Welsh publisher Candy Jar Books has achieved a significant feat by securing the reprint rights for the original picture book based on the beloved TV series, Ivor the Engine.
This award-winning independent publisher based in Cardiff is set to faithfully reproduce the very first Ivor the Engine book, originally published in 1962 to coincide with the show’s initial airing on ITV.
Ivor the Engine’s delightful adventures have been a cherished fixture on children’s TV screens for generations, chronicling the journeys of Ivor, the steam engine, as he traversed between Welsh mining villages nestled in the picturesque ‘top-left hand corner of Wales.’
Penned by Oliver Postgate and brought to life through the illustrations of Peter Firmin, this inaugural Ivor book instantly recaptures the enchantment of the TV series.
Daniel Postgate, the son of Oliver Postgate, is delighted that Ivor’s earliest adventure will soon be departing, saying: “My father, and his partner Peter Firmin, really pushed the boundaries of great storytelling. I truly believe that children, parents, grandparents, and perhaps lovers of trains, will thoroughly enjoy the early days of Britain’s best loved locomotive hero.”
Titled simply ‘Ivor the Engine,’ this book marks his inaugural adventure, wherein Ivor aspires to join the village choir. With the assistance of a benevolent fairground owner and his pipe organ, it appears that Ivor’s wish may just come true.
As this uniquely comforting series makes a comeback for contemporary audiences through platforms like Britbox and ITVX, this 2023 edition is poised to captivate readers of all ages.
Candy Jar Books will faithfully reproduce the original title in a hardback format, with plans in the pipeline for the release of the second book, ‘Ivor’s Outing,’ in 2024.
Both titles are set to be distributed by the Books Council of Wales.
