One of our star illustrators, Ed Myer, was commissioned to illustrate two Play+ books for Ravensburger. Each title features a magnetic element and a collection of magnets for readers to match and place throughout the book. We were responsible for the concept development of both titles, which involved determining the function of each page and calculating technical constraints before sending approved layouts to Ed for illustration.

For Match and Learn: Numbers, our theme was farmyard animals, which provides plenty of fun counting opportunities, with prompts such as “Who is delivering hay for three goats?” The reader can then find and match the magnet showing the farmer with three bales of hay. For Match and Learn: Colours, our theme was weather. This provided a perfect opportunity to make playful use of the magnets by turning them into weather-related outfits, allowing readers to dress up the characters on the page while learning their colours.

Across both books, the compositions were carefully considered to maximise opportunities for free play, maintain a cohesive narrative and work within the constraints of the format. The magnets are sized to be large enough for young children to handle safely while still fitting neatly into the blister pack. Ed Myer’s bright, playful illustrations are brimming with character and have proven hugely popular in children’s publishing.

If you have novelty concepts and innovative design ideas you’d like to explore, reach out to our team of experts, who can guide you from concept to page.