New Owly Book Coming; Graphix to Reprint Series

We found out, back when IDW acquired Top Shelf in 2015, that Andy Runton’s Owly books weren’t part of the deal. At the time, he announced plans to self-publish.

Now comes news that “Scholastic/Graphix has acquired world rights” to the comic series.

Beginning in 2020, they will be reissuing the five Owly books in new full-color versions. Those books are:

• The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer
• Just a Little Blue
• Flying Lessons
• A Time to Be Brave
• Tiny Tales

They will be coming out twice yearly, with additional text, starting in 2020, with a brand-new, not-yet-titled sixth book to follow. (Which puts that in 2022, if I counted correctly.) This is a terrific match between publisher and material, since Owly comics are wonderful for kids of all ages, with heart-warming stories and adorable characters.

The two Owly picture books, Friends All Aflutter! and Bright Lights and Starry Nights!, were published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. They are apparently not a part of this deal.