Farshore acquire rights to The Elf on the Shelf

Farshore has announced the acquisition of the English language rights excluding North America to publish an exciting range of The Lumistella Company’s The Elf on the Shelf^® universe-themed titles over the next five years. This deal forms part of a global publishing rights agreement secured by Rich Thomas, vice president, director of publishing at HarperCollins US, and The Lumistella Company.

This publishing program will introduce readers to an enchanted world beyond The Elf on the Shelf^® and include picture books, activity books and fiction featuring familiar and new characters from Santa’s North Pole. Also coming is an origin story developed by Chanda A. Bell, author of The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.

The first title to publish will be The Elf on the Shelf’s Night Before Christmas picture book, available on 28 September 2023. This title will invite readers to join the one and only The Elf on the Shelf^® Scout Elf in a playful retelling of the beloved Christmas classic, with charming illustrations that capture the magic of the festive season. The story is perfect for the holiday season, tapping into the magic of believing and the love of tradition at Christmas. Further titles and formats will follow in 2024.

On the night before Christmas, The Elf on the Shelf^® Scout Elf has everything perfectly prepared for Santa’s arrival …or has he? The children are nestled, the stockings hung. The Scout Elf is ready to say goodbye to his family for the year, when this perfect Christmas Eve scene becomes a twisty, tangled calamitous sight! But can Santa and his Christmas magic save the night before Christmas?

The Elf on the Shelf^® tradition began in the US in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda A. Bell self-published the keepsake boxed set The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, which includes an illustrated picture book and authentic Scout Elf  dressed in a solid red jumpsuit with a pointy white collar. The Santa-approved Scout Elves take note of a family’s Christmas adventures and report back to him at the North Pole each night. Every morning, the Scout Elf magically returns to its family and perches in a new spot, waiting to be discovered. The Elf on the Shelf^® has become one of the most fun-filled,  popular, and magical Christmas traditions, which has captured the hearts of children everywhere. More than 25 million official Scout Elves, Elf Pets^® and Elf Mates^® have been adopted worldwide since the brand’s inception in 2005.

Zoe Masters, Publisher, Brands & Licensing, Farshore, said: “2023 marks nearly 15 years of The Elf on the Shelf^® in the UK, so for children growing up now it is already an established tradition they look forward to with great anticipation each year. The Elf on the Shelf^® has grown into a global phenomenon. Farshore is excited and proud to work with The Lumistella Company and our colleagues at HarperCollins US to continue this tradition of publishing joyful, magical stories and engaging content for families and children to enjoy at Christmas.”

Chanda A. Bell, founder and co-CEO of The Lumistella Company, said: “Our partnership with HarperCollins is a testament to our unwavering commitment to tell the stories of Santa’s North Pole in innovative and fresh ways.”

The Elf on the Shelf’s The Night Before Christmas will publish on 28 September 2023 in paperback.