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Story House Egmont expands portfolio in the UK with launch of Read & Play Disney Belle magazine

By John Freeman on December 5, 2025 • ( 0 )

Story House Egmont, the UK’s leading children’s publisher, has announced the launch of its new title Read & Play magazine in the UK, which combines captivating stories with hands-on, imaginative play.

Story House Egmont Read & Play Magazine No. 1 (December 2025)

The debut issue, launching nest week, Wednesday 10th December 2025, will be dedicated to Disney’s Belle, where children can find a brand-new “Disney Princess” story, as well as a giant playmat to connect with Belle’s castle playbox and its enchanting features.

The magazine is also filled with additional Belle story content, engaging activities and fun puzzles – encouraging early learning and creativity.

Read & Play is a complete package designed to offer quiet alone time for children to nurture their imagination, encourage storytelling, and develop fine motor skills through gentle play and engaging content. The title will be a collectible series, where each issue offers a charming story and activity magazine, together with a fun playbox and figurine that perfectly matches the issue’s theme.

With the playbox, young readers can unlock a world of playtime, using the special key, to reveal iconic moments from Disney Beauty and the Beast, complete with a miniature dining table and chairs, a piano, a bookcase, a moving dancefloor, a balcony, and a mini Belle figurine to play with. It’s the perfect setting for endless imaginative adventures.

“We are incredibly excited to introduce Read & Play to our readers” says Thomas Rathbone, Publisher at Story House Egmont. “Our aim was to create a magazine that brings stories to life in a tangible way, fostering a love for reading and imaginative play. The first issue, with Belle, perfectly captures this spirit, inviting children to explore and create.”

• Look out for Read & Play magazine at all good retailers, including TG Jones and UK supermarkets, from Wednesday 10th December 2025

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.