DC Thomson Consumer Products gears up for World Book Day 2015 celebrations

DC Thomson Consumer Products publishing programme for The Beano and its star characters Dennis the Menace and Gnasher continues to go from strength to strength with the licensor today celebrating that its book release The Diary of Dennis the Menace: World Menace Day has been named a World Book Day title.
In partnership with Penguin Group UK, DC Thomson recently launched a highly successful children’s fiction series based on the irrepressible comic strip character. The Diaries of Dennis the Menace book series became the best-selling young fiction launch of last year, selling almost 115,000 copies across the range to date.
Following the remarkable success of the range, The Diary of Dennis the Menace has been selected as a World Book Day 2015 title; a unique achievement for a work of licensed fiction. The Diary of Dennis the Menace: World Menace Day will give young fans the opportunity to read all about The Beano’s most popular character’s hilarious antics, penned in his own words with a range of pictures, puzzles and mazes. Targeting kids aged 7+, it is one of ten titles selected for World Book Day that children will be able to redeem with one of the 14 million National Book Tokens that will be distributed to schools in the UK.
Now in its 18th year, World Book Day 2015 is being supported by a nationwide wide tour entitled “The Biggest Show on Earth”, which is set to reach 14,000 children across the country. Steven Butler, author of The Diary of Dennis the Menace series, will compre the tour which spans 10 locations including Norwich, Preston, Glasgow and Dublin.
Leading costume design and manufacturers Rubies will support the licensor’s World Book Day activity with its latest range of Dennis the Menace children’s dress up. The line offers children aged three to 10 years the chance to dress as their favourite menace in his trademark stripy top, black shorts and mask. DC Thomson will also launch an exclusive promotional video publicising the title which will be shown on the official Dennis the Menace and Gnasher YouTube channel.
Tim Collins, Head of Brands at DC Thomson said, “We’re honoured that The Diary of Dennis the Menace has been chosen as a World Book Day title and we’re thrilled that it will be a part of the largest celebration of reading for children. Not only is this recognition a fantastic achievement for the brand but it’s also testament to its enduring popularity. Dennis and Gnasher have successfully made the leap from comic strip to young fiction novels and proven that the appetite for these characters on the printed page has never been greater.”
Notes to Editors:
DC ThomsonDC Thomson & Co Ltd is a private company and one of the leading publishing houses in the UK. The company’s headquarters is in Dundee, Scotland, with a London base in Fleet Street. DC Thomson publishes newspapers, magazines, comics and books. The company also has interests in radio, printing, retailing and online services.
The BeanoThe Beano is the quintessential British children’s comic, first published by DC Thomson in July 1938 and still printed weekly. It reaches hundreds of thousands* of children every week. The Beano is best known for its famed characters such as Dennis the Menace, Gnasher, The Bash Street Kids and Minnie the Minx. The spin-off animation series, Dennis and Gnasher is exported around the world and is one of the highest rated shows on CBBC.
*TGI Youth Spring 2014, The Beano readership, 528,000