In style web3 model Pudgy Penguins has partnered with Random Home Youngsters’s Books to launch a brand new image guide titled Worst Birthday Present Ever, due out on 4 November 2025, marking the model’s first official enterprise into conventional publishing.
The guide will introduce younger readers to Pongo, a personality from the “Lil Pudgy” sub-collection, in a narrative aimed toward youngsters aged 4 to eight.
Written by Michael Leviton and illustrated by Kuma Labs, the guide will probably be launched as a $9.99 hardcover, in time for the vacation season and is now obtainable for pre-order.
Supply: Penguin Random HomeWhat’s Worst Birthday Present Ever all about?
Set within the fictional world of Pudgy Penguins, the guide follows the character Pongo as he celebrates his birthday. Identified throughout the Pudgy group as impulsive however well-meaning, Pongo finds himself in hassle after his buddies mistakenly give him actual swords as an alternative of inflatable ones. The narrative unfolds with a mixture of chaos and problem-solving, providing a easy storyline for early readers.
The guide is focused at youngsters between the ages of 4 and eight and combines conventional image guide components—humour, character battle, and determination—with characters developed throughout the Pudgy Penguins universe.
“Worst Birthday Present Ever is greater than a guide – it’s the subsequent chapter in a motion that’s already resonating with youngsters, collectors, and households around the globe,” mentioned Luca Netz, CEO of Pudgy Penguins.
Supply: Pudgy PenguinsWhat does this imply for Pudgy Penguins?
This guide marks the primary publishing collaboration for Pudgy Penguins, initially launched in 2021 as a set of Ethereum-based NFTs. Since then, the model has expanded into bodily toys, gaming, and social media content material, and has constructed a big following on platforms equivalent to TikTok and Instagram.
By coming into the kids’s guide market, Pudgy Penguins is transferring additional into mainstream shopper media. The model has beforehand positioned toy merchandise in main US retailers together with Walmart, Goal, and Walgreens, reporting over a million items offered and greater than $13 million in retail income.
“Random Home Youngsters’s Books is the gold commonplace in publishing,” mentioned Luca Netz. “They perceive the facility of narrative and constructing lasting characters. Because the main web3 model bringing digital tradition into the mainstream, this collaboration marks a serious milestone in our continued enlargement.”
The collaboration with Penguin Random Home suggests Pudgy Penguins is pursuing a multi-platform technique that features retail, publishing, and digital engagement. Future initiatives haven’t been introduced however are anticipated to observe in the same course.
