Penguin Random House (PRH) has acquired UK indie publisher Wonderbly, which makes and sells personalized gift books, in order to expand its direct-to-consumer business. 

Since opening its doors in 2023, Wonderbly has sold more than 11 million books in 140 countries, drawing from a catalogue of more than 150 personalized titles for kids and adults. 

The company has also done some licensing business over the years, setting up a partnership with the Roald Dahl estate in 2017 for a personalized Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story. And it launched a self-publishing platform called Wonderbly Studios in 2019 for brands interested in making their own titles, including Wizarding World Digital, which represents the Harry Potter franchise. 

Post-acquisition, the two companies plan to work together on creating new publishing ventures that will help them both grow and attract new audiences. Wonderbly will continue to operate independently within PRH, and CEO and co-founder Asi Sharabi is staying in place to lead the company from its London headquarters.

Pictured above is the Wonderbly team with personalized books. Image courtesy of PRH/Wonderbly.