Materials, La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust, Daemon Voices: Essays on Storytelling, Clockwork and The Firework-Maker’s Daughter. 

Philip Pullman says: “I’m very happy to be taking part in this year’s Books are My Bag campaign. There’s nowhere more delightful to visit than a local bookshop! I hope people will enjoy all the wonderful authors and illustrators whose books they’ll see in the windows and find on the tables during Independent Bookshop Week.”

Meryl Halls, Managing Director, Booksellers Association, adds: “We are thrilled to see such a creative suite of activity around Philip Pullman from David Fickling Books, Penguin Random House Children’s and Scholastic for Independent Bookshop Week this year – as we all know, Philip coined the term ‘lantern-bearers of civilisation’ for independent bookshops, and I am sure our indie booksellers will be excited at the opportunity to engage their customers in their love for The Book of Dust and Philips’s other works with the Philip Pullman Collection, and the possibility of Philip visiting three indies bookshops for events. 

“We are particularly delighted to be working with Penguin Random House Children’s on the Book of Dust Books Are My Bag tote bag in October – the limited-edition children’s bag follows in the footsteps of greats Axel Scheffler, Lauren Child and AA Milne, whose books have featured on our recent kids’ tote bags, and the Pullman will be sparkling addition to that list.”

In addition to the Books Are My Bag activity, Penguin Random House Children’s will release refreshed editions of Philip Pullman’s bestselling fairy tales with artwork by Peter Bailey. Six titles - Clockwork, I Was a Rat!, The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, The Scarecrow and His Servant, Count Karlstein and Spring-Heeled Jack - will be published on Thursday 7th June 2018.

This comes ahead of the paperback publication of La Belle Sauvage on 6th September 2018. The paperback edition will feature newly created full-page illustrations by the La Belle Sauvage illustrator, Chris Wormell. 

For those fans unable to see Philip Pullman at bookshop events during Independent Bookshop Week, the author will also be making further specials appearances to fans, at the Hay Festival and Bath Children’s Literature Festival with further festival appearances to be announced. 

Key campaign dates throughout the year are as follows:

• Thursday 19th April: competitions open to win one of three visits from Philip Pullman during Independent Bookshop Week and to win the ‘Philip Pullman library’ giftset
• Saturday 2nd June: Philip Pullman appears at the Hay Festival, Wales
• Thursday 7th June: six repackaged fairytales published by Penguin Random House Children’s
• Thursday 6th September: paperback edition of La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One is published 
• Saturday 6th October: limited-edition The Book of Dust Books Are My Bag tote bag is released into bookshops for Bookshop Day, featuring stunning gold lettering and daemons against a navy backdrop
• Saturday 6th October: Philip Pullman appears at the Bath Children’s Festival, England

These events, as well as further festival dates yet to be announced, will be supported by a wide-reaching PR and marketing campaign in the UK. 

Details of how to take part in the competition to win an event with Philip Pullman for Independent Bookshop Week can be found here and details on the Philip Pullman Collection competition can be found here. 

Details of the next volume of The Book of Dust will be announced later this year.