To mark the 40th anniversary of the publication of Raymond Briggs’s iconic picture book, Michael Morpurgo has written a new novel version of The Snowman.
“It has been an honour and a sheer joy to tell again, in my own way, Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman, arguably one of the most beloved books in the world.
“I have loved doing it, as I hope to goodness you love reading it. “It is different, but the same.”
The tale of a boy who builds a snowman which comes to life has enchanted readers since its publication in 1978 and inspired both a film and stage version.
This new novel will be aimed at a slightly older audience than the picture book, for readers aged seven upwards or for families to read to younger children. Raymond Briggs, the man behind the original story and hand-drawn illustrations, said he was overjoyed by the reworking of his story and said the new version was “a revelation!”.
Illustrations for the new Snowman will be by Robin Shaw, who was the assistant director on the spin-off film The Snowman and the Snowdog.
The book will be published in hardback in October and is available to pre-order now.
