HarperCollins to Fete Children's Author

HarperCollins Children’s is celebrating a decade of publishing with author David Walliams with a week of activities, events and more in the U.K.

License Global

June 28, 2018

HarperCollins Children’s is celebrating a decade of publishing with author David Walliams with a week of activities, events and more in the U.K.

CPLG, The World of David Walliams’ licensing agent, brokered the deal.

The first-ever “Walliams Week” will celebrate the British children’s author in classrooms across the country starting with 25,000 activity packs that have been distributed to primary schools through educational press partner Teach Primary. Elsewhere, WHSmith, Waterstones and other independent retailers will host a roster of events across the U.K. with retailer packs.

The hallmark event follows a year of deals for the property. Appointed to manage the brand in 2016, CPLG has since brokered deals with Smiffy’s for dress-up; Cooneen for nightwear; Paul Lamond Games for puzzles; Lagoon for card games and Danilo for greeting cards. Confectionary from Kinnerton and Top Trumps from Wining moves are set to hit retail shelves at the end of the summer.

“As part of our growth strategy for

The World of David Walliams, it was an obvious next step to extend ‘beyond the book’ into licensing and merchandise, and we are delighted to be working with CPLG to do just that,” says Alison Ruane, brand strategy director, HarperCollins Children’s Books. “With the unique combination David’s hilarious and heart-warming words with the glorious illustrations of Sir Quentin Blake and Tony Ross, we are developing consumer products that are a guaranteed must-have for the millions of book fans.”

Both companies are planning to expand the consumer product offerings ahead of World Book Day 2019.

Walliams is best known for his titles

Gangsta Granny

and

Mr. Stink

as well as his extensive work on British television.

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