Hachette UK Acquires Worlwide Rights in Enid Blyton

Hachette UK announces today that it has acquired worldwide rights in the wholly-owned Enid Blyton estate, excluding Noddy, from Chorion for the Hodder Children’s imprint of its Hachette Children’s Books business.

Enid Blyton has an extensive publishing portfolio with 800 titles translated into 40 languages. To date over 500 million copies of Enid Blyton books have been sold, outselling any other children’s author. Blyton’s sales continue to flourish and she remains one of the top 10 most borrowed authors. Many films and TV series have been made and continue to be produced. Hachette has acquired all these and other rights in addition to publishing rights.

The hallmark elements that give Enid Blyton’s work enduring appeal to children the world over are friendship, teamwork, fantasy and fun. Her most famous brands include the Famous Five, Secret Seven, Naughtiest Girl, Adventure Series, Enchanted Wood, Faraway Tree, Twins at St Clare’s, Malory Towers and Just George.

Hachette currently publishes electronic, print and audio versions of Famous Five, Secret Seven and Naughtiest Girl and audio editions of Malory Towers and St Clare’s in Britain and in France.

Marlene Johnson, Managing Director of Hachette Children’s Books commented:
“I am absolutely delighted that we have acquired world rights to publish Enid Blyton. Hodder was her original publisher, so it is fitting that her whole portfolio has come home and will now be published and managed under one roof. We will be honouring existing contracts and will be in touch with licensees in due course.

Children have been reading Enid Blyton for many, many years and the books are held in real affection by generations of families the world over.

We have great plans for the future. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Famous Five and much-loved illustrators including Quentin Blake, Helen Oxenbury and Emma Chichester Clark have reinterpreted the classic characters for a new generation.”

Mary Durkan, Managing Director Chorion, commented:
“Chorion has actively managed a competitive and comprehensive sales process for this heritage estate over the last few months. The Enid Blyton estate has a wonderful literary heritage containing characters such as the Famous Five and Secret Seven, beloved by generations of children. We are delighted that it is going to a publisher who understands and treasures this vast library of children’s content.”