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Redan launches “World of Dinosaur Roar!” Magazine

By John Freeman on June 26, 2017

Media company Nurture Rights has partnered with Redan Publishing – publishers of titles such as Sparkle World and Peppa Pig – for the launch of a new magazine based on Dinosaur Roar, entitled World of Dinosaur Roar!

The pre-school aimed magazine launched last week, a title that aims to encourage two-to-five-year-olds to explore and learn about dinosaurs.

Nurture Rights is a kids’ entertainment company created by Peter Curtis and Nick Barrington that launched in 2013, when it also acquired Dinosaur Roar! and began developing it into the World of Dinosaur Roar! project, a series of children’s books and characters created by Peter Curtis, produced in association with the Natural History Museum in London.

Dinosaur Roar! was originally created by author Henrietta Stickland and Paul Stickland, the author, artist, illustrator and designer of many popular children’s picture and pop up books, a series first published by Ragged Bears Publishing in 1994 and has been described by its peers as a “modern classic” and “a pre-schooler’s introduction to dinosaurs”.

Dinosaur Roar! features a series of colourful dinosaurs with rhyming text that teaches young children about opposites and individual differences, featuring a cast of characters Paul says he didn’t want to be too scary – just scary enough. (And yes, we know the riot of colours might alarm some palaeontologists but, why not? No one knew what colours dinosaurs actually were).

The book has sold over five million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 30 languages. It’s now published by Macmillan Children’s Books in paperback and board book format.

“It was fun to dream up, fun to paint and I have had enormous fun taking it out to children in schools, libraries and festivals over for the last 20 years,” says Paul. “Based on a text by Henrietta Stickland, the book has been translated into many, many languages and has sold in millions all round the world, quite something for a book that started life in the tiny Somerset hamlet of Milborne Wick.”

Redan is to release an initial special Fun To Learn, The World of Dinosaur Roar! magazine in its popular Bag-O-Fun format, offering a colourful introduction to the world of dinosaurs, containing age-appropriate facts, activities with reward stickers, and stories based around the new dinosaur characters inspired by the literary classic.

The magazine was edited by Jenny O’Connor, who tells us she enjoyed the project because of the tie-in with the Natural History Museum and the opportunity to sell the magazine not only through the newstrade but in the Natural History museum itself where it will be on sale throughout the summer. (The magazine will be packaged in a shiny bag with a colouring book and a chomping dinosaur!)

“All dinosaur facts had to be verified by Professor Paul Barrett of the Department of Earth Sciences at the museum,” she tells us. “The oddest situation for me because I would get apologies for the lateness of his comments/ approval because he was often away on a field trips! So cool!”

“All children are fascinated by dinosaurs and as a specialist in pre-school magazines we jumped at the chance to create a Bag-O-Fun dedicated to all things dinosaur,” commented Julie Jones, Redan Publishing MD. “Nurture Rights has put together a fantastic style guide and it’s exciting to be teaming up with the Natural History Museum for content and marketing purposes. We feel sure it will be a ‘roaring’ success!”

“We are delighted to be working with Redan Publishing on The World of Dinosaur Roar!'” says Nick Barrington, managing director of Nurture Rights. “Redan has an unparalleled reputation as a specialist children’s publisher and we’ve enjoyed working with them on developing The World of Dinosaur Roar! into this must-have magazine for preschoolers.”

• Dinosaur Roar! Official Site: www.dinosaurroar.com

• Redan Publishing: www.redan.co.uk

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “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.