The kids’ magazine is gearing up for its busiest period of the year with a string of new launches, including this games-focused offering from an independent publisher.

Here, Retail Newsagent also gives you details of the sectors bestsellers and advice on the summer’s sales-driving events. See 20 June RN for a full rundown on kids’ titles and category advice from suppliers.

Robot – launch
On sale – 20 JuneRobot No1 - Cover
Frequency – monthly
Price – £2.99
Distributor – Comag
Display with – Moshi Monsters, Club Penguin, Toxic

Aimed at a younger gaming audience than traditionally catered for – players aged between eight and 10 – Robot is already proving to be a success in its native Sweden and now lands on these shores. With kids’ favourite Minecraft adorning its front cover and its inside pages as well as its first free gift (a double-sided door hanger), it covers plenty of the current favourites, taking in much-loved franchises such as Mario Kart, offering cheats and tips for Skylanders and previewing the latest Lego Batman and Disney Infinity  outings. In keeping with some of its elder contemporaries, Robot offers up independent views, tied to neither console, system or format.

 

Bestsellers

1 Fun To Learn Peppa Pig

2 Disney Princess

3 CBeebies

4 Moshi Monsters

5 Girl Talk

6 Peppa Pig Bag-O-Fun

7 CBeebies Special Gift

8 Fun To Learn Friends

9 Top Of The Pops

10 Jacqueline Wilson

11 Cbeebies Art

12 Barbie

13 Toxic

14 Ben 10

15 Sparkle World

16 Lego Legends Of Chima

17 Animals And You

18 Beano

19 Disney And Me

20 Doctor Who Adventures

 

Forthcoming sales opportunities

10 July: Transformers: Age Of Extinction

The Topps trading card game should enjoy a new lease of life.

 21 July: The Lego Movie DVD

Lego-related product, from the collectable mini-figures through to magazines.

 16 August: Football season starts

Football magazines will have a field day with previews from pretty much the day after the World Cup ends until well into August. A new raft of colleactables, stickers and trading cards will land.

 1 September: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 DVD

The Panini stickers will receive a new lease of life as Sony’s marketing campaign arrives.

 10 October: Skylanders Trap Team

One of the more collectable-friendly games brands makes a comeback.

4 November: Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Games magazines could see a jump in fortunes as the biggest games franchise for more mature players returns to stores.

 Autumn 2014: Minecraft

A franchise that works through many different age ranges, assorted spin-off books may get a boost from a new game.