Penguin Random House to Re-Release 'The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep' by Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin

Penguin Random House has confirmed its acquisition of "The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep," the bestselling self-published picture book by Swedish author and behavioral psychologist Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin. The publisher will re-release the tome in the U.S. and the U.K. through its respective divisions in the regions.

As per Publishers Weekly, Erhlin received a seven-figure in advance but Penguin Random House refused to comment as part of its policy to refrain from discussing such aspect. It did, however, confirm via Galley Cat that the deal was agreed upon by U.S. Penguin Random House Children's Books president Barbara Marcus and the UK's division's managing director Francesca Dow with Salomonsson Agency literary agent Julia Angelin.

In a press release acquired by Publishers Weekly, Dow described Ehrlin's book as "a phenomenon that's grabbing people's attention all around the world," which, in turn, allowed Penguin Random House to see its potential of "[expanding] the availability and potential readership," as stated by Marcus.

"The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep," which Daily Mail designates as the first self-published book to own the top spot in Amazon UK's bestseller's list, will don a slightly different cover when Penguin Random House releases it to its English-language markets, which include U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa on Oct 2.

One the same day, two downloadable audiobook versions (one with a female narrator, the other with a male narrator) will be made available in the U.K. and U.S. as well. The same versions but in CD form will be released on Nov 3 but before all that, an e-book edition will be released on Sept 8.

As part of the deal, Penguin Random House will also serve as the publisher of two of Ehrlin's future titles. The company did not spill details about these books, but they did say they will at a later date.

Publishers Weekly says that when Ehrlin first published the book in 2011, it did not make much noise it is making now. Years later, the book caught the attention of various media outlets mainly for the author's claim that the book will help parents lull their children to sleep without breaking a sweat. It did not take long before it clambered to number 1 in the U.S. bestseller lists.

Ehrlin released an English version of "The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep" last year. Now, it is available to seven languages. Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial will re-release the Spanish version while the publisher's German sister company Verlagsgruppe Random House will distribute the German version.

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