Transworld acquires a fully illustrated guide to the creatures of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld
Transworld and Ten Speed Press will publish an all-new illustrated guide to the weird and wonderful beasts of Sir Terry Pratchett’s best-selling Discworld series, with never-before-seen artwork from Paul Kidby. You can pre-order your copy here.
Transworld acquired World rights from Jon Wood at RCW, on behalf of the Terry Pratchett Estate. Eric Klopfer, Publishing Director, Licensing at Ten Speed Press will publish in the US.
The Discworld Bestiary is illustrated by Pratchett’s ‘artist of choice’ Paul Kidby, who has brought to life the myriad creatures of Pratchett’s beloved fantasy world with brand-new artwork. The Discworld Bestiary will be published as a 4-colour gift edition hardback on 15th October 2026.
Readers will discover the horrifying but laid-back nature of the Terrible Man-Eating Sloth of Clup, the entirely theoretical eating habits of the Ambiguous Puzuma, and marvel at the startling prevalence of ominous ducks in cosmic matters. The Discworld Bestiary wriggles with insights, crawls with wisdom and is packed with extra advice from Rincewind, the (reluctant) hero of Pratchett’s inaugural Discworld novel The Colour of Magic and the subsequent Wizards series.
Newer Discworld readers will find themselves immersed in the Disc’s animal kingdom, marvelling at the breadth of Pratchett and Kidby’s imagination, while long-time fans of the Discworld series will discover even the most esoteric creatures appearing before their eyes, from the Stealer of Pencils to the ‘moderately deadly’ .303 Bookworm.
Director of the Terry Pratchett Estate, Rob Wilkins:
“The Discworld Bestiary is something Terry always wanted realized, and I can’t quite believe it’s finally come to fruition in all its beastly splendour. Paul’s love of Discworld beasts shines through on every page. No one would have loved this book more than Terry, and it is an essential addition to what is growing to become a Discworld Legacy Library, further exploring Terry’s world as he would have wanted.”
Artist of The Discworld Bestiary, Paul Kidby:
“It has been a joyful challenge to bring the diverse creatures of Discworld to life, from the Kickstool Crab to the Hermit Elephant. Capturing the unique fauna of Terry’s weird and wonderful universe and being allowed to take his evolutionary anomalies, and run with them, is a creative honour indeed.”
Transworld MD, Kimberley Young:
“The Discworld Bestiary is a feast for the eyes. Paul Kidby brings the world of Sir Terry Pratchett’s novels to life for both new fans and longtime readers, continuing Terry’s extraordinary legacy. To have a book full of brand-new artwork – ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, the majestic to the horrifying to the cute – is a real treat, and we’re thrilled to be publishing it at Transworld.”
Aaron Wehner, EVP & Director of Business Development, Crown Publishing Group, Publisher, Clarkson Potter & Ten Speed Press:
“Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld continues to captivate readers across generations, and The Discworld Bestiary is a celebration of that enduring magic. We are immensely proud to publish this beautiful edition in the US and to partner with the Terry Pratchett Estate in bringing this remarkable book to readers everywhere.”
For further information contact OMartin@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
For US inquiries please contact Maya Bradford, Assistant Director of Publicity at Ten Speed Press: mbradford@penguinrandomhouse.com
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