In the lead in to a massive 12 months for Australian football, Penguin Random House Australia (Puffin) has acquired an eight-book publishing program with Football Australia to promote football and the Australian senior national teams, the Socceroos and CommBank Matildas.
The eight-book publishing program for young readers includes junior fiction, non-fiction, board books and a picture book, with something to engage and entertain every junior football fan. In addition, it will feature CommBank Matildas and Socceroos players who are set to partake in World Cups over the coming year.
The first book in a four-book junior fiction series in partnership with the Matildas and Socceroos is set to publish on August 30, with book two slated for release on December 29. Penned by author and broadcast journalist Kristin Darell, the series will follow the ups and downs of a talented junior team.
Holly Toohey – Head of Brands, Partnerships and Audio Director at Penguin Random House Australia – said the following in a statement via Football Australia:
“We are so thrilled that Puffin will be the publishing home of football in Australia. The sense of passion and excitement that surrounds the CommBank Matildas and Socceroos, as well as football at a grassroots level in Australia, is incredible. It’s these emotions that have formed the inspiration for our expansive publishing program.”
Football Australia CEO James Johnson added via Football Australia:
“Football is the largest and fastest-growing team sport in Australia and, in working with Penguin Random House, we will be able to reach a diverse audience that will help us to inspire young children across the country to get involved with our great game and support our beloved senior national teams.”
The CommBank Matildas were crowned Australia’s favourite sporting team in 2019 and their popularity boomed during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when they became Australia’s most-watched women’s sporting team in television history, with a record-breaking 1,468,747 viewers tuning in across the nation to watch them take on Sweden. Meanwhile, on June 15 of this year, the Socceroos qualified for a fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout against Peru, with media from around the world and at home celebrating the team’s success.
The books will feature current Australian squad members, including Ellie Carpenter, Mary Fowler and Joel King plus respective national team captains, Sam Kerr and Mathew Ryan.
