The range launching later this year will include a Supertato search-and-find book, a series of paperbacks and an annual from Simon & Shuster.
Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has secured exclusive world rights (excluding China) to publish the tie-in books for CBeebies hit show Supertato. The deal was concluded by Rachel Denwood, managing director at S&S Children’s Books and Jan Paterson, director of Books and Audio Books Publishing at BBC Studios.
The tie-in publishing range will launch in October 2023 with search-and-find book Where’s Supertato? This will be followed by a series of paperback story books based on episodes from the show as well as an annual in Autumn 2024.
Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet’s Supertato book series has sold over one million copies in the UK alone and is one the bestselling picture book series in the market; the latest title Supertato: Mean Green Time Machine was a No.1 bestseller in the UK picture book chart. The original Supertato title will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2024.
Rachel Denwood commented: “As the publisher of Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet’s beloved and bestselling Supertato picture book series Simon & Shuster has followed the development and successful launch of CBeebies’ TV series with great excitement. We’re so pleased to partner with BBC Studios Kids & Family on this tie-in programme: the show is a riot of fun and our books will deliver all the silliness and comedy that viewers love.”
Supertato is a BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions, BBC Children’s & Education and Tencent Video Productions co-production. The TV series follows the adventures of Supertato as he and his fruit and vegetable pals do everything they can to try and stop Evil Pea from taking over the supermarket.
Since its UK launch in Autumn 2022, the first series of Supertato has often been ranked CBeebies’ No.1 show for 4-6 year olds and a second series is currently airing on the channel. Following the broadcast of new episodes on CBeebies in May 2023, Supertato ranks at No.6 in the Top 10 kids programmes across all channels among households with children aged between 0-6 years ol].
Supertato also airs on CBeebies in Australia and Asia, and on Tencent Video in China. In late 2022 the official Supertato YouTube channel launched and has garnered over 2.5m organic views and over 12k subscribers since then.
