Blue, small, and standing only three apples high, the Smurfs value team spirit and loyalty. They might be hard to tell apart at first, however, each Smurf has his or her own particularity.

The little blue characters created by Peyo in 1958 have been entertaining kids and families for generations. Last year, the Smurfs celebrated the 40th anniversary of the classic animated series that aired on NBC in the 1980s with the release of an all-new 3D CGI animated TV series. The new series launched on Nickelodeon on 10 September and is now screening globally.

The new adventures of the Smurfs are built on pure Smurf DNA and take the charm and wacky comedy of the original to even greater heights, fitting in perfectly with today’s faster-paced world. It is an explosive package full of adventure and humour for the whole family to enjoy.

The all-new publishing program with HarperCollins will contribute to IMPS’s ambition to revive the internationally popular franchise for today’s generation.

HarperCollins will create books tailored to the Smurfs audience for the US, Canada, and Philippines, featuring content based on the new animated series, as well as original stories and art in formats that are ideal for fans old and new:

• All-new original picture books by #1 New York Times bestselling team Robb Pearlman and Melanie Demmer! How Much Farther, Papa Smurf? is set to publish around Father’s Day 2022.
• Novelty Formats:
• I Can Read formats featuring leveled texts for independent reading
• An I Can Read! Boxset that includes 5 leveled readers and makes for a perfect gift
• 8×8 Storybooks with stickers and incentives set to hit key holidays including Halloween 2022, Easter 2023, and more
• A 5-Minute Storybook Collection featuring 12 stories and over 175 pages of Smurf magic and fun 

Véronique Culliford, president of IMPS/Lafig and the daughter of Pierre Culliford, the creator of the Smurfs: “We are so excited about this new partnership with such a prestigious and powerful publisher as HarperCollins. My father was a storyteller and books are at the heart of the Smurf’s DNA. With HarperCollins we have found the perfect publishing partner to continue my father’s work, telling great stories and smurfing our beautiful blue planet.”

Rich Thomas, VP/Director of Publishing at HarperCollins Children’s: “We couldn’t be more smurfed about partnering with Peyo Productions to bring our little blue friends to a new generation of readers. Smurfs is a true publishing brand, and we are so honored to have the opportunity to carry on Peyo’s tradition of thrilling and heartwarming stories.”

About Peyo, IMPS (International Merchandising Promotions & Services)

IMPS is the official licensors of the little blue-skinned characters The Smurfs. Over the years, IMPS (since 1984) have worked in close collaboration with their agents worldwide to develop successful licensed merchandising programs, retail- and co-branded promotions, publishing activities, broadcasting deals, theme parks, live shows, video games, online games, Smurf music … that have secured the everlasting success of the Smurfs.

IMPS is run by Véronique Culliford, the daughter of Pierre Culliford, the creator of the Smurfs, who is better known under his pseudonym Peyo.

About The Smurfs, the new TV series – Season 1

52 episodes / 11 minutes / 3D CGI

The Smurfs is a Peyo Productions and Dupuis Audiovisuel production, in co-production with KiKA, Ketnet and RTBF, with the participation of TF1 and with the participation of Wallimage (La Wallonie), of Screen Flanders, of BNPPFFF and with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Government and the participation of the CNC.

© Peyo Productions – Dupuis Édition & Audiovisuel – Dargaud Media – KiKA – KETNET – RTBF.be – 2022

About HarperCollins:

HarperCollins Children’s Books is one of the leading publishers of children’s and teen books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures and bestsellers such as Charlotte’s Web, Goodnight Moon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Where the Wild Things Are, and The Hate U Give; series including The Chronicles of Narnia, Ramona, Warriors, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Pete the Cat, Fancy Nancy, Divergent, and Red Queen; and graphic and illustrated novels such as Nimona, Invisible Emmie, and New Kid. Consistently at the forefront of digital innovation, HarperCollins Children’s Books delights readers through engaging storytelling across a variety of formats and platforms, including the largest young adult (YA) book community, Epic Reads. HarperCollins Children’s Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, which is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, has operations in 17 countries, and is a subsidiary of News Corp. You can visit HarperCollins